Two former limestone quarries, flooded into lakes, make up Cosmeston between Penarth and Lavernock. Waymarked paths loop the water and reedbeds, good for birdwatching, and a reconstructed medieval village recreates Cosmeston as it stood around 1350, staffed in costume on event days. There’s a visitor centre and café, open access and free to walk, with pay-and-display parking.

© Dylan Moore / Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0