Cardiff's multilingual outdoor club

We start from the village, up through evergreen forest, then out onto open hillside. Depending on the season and weather, you will see cows grazing, sheep having a sunbath, crows chilling on the grass. Keep an eye out for mushrooms on the forest floor. At the top are four Bronze Age burial mounds that have stood here for 4000 years, and panoramic views over Taffs Well, the river Taff, Cardiff with its iconic landmarks, and Somerset in the distance. We head back down a different route to the Gwaelod y Garth Inn, a 19th century pub with flagstone floors and open fires. Finish your day with a Baileys shot or a hot cocoa and each other's company.

Meeting Point

Mackintosh Sport club CF24 3JW, 11am

Route

5km loop with about 250m of climbing to the summit at 307m.

Difficulty

Easy-moderate

Never climbed before? This intro session at Flashpoint is for you. One expert coach teaches the basics of bouldering to a small group of max 5 people, with a Chinese-speaking assistant to help translate and support. All equipment provided including climbing shoes. After the session, you get 2 weeks of free kit hire and 2 weeks of free climbing to keep practicing. Small group means plenty of individual attention.

Meeting Point

Flashpoint Cardiff, Freemans Parc, 236 Penarth Rd, Cardiff CF11 8EQ, 3pm

Route

1.5 hour indoor bouldering intro session at Flashpoint Cardiff.

Difficulty

Beginner

We catch the train to Taffs Well and walk from there through Fforest Fawr, old woodland with big oaks and beech trees. The path climbs at the end to Castell Coch, a Victorian Gothic castle with painted ceilings and a working drawbridge. We have lunch at the castle café, then head back the same way.

Meeting Point

Taffs Well station car park, 11am. Pickup from Cardiff Central at 10:45am if needed.

Route

Easy woodland walk through Fforest Fawr to Castell Coch. Well-maintained paths. 5km, 2 hours.

Difficulty

Easy

We drive an hour into the Brecon Beacons and follow the rivers Mellte and Hepste through sandstone gorges, passing four waterfalls. The main one is Sgwd yr Eira ('Waterfall of Snow'). 170 steps down, then we walk behind the 30ft cascade on an old sheep farmers' path. Pub lunch in Merthyr on the way back.

Meeting Point

Cardiff Central station, by the taxi rank, 9am

Route

Four Waterfalls Trail. 8km, 3-4 hours. Rocky sections, steep steps. Walk behind Sgwd yr Eira.

Difficulty

Moderate

We take the mini-bus up to Storey Arms, the traditional starting point for Pen-y-Fan. The path climbs steadily from the car park, steep in places, with the summit at 886m (the highest point in southern Britain). On a clear day you can see the Bristol Channel, the Black Mountains, and across to the Preseli Hills in Pembrokeshire. From the top we head west to Corn Du, then drop down toward the Upper Neuadd Reservoir before looping back along an old drovers' road. In winter the ground can be frozen or boggy, and the summit is often in cloud or wind. We go at the group's pace and turn back if conditions are poor.

Meeting Point

Cardiff Central station, by the taxi rank, 8am

Route

Circular via Pen-y-Fan (886m) and Corn Du. 11km, 4-5 hours. Steep ascent from Storey Arms, exposed summit ridge, reservoir return.

Difficulty

Moderate-challenging

We meet at Rest Bay, a sandy beach near Porthcawl that gets consistent swells year-round. This is a 2 hour beginner lesson with all equipment included. We start on the sand learning how to pop up, then head into the water to practice catching whitewater waves. By the end of the session most people manage to stand up at least once. After we rinse off at the surf centre and change, we head upstairs to the bar. They do good food and the balcony overlooks the beach. We usually finish with a drink watching the sunset over the Bristol Channel.

Meeting Point

Mackintosh Sport club CF24 3JW, 12pm

Route

2 hour beginner surf lesson at Rest Bay Beach, Porthcawl. All equipment and instruction provided.

Difficulty

Beginner