Completed in 1999, this large dam plugs the gap between Penarth and Porth Teigr, containing the waters flowing out from the mouths of the Rivers Taff and Ely, and transforming stinky Cardiff Bay into a freshwater lake. It was a controversial project, as its construction flooded 200 hectares of intertidal mudflats which, despite their unpleasant aspects, were an important habitat for waterfowl. The barrage includes sluice gates to control the water flow, three lock gates to allow passage for boats, and a fish pass that lets migrating salmon and sea trout pass between the river and the sea.
The Cardiff Bay Trail heads out over the barrage, allowing walkers and cyclists easy access to Penarth (allow 40 minutes if you're walking). Along the way there's a skate park, a playground, some giant boulders of coal, and a series of display boards telling the story of Captain Robert Scott's expedition to the Antarctic, which set sail from Cardiff in 1910; two years later Scott and his men were dead, having been pipped to the pole by a Norwegian team led by Roald Amundsen.
