Cardiff Area Guide - Chambers Estate Agents

Cardiff Areas

Whitchurch

Whitchurch is quite the place. With its fantastic high street, green spaces and community feel, it’s easy to see why so many people want to live here.

Work

Brilliantly situated for easy access to the M4, you are only 10 min walk away from a train station in most directions – Coryton, Whitchurch and Llandaf with the added bonus of its park and ride. Each is serviced by regular train links to Cardiff, the Valleys and beyond. Regular buses pass through both Whitchurch village and nearby Manor Way and so getting into Cardiff couldn’t be easier. We are also lucky to boast three Next Bike stations throughout Whitchurch and are a few minutes cycle from the Taff trail so unfortunately, getting to work has never been so easy!

Schools

The great schools in the area are one reason that Whitchurch attracts so many families. At the primary school level, there is a Welsh-medium school, Melin Gruffydd with its two-form entry, whilst Eglwys Newydd is English medium and has three-form-entry intake. At secondary pupils can move on to many of Cardiff’s schools based on standard entry criteria (link to council website)? with the closest being Whitchurch High (English medium) and Glantaf (Welsh medium). Pupils also commute to Llandaf’s nearby faith schools and Cathays High.

Both Glantaf and Whitchurch High have sixth forms and Whitchurch is also perfectly situated for Cardiff and Vale College via train to Cardiff Central, and Coleg Y Cymoedd, a short journey on the northbound A470 via one of the many bus routes through the village. For those looking to continue their education beyond A-Levels, The University of South Wales has two campuses on the Llandaf train line, one 14 minutes away in Treforest and the other 7 minutes away at Cardiff Queen Street Station. Cardiff University is a matter of 4 minutes away on the same train line so don’t put off that basket weaving degree any longer!

For those at the other end of the family spectrum, there is a wide choice of childcare provision. Acorns Nursery, Little Cherubs and the Welsh Langauge nursery, Si-Lwli are all based in the village. A nursery runs out of the Community Centre on Ty’n-Y-Pwll Road and Cylch Meithryn provide Welsh-language nursery sessions from the age of 2.

Food & Drink

There is a range of cafes, bars and restaurants in Whitchurch making it a popular choice for residents and visitors alike. Whether you’re after coffee and cake in the vegan café or popular chain, Coffee #1, or prefer to line your stomach with a not-so-greasy-greasy spoon made by Peter at Coopers Café before jumping on a bus to town on a match day, Whitchurch has plenty to offer.

The high quality take away have all cuisines you would expect from a city suburb and you can’t go wrong with a Chinese from the New Empire or an Indian from one of three different restaurants.

For a sandwich, the church-run Roundabout café is open six days a week and has plenty of room for prams, ideal after a play at Library park and when the adults are thirsty there’s the village pub crawl taking in six establishments along the way (hic!).

What will I Spend my Money On?

If you like small independents, Whitchurch is for you! Where to start…well, there’s an eco-friendly shop – Iechyd Da where you can buy your goods in reusable containers, a fruit shop, three independent butchers including the award-winning Martin Player, Eleni’s for gifts and trinkets, a deli, beauty salons and enough hairdresser to go to a different one each day of the week!

The village atmosphere is what attracts people to Whitchurch and it’s the community that keeps them here. From the annual Whitchurch and Tongwynlais Festival through to the Reindeer Run and Christmas Lights switch on, it won’t take you long to settle in and get a “Hello” from a not so strange stranger as you wander down this friendly high street!

Birchgrove

Birchgrove is ideally situated to share and enjoy the amenities of its surrounding villages – without sharing their price tag!

Cwtched in on all sides by Whitchurch, Rhiwbina, Llanishen and Heath, ‘Birchgrovians’ can enjoy their own shopping area and facilities as well as those nearby – the best of both worlds!

Work

Birchgrove has its own train station with a direct train into Cardiff Central, and because it is surrounded on all sides by some other great urban areas of Cardiff, you are only ever 10 to 15 minutes walk away from a train station in most directions – Birchgrove, Ty Glas, Rhiwbina and Heath. Regular buses pass through the village into Cardiff and Caerphilly and a Next Bike station means you have no excuses for not getting into work! The M4 is a short drive away but with such great public transport links, increasing numbers of people take the car, a great way to reduce the carbon footprint and enjoy a quick chapter of a favourite book or trending podcast!

Schools

Whilst a relatively small area, Birchgrove has its own Primary School and is in the catchment for the Welsh language school, Ysgol Y Wern.

At secondary pupils can move on to many of Cardiff’s schools based on standard entry criteria (link to council website)? with the closest being LLanishen High (English medium) and Glantaf (Welsh medium). Pupils also commute to Llandaf’s nearby faith schools and Cathays High.

