What to See at the Serene Coastal Town of Barry Island

Photography by Iza Sanchez

In winter, sunshine in the UK is extremely rare, so when you wake up to a clear blue sky, it’s a really sweet thing. My family and I were lucky enough to enjoy Barry Island on one of those perfect days.

Barry Island is one of the most attractive places I’ve seen in South Wales, although, prior to our visit I found very few articles and reviews about it online. It isn’t an actual island but a peninsula that forms a large part of the town of Barry. From Cardiff City, it takes about 30 minutes by train to get there.

barry island, wales, cardiff

The town of Barry is said to have gained popularity because of the Barry Island Pleasure Park, a seaside amusement park developed some decades ago. The pleasure park drew in a surge of tourists to the town annually. However, in recent years corporate restructures and changes in ownership had led to the park’s decline and eventually it was shut down sometime in 2014.

Barry Island

© Iza Sanchez

Just a few steps from the train station you will immediately see the site of the pleasure park and a short walk further you’ll glimpse the breathtaking sight of the ocean.

© Iza Sanchez

My day at Barry Island was a day of firsts. First visit to a coastal English town, first taste of the traditional British fish and chips, first ride on a rather clunky Arriva train, and first time to wear 3 layers of clothing to the beach on a bright and sunny day.

In winter, despite the sunshine it still gets terribly cold outdoors, especially in a coastal area. Nonetheless, it was a perfect day for a lazy walk along the new Barry Island promenade that stretched from one end of the peninsula to the other.
Barry Island 1

Barry Island Some upscale communities can be seen not far from the coastline. On that day, many residents and some visitors like us spent a pleasant day having coffee, playing with their children and walking their dogs. Swimming was off the agenda, but a few furry beachgoers were happy to test the waters.

Barry Island, wales, cardiff

It’s a long stretch of sand and sea. There was a promenade that led up to a hill and along the coast there were cafes and small shops and a playground for children of all ages. 😀

Coming from a country where the sun rises and sets at pretty much the same time throughout the year, the short days of winter was another first for me. We arrived at Barry Island around noon and since it starts to get dark by 4:00 PM, our time there was limited to exploring the main beach and the west side of the peninsula.
We followed a paved pathway that went uphill which surprisingly had no railings even at the highest point. Quite unsettling, but the view from that point was fantastic. The path led to a small cove where we had a chance to enjoy a quiet moment at the beach as it was pleasantly isolated.