Lisvane & Thornhill essentials

Facilities & Services: hospital, police & schools

Nearest Hospital

Local Police Station

Llanishen Police Station

Location: Station Road , Llanishen , Cardiff , CF14 5LS
The police station in Llanishen is not open to the public without prior appointment. Drive time: 5 min

Cardiff Central Police Station

Location: King Edward VII Ave , Cathay’s Park , Cardiff , CF10 3NN
The nearest open police station is Cardiff Central Police Station

Schools

Llysfaen Primary School

Location: Rowan Way , Lisvane , Cardiff , CF14 0TB
Llysfaen Primary School is an English-speaking school and feeds into nearby Llanishen High School and Corpus Christi Catholic High School.

Thornhill Primary School

Location: Heol Hir , Thornhill , Cardiff , CF14 9LA
English-language Thornhill Primary School feeds into nearby Llanishen High School and Corpus Christi Catholic High School.

Location: Heol Hir , Cardiff , CF14 5YL
Llanishen High School is one of the largest schools in the north of Cardiff, taking pupils from Llanishen, Lisvane & Thornhill, and Rhiwbina. Its broad curriculum caters to 1600 students, and includes a Specialist Hearing Impaired teaching unit.

Corpus Christi Catholic High School

Location: Corpus Christi High School , Lisvane , Cardiff

Ysgol y Wern

Location: Llangranog Road , Llanishen , Cardiff , CF14 5BL
Welsh-language school

Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf - Welsh speaking secondary school

Location: Bridge Road , Llandaff North , Cardiff , CF14 2JL

Getting around Lisvane & Thornhill

Major Road Links

The A469 runs through Thornhill, to the west of Lisvane, and is the main road between Cardiff City Centre and Caerphilly.

Bus

There are regular rail and bus services into the city, and out to the Valleys and Caerphilly. Cardiff Bus routes 27, 28, 29, 29B, 85 and 86 serve the area, taking an average of twenty minutes to reach the city centre. Detailed information and route timetables can be found on the Cardiff Bus website.

Rail - Lisvane & Thornhill station

Lisvane & Thornhill station has a free car park and a disabled access ramp, but is an unmanned station. Trains leave several times an hour throughout the day, taking ten minutes to get to Cardiff Queen Street station and a quarter of an hour to reach Cardiff Central.

What's on in Lisvane & Thornhill

Cefn Onn Country Park

Location: Cefn Onn Park , Cardiff , CF14 0UE
An arboretum (‘collection of native and exotic trees’ to those of us who don’t speak Latin) enclosed in the valley of the Nant Fawr stream, Cefn Onn Country Park has a network of paths allowing you to enjoy the spectacular scenery to its best advantage.

Lisvane Graig / Craig Llysfaen

Location: Lisvane Graig Hill
It’s said that, on a clear day, you can see all the way to the Severn Bridges to the east, as well as enjoying spectacular views over the city of Cardiff. There are also mountain biking tracks if you fancy some wheel-based thrills.

Graig Llwyn

Location: Graig Llwyn , Lisvane & Thornhill , Cardiff
The Iron Age earthworks at Graig Llwyn suggest that people have been living in Lisvane & Thornhill for over three thousand years. Believe it or not, it was also the location of a nuclear bunker during the Cold War!

Llanishen Golf Club

Location: Heol Hir , Cardiff , CF14 9UD
For those who like a panoramic views with their golf. Llanishen Golf Club was founded in 1905 and recently underwent extensive drainage to improve the course.

Eat in Lisvane & Thornhill

The Old Cottage

Location: Cherry Orchard Road , Lisvane , Cardiff , CF14 0UE
The Old Cottage, or Yr Fen Hwthyn in Welsh, is a lovely real ale pub close to Lisvane & Thornhill station. They offer a seasonal menu that they describe as ‘modern British, comfortably interwoven with some Mediterranean influences’.

Manor Parc Country Hotel & Restaurant

Location: Thornhill Road , Thornhill , Cardiff , CF14 9UA
Offering classic cuisine in their Orangerie Restaurant, the Manor Parc Country Hotel boasts 21 en-suite rooms and overlooks lovely landscaped gardens. It’s a popular site for weddings and conferences.

