Roath Playing Fields

I never understood why everyone got so excited about Roath Park and couldn’t work out where the boats were, but then I realised I was confused (shouldn’t have been a surprise really!) I was at Roath Playing Fields. But hang on, there is a park just over the way? As one of the major suburbs of Cardiff with terrace upon terrace of almost identical (but not quite) two-​up-​two-​downs how luck are the surrounding residents to have TWO green areas?
The field consist of, well, a bit green bit really. There are some goal posts etc. At one end is children’s playground with swings and climbing frames and slides. There is also a leisure centre type affair, with cycle parking etc.
The bit I use most, however, is the path that goes all the way around the edge. Just big enough to have a good walk round in a nice green area, nodding to dog walkers, watching kids play footy etc. And if you’re feeling really adventurous there is a kind of outdoor gymn/​assault course around the outside. I challenge anyone to not be tempted to ‘have a go!‘
At the other end (not the playground end) if you cross the road there is a small wooded area. Nothing massive, but good to let a do run around.
I often pop over there for a stretch of the old hams, come back via Wellfield Road and a coffee and feel rather smug for choosing to live in Plasnewydd!

A letting agent once persuaded me to rent a room overlooking these fields because, ‘all the boys play footy on Sunday. You know what I mean, eh?’
Now, you’ve got to admire this man’s courage in using this as a reason to flog a property. It’s not a bad attempt, and yes he is right in the observation that playing fields are often used by ‘fit’ groups of people. Well done him.
However because I’m not a complete pervert, I find other ways to express my love for this green stretch of land. So here we go…
Every so often I feel strangely compelled to run. I don’t know what brings on this feeling. Maybe some mood altering drug in my veggie burger or too many days spent in front of a computer. Whatever it is, these playing fields are my second favourite place to take my running buddy in Cardiff (beaten only by a circular route alongside the Taff in Bute Park).
With a track running all the way round, interspersed by challenging activity points, the fields suit all my running needs and is an appreciated convenience when I get round to doing it.
It’s just a shame the sight of me struggling for breath on lap two has seriously dropped house prices for the overlooking properties.
URBAN CHALLENGE: Do all the tasks at the activity points