Newport is blessed to have stunning countryside and parks on its doorstep providing an outlet and much needed breathing space. We are putting together some notes of gentle walks or safe jogging spaces that can easily be extended by the walker/jogger.
The sea wall at Goldcliff – park at the Sea Wall Tea Rooms, take the steps up and turn left, walking on top of the wall to the east. This route is simple and can take you as long as you want along the Wales coastal path as far as the Severn Bridge! Otherwise walking to and from one of the first walking gates is about 3,500 steps. Check the tide times and coincide your walk with an incoming tide. The ground can be uneven and often muddy so is not suitable for joggers and walkers should wear good footwear.
A shorter circular walk in Redwick – park outside the church or the village hall (if there is no functon). Walk towards the Rose Inn and take a right turn near Church Farm. At the junction of Mead Lane and Bryn Road you have a decision to make. You can take the Mead Lane to extend your walk, if you walk the whole length it brings you out at a gated entrance near the sea wall (there is much shorter, muddier walk to the sea wall opposite Church Farm). Mead Lane takes you over the Windmill Reen with a pathway surrounded with willow trees, blackthorn and sloe bushes. If you take Bryn Road rather than Mead Lane the much shorter route offers a quiet walk past some of Redwick’s finer properties including Jubilee Cottage, the Bryn and the Pound. The short walk is no more than 2,500 steps but can extend up to many more along the Mead. Be aware of farm vehicles and livestock here.
A longer circular walk or jog in Redwick – as above but take a left turn near Church Farm and head down South Row taking you past Great House Farm and follow the road towards Summerleaze. At the junction with Green Street take the road back towards Redwick village taking you past Redwick House and ending at the Church. Be aware of farm vehicles and livestock. 7,500 steps, just over 3km.
Riverside Walk – park outside the Blaina Wharf. Join the riverside walk at Alicia Way, take a turn to the left and head towards the city centre. This pretty walk is part of the riverside park developed over the last ten years and includes a number of vantage points strutting out into the Usk. You can walk from here all the way to the city centre or Riverside Theatre. Stop off as we did at the Octopus Cafe and return to the Blaina Wharf with a coffee for 3,500 steps or for a longer route head all the way to the Usk footbridge or Town Bridge. Alternatively you can turn right at the start and head under the SDR road bridge towards the Transporter Bridge although you can’t quite make it all the way there.
Newport Wetlands – parking is £5, free to RSPB members. Bus route 45 takes you there from town. Take a circular route via the cafe on to the lighthouse and turn left along the coastal path heading east and then follow signs back to the visitor centre for a gentle walk of just over 8,000 steps. Although there are plenty of alternatives including the long dog walking route around the perimeter of the site.
Tredegar House – parking is £3, free to National Trust members. Bus route 35. There is a cafe on site. Take a circular route, walking through the courtyard, main house and head north along the long path towards the gate house in the direction of M4/A48 junction. Turn left along the path and head through a copse of trees in a winding path before arriving back on the other side of the house for a walk of over 3,500 steps.
Fourteen Locks – park at the Centre, £1.50 for four hours, and take the route down past the disused locks (or via the bridleway) to the motorway underpass and cross to the other side taking the route on the canal tow pathway towards Malpas along the side of Allt yr yn Reserve. Turn at the medical centre and walk back. 9,000 steps.
Parks including Glan Llyn – park in the residential area or take bus 74 to Glan Llyn from town. Glan Llyn will have two large parks when complete but the first one is very pleasant with a large pond and sympathetically planted greenery. It is flat and wide for jogging or walking. Elsewhere, there are fine parks at Belle Vue and Beechwood, beautifully planted but with quite steep inclines.