220. Ogmore-By-Sea to Porthcawl

Monday 13^th February 2023

Drove down to the Rose and Crown at Nottage, Porthcawl, suffering the normal Monday morning traffic jams on the A42/M42/M5. Tony arrived soon after and we parked up the cars and got a taxi to the car park at the far end of Ogmore-By-Sea (GR869745).

Starting at Ogmore-By-Sea (GR869745)

Set off back up the main road for quarter of a mile and turned down Slon Lane and despite the navigational assistance of the GPS managed to miss the footpath off to the left (GR867747) and so had to backtrack for a couple of hundred yards. The path led downhill to the beach (covered by the high tide) and the rocky foreshore, popular with dog walkers and attractive in the sunlight with views across Swansea Bay to Mumbles Head.

Bwlch Bach and across Swansea Bay to Swansea (GR880767)

We stopped for coffee and jam doughnut at a mobile café – a little early for a rest but we had driven for about four hours to get here. Beyond this point we followed one of a number of paths to a car park on the estuary of the River Ogmore (GR862756).

It may have been possible to walk on the beach alongside the river but we chose the official path through low sand dunes until we crossed the road near Portobello House (GR875762). There were views up the river valley to an elegant-looking bridge (actually the entrance to the sewage works and not open to the public), Ogmore Castle and the Pelican Pub at Ogmore. This trip carried the threat of large expanses of industrialisation, so this was an excellent start.

Up the Ogmore River towards Ogmore and Ogmore Castle (GR870761)

A sandy path, deeply rutted by horses, continued above the road on the edge of Ogmore Down to reach the Pelican Inn at Ogmore (GR882768).

On the path above the Pelican Inn, Ogmore (GR881766)

It was almost reassuring that the new world is unchanged and the pub was shut as it only open Thursday to Sunday. Opposite the pub we could have taken a minor road past Ogmore Castle and then along the river to a footbridge.

Ogmore Castle from the Pelican Inn (GR882768)

However, we followed the official path along the road to a footpath signed to Merthyr Mawr (GR886770).

Footpath to Merthyr Mawr (GR886770)

The rather stylish footbridge (GR883733) led to the extremely attractive hamlet of Merthyr Mawr and its church of St Teilo’s.

Footbridge of Ogmore River (GR884773)

Footbridge over the Ogmore River (GR883733)

We stopped for a snack in the centre of this tiny hamlet.

Downtown Merthyr Mawr (GR884775)

A new grave was being dug at the small St Telio’s Church – using a mini-digger rather than traditional manual methods.

St Telio’s, Merthyr Mawr (GR883775)

The rather busy little road continued past the church to the car park at Candleston Castle on the edge of Merthyr-mawr Warren (GR871772).

This was a decision point as the official Wales Coast Path tracks back across the dunes and behind the sewage works to follow the Ogmore River to its estuary back at Ogmore-By-Sea and then across the dunes for a couple of miles just above the mean high water line. The alternative was to follow the wooded valley from Candleston Castle to Candleston Farm and then a series of footpaths to Newton on the edge of Porthcawl. Actually, it was not too much of a decision as others have described how strenuous it was across the dunes, so up the valley to Candleston Farm we went (GR870779).

Mawr is Welsh for large and Merthyr-mawr Warren fully warrants this description in terms of its expanse and the height of the dunes. Strange, as dune systems are called ‘Warrens’ in these parts and ‘Burrows’ in Devon, but as far as can be seen don’t have a particular association with rabbits. The route we took was along its northern edge but even here it was still really sand dunes but perhaps more vegetated than the area closer to the sea. It was easy and pleasant walking through woodland and then along Cwm y Gaer to reach Newton (GR842774).

The two miles of walking through Newton to the Rose and Crown at Nottage at least kept clear of main roads but we broke our journey to call in at the Globe Inn (GR833775). The Bard was not there but there were 15 or so middle-aged to old gentlemen sitting in the bar. Tony thought it must be a meeting of some club or other, but I continued his pub education by explaining (mansplaining in other circumstances) that it was ‘Early Doors’ – a dying tradition where (mainly) men meet to talk b…cks for an hour or two before going home.

We were staying at the Rose and Crown in Nottage on the outskirts of Porthcawl. There was another pub, the Farmers Arms, opposite but being Monday it was naturally closed. Never mind the Rose and Crown served some very decent Barry Island IPA and we had a good meal.

Days from Chepstow 220

Miles today 9.4

Miles from Chepstow 2527.4