Thanks for all the great advice. Job is just on the edge of Splott near the Magic Roundabout so pretty handy for everything and i cycled up the taff trail when i was working there last time so anything that way was kinda what i was thinking off without knowing anywhere else.
We’re going down on Thursday for a Recce (and also my interview) and we are going to have wander round Pennarth and probably Llanishen based on SaxonRiders sales pitch!
Cheers

I wouldn’t restrict your North Cardiff search to Llanishen although they do hold a good CX race 😆

Definitely recommend visiting Canton and Roath Park too.

Yeah Canton seems to have changed a lot in recent years. High Street still looks shit though. Splot too, used to be a place to buy drugs, not anymore.

If you were brave Grange Town aka (GTown / Strange Town) stone throws away from the city, lovely big old houses, but rough.

Canton is weird some decent stuff, but also grimy in places, with some odd between war era houses. So really depends where exactly the house is.

Most of the decent areas have been covered above, Whitchurch is the best area IMO, but then I’m biased. Although if I had a good few million to spare then I’d probably buy on the Cathedral Green.

But if you had to choose between living in the Lake District and Cardiff which would it be?

I’d be out of a job if I lived in the Lakes, so Cardiff every time 🙂

Honestly between the Lakes & Cardiff, it would be Cardiff for me every time.

Perhaps it was unwise to send my wonderful girlfriend a link to this thread but it seemed like a good idea at the time. Thanks for the support.

I was born and brought up in Whitchurch and parents still love there. Fantastic location if you can afford it, easy access to Taff Trail to commute into town. My parents regularly walk all the way into the town center just for coffee and cake then home maybe 7 mile round trip. Also Heath, Rhiwbina, Radyr all the North Cardiff areas as already mentioned as perfect for nipping onto the MTB trails in an evening.

17th Sept is the Llanishen CX this year so get it in the diary 😉

Lived in various parts of Cardiff on and off for 30 years in total. Cardiff is a fantastic place to live. Welsh people are generally friendly and don’t take themselves too seriously. Because of the geography and access in surrounding areas, the Valleys decline (commercially) seems to have been Cardiff’s gain in that you get a big influx of shoppers and commuters from surrounding areas. It’s a fantastic vibrant city (don’t miss the arcades off St Mary St if you’re checking out the city centre). The city centre itself is compact and all walkable.
As others have said, it depends how much you’re spending. My choice would be Pontcanna area. Similar vibe (on a smaller scale) to Clifton in Bristol (artsy laid back bohemian vibe). You can cycle to work via Bute Park quite easily, have easy access to Taff trail and plenty of bars and restaurants to keep you happy plus walkable to town. If you’re checking the area, park up by Cafe Castan and check it out, walk through the park to the castle/town area. Ask the chaps in BikeShed about their Wednesday night ride and you’ll get loads of info about biking in the area. If you follow the footpath along the Taff by Sophia Gardens, you could be in Mid Wales with babbling river, herons etc, yet 5 min walk from town centre. If you have a higher budget, Llandaff is nearby (lovely big houses), lower budget Canton. On street car parking can be tricky in Pontcanna/Canton. If you prioritise mountain biking or M4 access (at the expense of quick access to magic roundabout) take a look along the A4119 corridor – Radyr, Rhydlafar, St Fagans, Creigiau. That road tends to be busier at rush hour but you’re talking 30 mins or so to city centre (10 mins at quiet times). Radyr has train access and quicker access to Taff Trail and A470. Rhydlafar tends to be more out on a limb (no village pub and you mostly have to travel anywhere) but mountain biking practically from the doorstep. Creigiau is more of a country village with a pub and shop/post office, 5 mins from M4 and instant access to woodland trails, Garth mountain and over to Taff trail. Arguably “the wrong end” of the city for quick access to magic roundabout but still not that far by some city standards. Whitchurch is lovely, can be expensive, but a village centre and easy M4/A470 access and mountain biking to Caerphilly mountain. May tick many of your boxes. Don’t discount Cardiff Bay either, if you haven’t got kids. V quick to get to your work, easy access to city and Taff Trail but you’ll be travelling to get to any mountains (unlike Radyr, Rhydlafar/Creigiau/Whitchurch). A curveball could be Gwaelod y Garth. Mountain on your doorstep and straight on to A470 but because it’s tucked under a mountain, it’s like living half the day in the shade without direct sunlight.
Penarth and Dinas Powys are nice places to live, tend be pricier but a ballache to get to by car because they seem to be out on a limb from everywhere else (I worked there for a short while several years ago). You’ll have no mountain riding nearby although commuting to your work would be good if you plan on going by train or bike. Penarth has a sort of faded Victorian seaside charm and a real spread of deprivation on one hand and some of the region’s wealthiest people on the other. Has a lot going for it generally, but less so from an MTB perspective (from the doorstep).
I agree with Molgrips about Pontprennau, although as an STWer has the golden chalice of an Audi dealership nearby. Closer to riding in Rudry too but dare I say a bit soulless? Similar could be said of St Mellons but lots of choice of modern houses, quick M4 access and closish to magic roundabout. Less on a limb than Pontprennau?
The areas people tend to avoid are the student areas (Cathays – noise, car crime and break ins) and Ely and some parts of St Mellons (reputation for trouble). You’ll need a highish budget to buy around Roath Park, Llandaff and Cyncoed. Heath area’s nice and rail links but every time you get in a car, there’ll be lots of traffic (I used to live there and it’s the only part of living there that I don’t miss) compared to the leafy suburbs further afield.
If mountain access a priority Radyr, Rhydlafar, Creigiau, Gwaelod y Garth, Whitchurch, Tongwynlais.
If getting to work quickly Cardiff Bay, Roath Park, Cyncoed, St Mellons.
Combo of above, Pontcanna, Canton.
Commuting-wise, bear in mind that the A470 is rammed at rush hour, so if you’re looking around in the middle of the day on Thursday, don’t think because it’s a dual carriageway it’s always free flowing traffic – it’s not.
Sorry for long post and bits of repetition but hopefully helps to supplement what others have said.
Whatever you choose, Cardiff is great. The people are great, the city’s great and there’s good MTB nearby. Lakes or Cardiff? Another vote for Cardiff here but they’re polar opposites really. More going on in Cardiif and if you’re a rugby fan, then no brainer 🙂