RHIWBINA

NORTH CARDIFF

Croeso i dudalen gartref Rhiwbeina

Dydy y dudalen yma ddim wedi ei gyfiethu i Gymraeg eto, achos wedi i mi gadael Cymru yn 1987, fe ges i ddim lawer o siawns i siarad Gymraeg, felly fydd fy Nghymraeg ddim o safon ddigon da i gyfiethu'r holl dudalen i Gymraeg.

CONTENTS

• Background
• Local Pubs
• Local Shops
• Local Schools
• Transport
• Location
• Accomodation

WHERE IS RHIWBINA?

Rhiwbina is a suburb situated on the Northern fringe of Cardiff. With a population of around 11,000 (1999 data), Rhiwbina comes under the parliamentary constituency of Cardiff North. Rhiwbina nestles under a range of hills to the North of Cardiff, which rise to 1000 feet, these hills are known collectively as Caerphilly Mountain. Rhiwbina itself is largely nestled under the Wenallt (N 51° 32.748´, W003° 13.428´), a hill that rises to about 700 feet, and is easily identified by a large telecommunications mast that sits at its summit.

Views from Caerphilly Mountain extend North as far as the Brecon Beacons mountain range (22 miles), where on a good day, one can make out the highest peaks in the Beacons, Pen-Y-Fan (2908 feet), Corn Du (2800 feet) and Y Gribin (2700 feet). The view also takes in a number of the Welsh mining valleys, such as the Rhymney Valley and the Senghenydd Valley.

Views West extend to Y Garth (2000 feet) and down into the Vale of Glamorgan, site of a number of prehistoric burial mounds and Cromlechs.

On the Western side of these hills lies Castell Coch, originally a 12th century Welsh Chieftain`s stronghold commanding a dominating position on a steep hill overlooking the Taff valley below. Castell Coch was magnificently restored as a Gothic, fairy tale castle in the 19th century by William Burgess for the Marquis of Bute, and is now frequently used as a backdrop for both film and TV.

Views South present the city of Cardiff, where features such as the National Rugby Stadium, Cardiff Castle and Llandaf Cathedral can be spotted. Also visible is the Bristol Channel and the islands of Flatholm and Steepholm, and in the distance, across the Bristol Channel, the City of Bristol in England, and further in the distance, the county of Somerset in England.

About 2 miles to the East of Castell Coch, in Rhiwbina, is the Twmpath, a late 11th / early 12th century Norman Motte and Bailey. The Twmpath can be found off Wenallt Road, a hundred yards or so South of the bridge crossing the M4, and a hundred yards or so West of Wenallt Road.

About 1 mile North of Rhiwbina, up on Caerphilly Mountain, on an escarpment called Cefn-Onn Ridge, overlooking Cardiff, is another Castle; Castell Morgraig, suspected of being the first Welsh stone castle. Castell Morgraig, now lies in ruins.

RHIWBINA PUBS

• The Deri - Located at the junction of Heol Y Deri, Rhiwbina Hill, and Wenallt Road.
• The Ffynnon Wen - Located on Thornhill Road.
• The Nine Giants - Located at the junction of Heol Llanishen Fach and Thornhill Road.
• The Butchers Arms
• The Pantmawr

RHIWBINA SHOPS

The 2 areas where shops are concentrated in Rhiwbina, are on the following roads:

• Heol Llanishen Fach - at the crossroads between Heol Llanishen Fach and Heol Uchaf.
• Heol Y Deri - located in Rhiwbina Village

RHIWBINA SCHOOLS

• Llanishen Fach Primary and Junior School - located on Heol Uchaf in Northern Rhiwbeina..
• Rhiwbina Primary and Junior School - located in Rhiwbina Village.

RHIWBINA TRANSPORT

Bus

A number of local buses run directly to Rhiwbina, from Cardiff city centre. Journey times on the bus take about half an hour. The Cardiff Central Bus Station is located next to Cardiff Central Railway Station. The number 21 and 23 buses to Rhiwbina, normally run from the Central Bus Station. The buses also stop in St Mary Street and alongside Cardiff Castle.

Train

There is also a Rhiwbina railway station located at the Southern edge of Rhiwbina Village, journey time from the centre of Cardiff is about 15-20 minutes. Trains to Rhiwbina railway station run from Cardiff Central Railway Station.

Car

By car, Rhiwbina, is 5 minutes drive from junction 32 of the M4 motorway, and theA470 road which runs North (all the way to North Wales in fact).

RHIWBINA BOUNDARIES

Rhiwbina is bounded by Whitchurch and Pantmawr to the West, the dividing line is generally taken as the A470 road. To the East, it is bounded by Llanishen and Thornhill, the dividing line being Thornhill Road. To the South, Rhiwbina is bounded by Birchgrove.

RHIWBINA/CARDIFF ACCOMODATION

Accomodation in Cardiff can be found by accessing the Cardiff Accomodation section of the Cardiff Council website.

GENERAL WALES ONLINE INFORMATION

If you would like more information about Wales on the World Wide Web, try the following web sites:

• Eisteddfod Genedleathol / National Eisteddfod
• S4C - Sianel 4 Cymru / Welsh Channel 4 - TV Channel
• Data-Wales
• Groeso i Gymru !
• Virtual Cardiff
• Cardiff Council Website

SOME PERSONAL LINKS

• Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf
  -My old school in Llandaf (I was at Ysgol Glantaf from 1979 - 1987)
• Cardiff Astronomical Society
  -One of my main interests outside of school in the early to mid 1980's was the Cardiff Astronomical Society. The Astronomy bug certainly bit me, as my degrees in Physics, my involvement in the space industry, my current rocketry interests and my current astronomical interests would attest to!

Why did I write this page on Rhiwbina ?

Because back in 1995, there was nothing on Rhiwbina on the World Wide Web (there was hardly anything on Cardiff for that matter, either), so I decided to write a page about the area where I grew up. The page has remained largely static, mainly because I left Cardiff to study for my degrees in 1987, and following finishing these in 1992, I have lived in London. Also I have not got round to going back to Rhiwbina with either a 35mm or digital camera to take some photos. I will get around to it eventually!