Both Glantaf and Llanishen High have sixth forms and Birchgrove is also perfectly situated for Cardiff and Vale College via train to Cardiff Central, and Coleg Y Cymoedd, a short journey on the northbound A470 via one of the many bus routes on nearby Manor Way. For those looking to continue their education beyond A-Levels, The University of South Wales has two campuses from Cardiff Central station and Cardiff University is a matter of 9 minutes away on the same train line so don’t put off that postgraduate degree any longer!

For those at the other end of the family spectrum, there is a wide choice of childcare provision. Sweet Pea daycare and Blossom Tree Nursery are very close by and the Welsh Language nursery, Si-Lwli is based a short drive away in Whitchurch as is Cylch Meithryn, providing Welsh-language nursery sessions from the age of 2.

Food & Drink

There is a range of cafes, and food outlets in Birchgrove ensuring that you’ll never go hungry! There is a popular local pub serving traditional food and supplied by the renowned Welsh Brewer, Brains, making it an obvious choice for all major sporting events, a takeaway noodle bar, and of course the award-winning fish and chip shop Youngers. Be warned though, you’ll often see a queue for their tasty morsels!

For the chefs, Birchgrove boasts some great supermarkets to buy all the ingredients you need to whip up a storm including fresh fruit and veg from Lidl and the fish counter in Morrisons less than a mile away.

What will I Spend my Money On?

If you fancy a change of scene and like small independents, Birchgrove is ideal for a Saturday stroll to one of its nearby villages. Whitchurch (link to the Whitchurch guide?) has several small shops, including a range of charity shops and an eco-friendly shop – Iechyd Da where you can buy your goods in reusable containers. Llanishen boasts some lovely cafes and tea shops and great community space called The Hub. Adjacent Rhiwbina has a deli, a garden centre and secret café, a gift shop and a great florist.

The great transport links and proximity to fantastic facilities are Birchgrove’s appeal for many and as such a fantastic base in which to explore North Cardiff and beyond, it’s easy to see why.

Heath

With its greatly proportioned, character-filled houses, it’s easy to see why so many people want to live in “the” Heath – one of Cardiff’s most leafy areas.

Work

Serviced by the Coryton line, Heath has two train stations, Heath High Level, and Heath Low Level. Regular buses pass through the area into Cardiff and Caerphilly and a Next Bike station means you have no excuses for not getting into work! The M4 is a short drive away but with such great public transport links, increasing numbers of people take the bus, a great way to reduce the carbon footprint and enjoy a quick chapter of a favourite book or trending podcast! There is also a Next Bike station and you’ll often see the local medical community commuting on their bicycles to the University of Wales Hospital and beyond.

Schools

Families in the Heath can choose from a few primary schools depending on their position within the catchment. Allensbank Primary, St Joseph’s RC, and the Welsh Medium Ysgol Mynydd Bychan are all within the boundary in recent years, and some Heath residents have also secured places just over the boundaries at Birchgrove Primary and Ton-Yr-Ywen in Llanishen.

At secondary pupils can move on to many of Cardiff’s schools based on standard entry criteria (link to council website?) and traditionally, Cathays High School has been within the catchment boundary for those living in the Heath. However, it is ideally situated for many other North Cardiff Secondary Schools including Whitchurch High, Llanishen High. St Teilo’s Church of Wales and Ysgol Bro Edern Welsh Secondary.

Most of the North Cardiff Secondary schools have sixth forms and with its strong transport links, the Heath is also perfectly situated for Cardiff and Vale College via train to Cardiff Central, and Coleg Y Cymoedd, a short journey on the northbound A470 via one of the many bus routes on nearby Manor Way. For those looking to continue their education beyond A-Levels, The University of South Wales has two campuses from Cardiff Central station and Cardiff University is a matter of 9 minutes away on the same train line so don’t put off that postgraduate degree any longer!

For those at the other end of the family spectrum, there is a wide choice of childcare provision. Sweet Pea daycare and Blossom Tree Nursery are very close by and the Welsh Language nursery, Si-Lwli is based a short drive away in Whitchurch as is Cylch Meithryn in Rhiwbina, providing Welsh-language nursery sessions from the age of 2. Daisy Day in Llanishen also provides wrap-around care for some local Primary schools such as Birchgrove Primary.

Food & Drink

Primarily a residential area, residents of the Heath can enjoy a stroll to nearby Whitchurch Road for a change of scene. Whitchurch, Rhiwbina, Birchgrove and Llanishen are all nearby, however, it’s Whitchurch Road that offers a really eclectic mix of food and drink. There is a range of cafes and bars in what continues to be an up-and-coming trendy area. Whether you’re after coffee and cake in Welsh café, Bodlon or a luxury cake at TV’s Cocorico Patissiere, there’s plenty of indulgent treats to choose from on Whitchurch Road.

