Penarth Nub News recently hit over 100,000 page views on our site. To mark this occasion, we wanted to write an article that celebrated all things Penarth.

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Penarth, according to its official signage, is referred to as "the garden by the sea". It is well known for its pebbly beach, fringed by parkland and cliffs. Its history is rich, and the area is mostly prosperous. It's a town that tends to feature in the Sunday Times ''Best Places to Live in the UK''.

Penarth's name comes from the Welsh words 'pen' meaning head and 'arth' meaning bear; in short, 'Head of the Bear,' which at least explains the name of the popular Wetherspoon's pub on the high street; The Bear's Head. Bears also inhabit the town's coat of arms, alongside a sailing ship which pays homage to Penarth's deep connection with the sea trade.

Penarth's affluence and its architecture owe much to the boom years when the coal exports of South Wales surged through the area.

The Penarth docks, now recognised locally as Penarth Marina, were built for the purpose of coal exportation. From Marine Parade, arguably Penarth's poshest street, ship owners could keep an eye on the Bristol Channel from their bedrooms.

As the global coal industry declined, Penarth shifted shape to re-invent itself as an upmarket seaside resort, complete with a lifeboat station and ornate Victorian pier, restored and revived with lottery cash. Today the Pier Pavilion building hosts the Snowcat Cinema, comedy nights, art exhibitions and a café.

With its 27,000 resident or so, Penarth is the second largest town in the Vale of Glamorgan, after Barry. Its close proximity to Cardiff and excellent public transport links (no fewer than three railway stations) has secured its place as a nest for commuters.

It's no surprise then that Penarth's high street, and business more generally, are thriving. Independent, local shops line the streets, along with coffee shops and cute eateries. Penarth residents are keen to see it stay this way.

The town really has it all when it comes to local. You can shop for quality meat in the family butchers; purchase locally sourced produce from the long-established Windsor fruit and veg shop; pick up a good read from Griffin Bookshop; or, dig into the delights of Bar 44's tapas selection.

House prices are more expensive than other Welsh towns due to the popularity of the affluent town and yet the sense of community in Penarth is unwavering.

Charity shops are offered in abundance and the well-to-do nature of Penarth's residents mean you can often find a gem amongst the swathe of donations.

Mothers who lunch are a staple part of towns' community ecosystem and keep the cafes busy in daylight along with Penarth's many pampered pooches who meander along the high street and are welcome almost everywhere.

If you like sport, Penarth offers rugby, football, golf, swimming and tennis. Local teams, like the Old Penarthians RFC, have many historical threads, including, a link to the world-famous Barbarians team.

Surprisingly, the core of the age range comprises 25-44 year-olds. There are also plenty of older people occupying well-designed flats refreshed by the sea air.

Locally-raised teenagers, naturally, see this picture from a different angle: elderly and therefore boring.

On Friday and Saturday nights, young people put great effort into rousing Penarth from their charge of sleepiness, bringing prosperity to Penarth's rich mix of bars and pubs.

The Railway Pub has long been a prime spot for the town's gaggles of youth to enjoy until the early hours of the morning.

There is also a buzzing slate of annual town celebrations, such as Picnic Penarth, the Summer Festival and the Christmas Lights ceremony.

Is there a downside from all this busy stuff? When Nub asked residents to summarise the town in 3 words, one said ''cars parked everywhere''. Despite this being a concern for locals, it also earmarks the popularity of a busy residential area mixed with an eclectic, vibrant town centre.

Others, more positively, cited the ''safe'', ''community'' driven town.

A couple of readers also reflected on the ''beautiful'' landscape and the panoramic ''views'' that we have on our doorsteps. Residents may get irked by the number of photos of Penarth that so heavily focus on the Pier and pavilion, but it is and will always remain a place of pride in locals' hearts.

The Mayor of Penarth Town, Cllr Angela Thomas, said: ''Pebbles, Delicious and Happy'' in a gesture to the stony shores of Penarth beach.

Generally, in Penarth, crime rates are low, the local schools are excellent and if you do run out of things to do, the city lights of Cardiff are only a cycle or three train stations away.