"Who knew?"

I find myself saying this over and over again on a miserable Sunday morning in Penarth.

Who knew our town played such an instrumental role in the Industrial Revolution, in D-Day and in the British Raj?

Who knew that its history is one of Vikings, of pirates and of Arctic Expeditions? Of mysterious fires, of slavery and of social strife? Who knew it was at the centre of one of the 19th Century's greatest political rivalries?

Who knew? Peter Walford, founder and sole tour guide for Penarth Walks.

I booked myself in for a tour on a particularly rainy morning. Peter says the rain is all part of the fun.

"Yeah well, you've got to just go for it don't you. It's definitely fitting to do a walking tour of Penarth in weather like this."

As we walk our route from the marina, up through what was once known as "Dagger Town", along the promenade and across Penarth's various parks, Peter tells me of a town steeped in history.

"It's fascinating to me that people don't know about the history that surrounds them. I mean look at this," Peter points to a sign saying Plassey Street. "Not many people know that many of the main streets in Penarth are named after famous battles in the Indian Wars. There's so many little connections like that.

"I'm just so curious to know why things are certain ways - almost everything you see here is explained by our history.

"I guess that's why I started doing them. My first tour was about 18 months ago having retired from teaching." Peter was a teacher in a special needs school.

"I thought it would be a fun way to combine my interest in local history with walking, keeping fit and meeting people. I have conducted dozens of walks now with people from around the world and locally. My reviews on Tripadvisor are always very positive - I'm a five star rating on there!"

The walks have definitely kept Peter more than sprightly. He's 65, and I struggle to keep up with him as he bounds up the steps of Alexandra Park.

But most noteworthy is his almost childlike passion for the subject matter. Peter speaks eloquently and expertly on topics ranging from Art Deco architecture to smugglers of Irish immigrants during the potato famine.

"The parks are great examples of our history. See that weird, out of place, beautiful building by the entrance [of the Italian Gardens]? That's a ticketing house. It was there to keep all of the dock workers out of the gardens so the Victorian industrialists could strut their stuff. Honestly, every building tells a story and often that story is about class."

The tour lasts two hours in total, which flies by in a flash of fascinating history and great conversation.

At the end, when we return to the marina and say our goodbyes, I ask Peter how much I owe him.

"No, no. I don't take money. I do it to meet people and share my passion with them. This is a labour of love, you see."

Email Peter on: [email protected]

His walks last between 45 minutes and two hours.