Long, narrow Roath Park rivals Bute Park as Cardiff's favourite green space. The third marquess of Bute gifted the land to the city in 1887, when the marsh at its northern end was dammed to create the 30-acre Roath Park Lake, the park's central feature. The rest was laid out in the Victorian style, with rose gardens, tree-lined paths, lawns and wild nooks. A lighthouse was added to the lake in 1915 as a memorial to ill-fated Antarctic explorer Robert Scott.
Popular with swans, cormorants and geese, the park is a lovely spot for a stroll and a picnic; however, if you fancy something a little more diverting, there are cafes, playgrounds, bowling greens, tennis courts and basketball courts, along with boating and fishing opportunities on the lake.