Knap Gardens

Like Romilly Park the Knap is the perfect place for children and adults alike. In the summer you can take a picnic and watch the swans swimming on the lake, while in the Autumn and Winter you can take a good walk [if you’re warpped up] around the gardens, to the pebbly beach and upto Marine Drive for some fantastic views. There is also a good skate park for older children/​adults which is free of charge.

The Knap Gardens are a oasis of calm from the buffeting cold winds that blow in from Cold Knap. They are sheltered by the promenade which is built on a causeway some 6ft above the gardens. The focal point of the Gardens is a lake with swans, ducks and other wild fowl. In the summer there are paddle boats for hire. There are also model boat enthusiasts who regularly run their boats on the lake which is fun to watch. A lot of restoration work has been carried out recently on the park and so there are lots of places to sit and enjoy the views. There is a café nearby which sells award winning Thayers ice cream. There is also a skate park. This is a great place for a family day out by the seaside.

Other reviews are great but I just wanted to add that there are now parking restrictions on the car park in the evening. It closes at 5.30pm — you can get out if you’ve parked up before then but you cant get in to park — there are only a few spaces available (disabled parking etc).
I was chased by a swan when I last went so I now leave the bread at home — and I have also noticed some ‘do not feed the ducks’ signs!
The skate park is popular with the youngsters and there’s some fantastic talent over there! It’s great to go over and watch them.

I can’t add much to the previous review except to say that I agree 100%! I always think it’s a shame that the lake is called ‘Marine Lake’ instead of ‘Harp Lake’, as it does have that distinctive shape. It is certainly an attractive place to stroll around on a sunny afternoon!

The Knap Gardens are one of the most popular parks in Barry.
It’s an attractive triangular garden of lawns and borders, with a small stream running into a large boating lake, which is built in the shape of a Welsh Harp. The lake is home to a colony of swans and ducks, as well as the odd seabird. On sunny week-​end afternoons, it’s busy with families, including those with remote controlled boats.
There’s also a sheltered sunken garden with a small pond and fountain, with high hedges to keep off the stiff breezes that blow in from the Bristol Channel.
The park backs onto Cold Knap beach, and at the other end are shops and cafes providing teas and ice-​creams. There is ample parking at the nearby car park adjacent to the beach.