As well as an abundance of cafes and quick-bite establishments, locals can enjoy an array of cuisine from across the globe, from Greek to Indian, Chinese to Mexican before quenching their thirst in anything from a traditional pub through to a trendy new wine bar.

What will I Spend my Money On?

If you like a quiet residential area with great links to a bit more life when you’re in the mood, you won’t go far wrong here. Whether it’s hoping on a train for a day’s shopping in Cardiff or whiling the hours away with the children and pets at Heath Park. Save your money for a well-earned cuppa or pint in one of the many adjacent villages after a stroll or bank it for an evening tickling the tastebuds on Whitchurch Road.

The generous proportions of most housing in the Heath means that there is ample space for young professionals to share their space, or for growing families to settle. There’s a real mix of people making up the community and given the proximity to Cardiff’s main hospital a good dose of those with a medical background. With such a diverse community, you won’t go far wrong if you need to borrow a cup of sugar from a neighbour – or a plaster!

Llandaff North

There aren’t many places that can boast a 4-minute train into a capital city, access to a 55 mile walk and cycle route and a set of community allotments all in the same postcode but Llandaff North can!

Work

Brilliantly situated for easy access to the M4 via Whitchurch Llandaf North’s biggest transport asset is its train station. Llandaf station is serviced by regular train links to Cardiff, the Valleys and beyond. Regular buses pass through the village too so getting into Cardiff couldn’t be easier. We are also lucky to boast Next Bike stations in the village and nearby Whitchurch and are a few minutes cycle from the Taff trail through picturesque Hailey Park, so, unfortunately, getting to work has never been so easy!

Schools

Llandaf North has long been served by Hawthorn Primary as its closest school and the schools in the area are one reason that Llandaf North is so attractive to families. Other primary schools that are attended by some young residents are Gabalfa Primary and Eglwys Newydd which is another English medium school with a three-form entry intake. Those wishing to take advantage of Welsh education attend either Melin Gruffydd with its two-form entry or the newly opened Glan Ceubal. Llandaf North is also home to Cardiff Steiner School.

At secondary pupils can move on to many of Cardiff’s schools based on standard entry criteria with the closest being Whitchurch High (English medium) and Glantaf (Welsh medium). Pupils also commute to Llandaf’s nearby faith schools and Cathays High.

Both Glantaf and Whitchurch High have sixth forms and Llandaf North is also perfectly situated for Cardiff and Vale College via train to Cardiff Central, and Coleg Y Cymoedd, a short journey on the northbound A470 via one of the many bus routes through the village. For those looking to continue their education beyond A-Levels, The University of South Wales has two campuses on the Llandaf train line, one 14 minutes away in Treforest and the other 7 minutes away at Cardiff Queen Street Station. Cardiff University is a matter of 4 minutes away on the same train line so don’t put off that basket weaving degree any longer!

For those at the other end of the family spectrum, there is a wide choice of childcare provision. Acorns Nursery is nearby along with Toad Hall Montessori creche, and the Welsh Language nursery, Miri Mawr are all based in the local vicinity.

Food & Drink

With some well-established cafes, three traditional pubs and a handful of eateries, Llandaf North is small, but perfectly formed. You can pick yourself up some freshly baked bread at My Loaf and a coffee from Rex on the way back from a bracing walk along the Taff Trail, or pop into The Railway for some traditional pub grub. Recently, Llandaf North’s Indian Restaurant, Sakarra was voted the best restaurant in Cardiff https://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/salkaara-cardiff-restaurants-llandaff-north-16305420 and it continues to go from strength to strength. If the mood takes you, why not hop on a train to Cardiff to continue the night into the early hours, and treat yourself to breakfast at Beppy’s Café the following morning to recover!

What will I Spend my Money On?

If you fancy a change of scene from Llandaf North’s small and friendly high street then both Whitchurch and Llandaf are just a short walk away. Whitchurch boasts a fruit shop, three independent butchers including the award-winning Martin Player, a clothes shop enough hairdressers to go to a different one each day of the week! In the opposite direction, historical Llandaff has cafes, a gift shop and some lovely family-run restaurants along the Taff Trail – a great excuse to get out in the fresh air and stop for a coffee before meandering home.

There is a strong sense of community in Llandaf North. Christmas lights and Summer festivals are organised and run by local villagers, proud to be part of their local area. Living in Llandaf North not only provides you with great transport links to the rest of Cardiff and beyond but also provides an opportunity to be part of local life.

Cardiff Areas

Whitchurch

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Schools

Food & Drink

What will I Spend my Money On?

Birchgrove

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Schools

Food & Drink

What will I Spend my Money On?

Heath

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Schools

Food & Drink

What will I Spend my Money On?

Llandaff North

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Schools

Food & Drink

What will I Spend my Money On?

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