Please keep to the main path along the cliff tops and away from the cliff edge, as landslips are not uncommon.
[1] The Coast Path is the tarmac path between the car park the cliff. With the sea to your left, and play area to your right follow the path along the cliff tops until you come to the end of the houses on your right. In front of you is a kissing gate which leads into a wooded area continue along this, at the end of this section there is another kissing gate, go thru this and onto the lane.
[2] Continue along the lane (Fort Road), passing Lavernock church on your right.
Look for the plaque on the churchyard wall commemorating the first radio broadcast over the open sea by Marconi on 11th May 1897 to Flatholm Island and the message read" are you ready"
(A) To your left is Lavernock Point: likely site for Welsh end of the proposed Severn Barrage. The Severn has the second highest tidal range in the world - 14metres. The barrage would be 10 miles long and cost around £30 billion. It is claimed that it could produce the same amount of electricity as 8 large coal fired power stations.
[3] After approx 300m, pass the entrance to the Marconi Holiday village and Marconi Inn, immediately passed this turn left off the lane through a kissing gate into Lavernock Point Nature Reserve.
(B) Lavernock Nature Reserve: Classified as an SSSI due to the variety and rarity of plants, with 170 species being recorded. It is abundant with butterflies and moths with tortoiseshell, peacock, red admiral, and painted lady present all summer.
Follow along the left-hand hedge beside Holiday Village to cross a stile beside a gate. Continue on the main track which becomes a concrete track, and after approx 200 metres pass by a WW2 anti-aircraft batterie.
(C) Anti Aircraft Battery: WWW2 Would have originally have had four 3.7 inch anti aircraft guns, with lighter Bofors guns nearby. Take care if exploring remains. Do not climb on flat roofs. Some buildings may contain broken glass.
Continue along path to reach a WW2 searchlight post above St. Mary's Well Bay. Head towards the stile beside the caravan park, (but do not go over it as the path beyond has long since collapsed).
[4] Turn right and follow the hedge keeping it on your left. Turn left through a gap in the trees and cross a wooden footbridge bridge to enter a field with the caravan park over the fence to your left. Follow along the left hand boundary, through a gap in the hedge ahead and again along the left-hand side to reach a kissing gate and St. Mary's Well Bay Road.
[5] Turn right along pavement for approx 700 metres to meet busy Lavernock Road after passing under a disused railway bridge.
[6] Take care diagonally crossing the road. Enter Cosmeston Country Park through the wooden kissing gate on the right-hand side of the metal gate. Follow the wide track into park, pass a kissing gate on the right and left, and then turn right along a concrete path. Enter the Medieval Village through a thatched gateway.
(D) Cosmeston medieval Village is a reconstruction of the original village as it would have been in 1350, when King Edward 3rd was ruling, and Britain was recovering from the Black Death in 1348. Free entry.
If you would prefer to see more of the lakes, continue ahead along the main track, cross the bridge between the lakes and take the path to the right following around the lake to reach the visitor centre.
[7] On leaving the village by the way you entered it, go straight across track, cross the bridge and continue to take the boardwalk to the visitor centre. (Dog walkers should turn right on leaving village, then follow left to reach car park and visitor centre).
[8] Leave Cosmeston Country Park through the main car park entrance, go left a short distance to a bus stop and carefully cross Lavernock Road by traffic island to take Cosmeston Drive opposite. Follow the road as it winds gently uphill.
[9] A few metres after the second turning on the left for Althorp Drive, turn left along a gravel path near a yellow grit box.
(E) This is the line of the disused Penarth to Barry railway line, originally built by the Taff Vale Railway.
Follow the path, passing under a road bridge, until it joins a road (Birch Lane). Continue ahead.
[10] As the road curves right, turn left into Rowan Close. Rejoin the gravel path at the end of Rowan Close, and follow ahead passing under another bridge.
[11] At the T junction of the gravel path, go right to join road. Continue ahead, away from the line of the path, along Alberta Place.
[12] At the crossroad with Plymouth Road, cross the road and turn right. At the next junction, with Raisedale Road, go straight ahead, continuing along Plymouth Road.
[13] Turn left at the park to return to the car park.