Shaded by trees, this tranquil mile-long path runs between a dilapidated, but charming, canal and a natural river. Once an impressive feat of Georgian engineering, this artificial waterway has succumbed to nature - fallen trees wallow in the water and lillies float on the surface. If you start at the Whitchurh Hospital end, you can return via the Taff Trail, which runs alongside Cardiff's main river. The Taff is more open and not as scenic as the canal, but it is worth stopping at the noisy weir to watch the salmon trying in vain to jump up through the cascading water. Even though suburbia is never far away, the round trip makes for a fine semi-rural, three-mile walk on the edge of Cardiff. 7/10