Thornhill Farm Shop

Location: Capel Gwylim Road , Thornhill , Cardiff , CF14 9UB
Not only is their produce all locally sourced, but their coffee shop overlooks the Pets Paddock, where children – and animal fans of all ages – can hang out with donkeys, goats, pigs, sheep and sometimes even reindeer.

Ty Mawr

Location: Graig Road , Lisvane , Cardiff , CF14 0UF
A laid-back, rural pub built in a converted farmhouse, the Ty Mawr offers a relaxed atmosphere and extensive gardens and serves locally-brewed Brains beers.

Pendragon

Location: Excalibur Drive , Thornhill , Cardiff , CF14 9BB
Ty Mawr’s little sister, the Pendragon, offers live sport and a pool table along with the range of Brains beers.

CPS Homes' Guide to living in Lisvane & Thornhill

Testimonial quote – Jayne Lutwyche:

"I grew up in Thornhill in the late ‘80s through to the mid ‘90s. We lived in a friendly cul-de-sac not far from the crematorium with a small wood and park at the bottom of the road. It was, and still is, a safe area for kids to play. We used to build dens and ride our bikes through the many cycle-ways and hidden parks through the estate. Five and a half years ago, when I was looking to buy my first home, it made sense to explore what Thornhill had to offer. I now live in a cosy two-bed home near Thornhill Primary School and Cefn Onn Park with my boyfriend and our very crazy cocker spaniel. It’s a great area, friendly neighbours, lots of spots to walk the dog and a number of great pubs."

Situated to the extreme north of Cardiff are the suburbs of Lisvane and Thornhill. Lisvane is a pretty, established village centred on the Medieval Saint Denys Church and the Black Griffin pub – legend has it that the pub housed Oliver Cromwell himself during the English Civil War. Thornhill is a relatively modern estate, popular with young families and retirees alike, built between the late 1970s and 1990s.

With a range of properties from cosy two-bed starter homes through to large detached four and five bed properties, Thornhill is very popular with first time buyers, established renters looking to get away from more student areas, and families starting out. Thornhill Primary School is popular and well regarded with excellent Ofsted reports. Sainsbury’s supermarket dominates the local shopping scene, though for those seeking a more artisan option, the Thornhill Farm Shop (which also serves an excellent tea and cake) is a great option.

Often described as an exclusive suburb, Lisvane is home to some of the most expensive and luxurious homes Cardiff has to offer. From deluxe converted barns and cottages, to modern mansions with heated pools. The village is home to a number of small local shops, a pub, and a hairdresser. Llysfaen Primary School is graded ‘Good’ by Estyn.

The area has good transport links, with trains regularly going from Lisvane & Thornhill station to Cardiff Central. Lisvane is also served by the 86 bus, which goes every half an hour during peak times, whilst the 28 regularly takes commuters between Thornhill and the city centre.

Home to a number of smaller parks, the crown in the area is the beautiful Grade II listed country park Cefn Onn. Popular with picnickers and dog walkers Cefn Onn is a great spot to take in spectacular panoramas of the city – late spring is a real treat for garden lovers too as the many rhododendrons scattered through the park burst in to flower.

Those wanting to grab a bite to eat have a number of options in Thornhill and Lisvane. For coffee and light lunches the Thornhill Farm Shop with its animal petting area and great views over the city is a brilliant option. Steak experts, Miller & Carter, have recently opened their latest restaurant in Thornhill. For a refined afternoon tea, or a cheeky glass of wine, residents can head to the Manor Parc Hotel, or the New Town Hotel. Members and guests at the nearby Llanishen Golf Course can also expect a good reception. There are four pubs in the area; the Pen Dragon in Thornhill with its reasonable prices is popular with families. The Old Cottage near Cefn Onn Park offers a great range of beers, wines, and spirits alongside a gourmet menu. While the Fyn yn Wen pub in Thornhill, and the Black Griffin in Lisvane have a cosy, traditional feel and are both popular with the Sunday lunch crowd.