New walk leaf 18/6/08 3:40 pm Page 1

SouthCornellyIntroduction walk This leaflet describes a circular walk starting and ending in . Alternatively you can start the route in from Heol y Sheet or Road. It is approximately 5km (3 miles). The walk should take approximately 21/2 hours to complete but allow a bit more time to enjoy the views of the countryside and coast. The route uses a combination of maintainable highway and public footpaths. The route also passes through the industrial area of Pant Mawr and Cornelly limestone quarries.

Left South Cornelly village Key Below Three Horseshoes public house Route Other public footpaths

Cornelly Cross

8

Link to Cornelly Walk 2

Start the walk anywhere in South Cornelly. 1 South Cornelly village is the 6 H "original" Cornelly, and is referred to eo l-y -Sh by that name in a document written eet prior to the year 1183. Although widely 7 Ty believed locally that the name Cornelly Tanglwys originated from the supposed dedication of the medieval chapel to Farm Link to Cornelly a Breton saint named Cornelius, this is based on very flimsy Walk 2 evidence. It is far more likely that it developed from the original 4 manor house, home of the De Cornelly family who were lords of the manor of South Cornelly in the 12th and 13th centuries Cornelly Mawr 5 Portacabin 1 Quarries Take the road known as Lamb Row, passing the Three Horseshoes (disused

pub. View Point Pant Mawr 2 The Three Horseshoes Public House in South Cornelly was Quarries 4 2 Three Horseshoes (disused originally known as The Horse and Tram. It is situated alongside the 3 Cornelly former railway on which it was a popular stopping place. X Quarry Continue past the pub and follow the public footpath that bears to the right, along Railway Terrace. Rock Cottages will be on your left hand side. Continue along the footpath which has a tarmaced surface for 1OO metres. 3 This section of route follows the rail-bed of the Dyffryn Llynfi and N Porthcawl Railway, a horse-drawn railroad built in 1825 – 29. Iron and coal from the Llynfi Valley was hauled to a new harbour built at Porthcawl and on the return journey was loaded with lime produced by the quarries at South Cornelly. Subsequently taken over by the Great Western Railway and converted to use by steam trains, it was finally closed in the 196Os. The public Continue along Railway Terrace. At the end of Railway Terrace you will footpath to This map is see another footpath sign. You will go across a grassed surface for 1O reproduced from North Cornelly Ordnance Survey material metres to an A-frame barrier. Go through the A-frame barrier and along with permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of the gravel path up a slight incline. The path then levels out. Her Majesty’s Stationary Office © Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown VIEWPOINT! The path then goes up a steep incline. At point X at the top of the slope you can see views across copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Bay and the on a clear day. Sker House on the coastline, the dunes at NNR and The ( County Borough Council licence number 100023405, 2008) Rest at Rest Bay can also been seen. Continue along the path. You will pass between Pant Mawr Quarry and Cornelly Quarry. 4 Cornelly Quarry is the largest producer of high quality limestone in South Wales. It is especially important because it supplied the steelworks with sinter (ground limestone) which acts as a flux in Cornelly quarry the steel making process. Present ecological surveys indicate the fringe areas of the quarry are used by a variety of wildlife including brown hare, rabbit, fox, and common lizard. Buzzards, Corvids, Herring Gulls and Lesser-Black Backed Gulls have been viewed in the skies above the quarry on a regular basis. A pair of Stock Doves usually nests in one of the quarries. There is also some ancient woodland present, and there are calcareous grassland areas which support orchids and other plants. The old Pant Mawr quarry, known locally as the ‘Blue Lagoon’, is so named because the lime particulate laden water reflects the sunlight to give its deep blue appearance.

New Cornelly walk leaf 18/6/08 3:41 pm Page 2

& Heol Las) crossed the road from to Nottage from road the crossed Las) Heol & the gravel track for approximately 75 metres 75 approximately for track gravel the

highway from to Kenfig (Heol y Sheet y (Heol Kenfig to Cardiff from highway gravel track. Turn left and continue along continue and left Turn track. gravel

century it was the point where the main main the where point the was it century until it terminates on a junction with a with junction a on terminates it until

formerly called Croes y Green. In the 13th the In Green. y Croes called formerly past the Tarmac site on your right hand side, hand right your on site Tarmac the past

south-east of this early village and was and village early this of south-east which is well defined and easy to follow, to easy and defined well is which

Cornelly Cross lay a short distance to the to distance short a lay Cross Cornelly Continue following the public footpath public the following Continue

13th century. 13th ments here. ments

only came into general use during the early the during use general into came only round it. You can buy refresh- buy can You it. round continue and

Lupelluston. The name "North Cornelly" "North name The Lupelluston. side of the portacabin the of side the at steps the Take

5 1183, and was initially known as known initially was and 1183, . 5 portacabin green a at track access

"Lovell") sometime between 1145 and 1145 between sometime "Lovell") route. The footpath comes to the end of the of end the to comes footpath The route.

family called Lupellus (later changed to changed (later Lupellus called family Take care as plant and vehicles use this use vehicles and plant as care Take

village at North Cornelly was founded by a by founded was Cornelly North at village access road which is also a public footpath. public a also is which road access

. The first The . Cornelly North in now are You At the green gates turn left, and follow the follow and left, turn gates green the At 8

and Porthcawl Road. Porthcawl and area of abandoned quarries we see today. see we quarries abandoned of area

come out on the junction of Heol Y Cwrt Y Heol of junction the on out come the extensive the in resulting Ferry Briton and

play area on your left hand side. You will You side. hand left your on area play ort Talbot ort P at successors their by continued

along Heol Y Cwrt. Continue past a small a past Continue Cwrt. Y Heol along and .The demand was demand Maesteg.The and Aberkenfig

you see a tarmaced link footpath that runs that footpath link tarmaced a see you furnaces that sprang up at , Cefn at up sprang that furnaces

You have now returned to your starting point. starting your to returned now have You

Sheet. Continue down Heol y Sheet until Sheet y Heol down Continue Sheet. huge quantities of lime as a flux in the iron the in flux a as lime of quantities huge

Road, South Cornelly. South Road, out on the North Cornelly side of Heol y Heol of side Cornelly North the on out through South Wales. South through the Industrial Revolution which required which Revolution Industrial the

Lane until its junction with Porthcawl with junction its until Lane path under the motorway until you come you until motorway the under path Romans as part of their main highway main their of part as Romans reserves beneath the common came with came common the beneath reserves

Lane. Turn left. Continue along Ty Draw Ty along Continue left. Turn Lane. will take you over a footbridge. Follow the Follow footbridge. a over you take will even older and was originally built by the by built originally was and older even Large-scale exploitation of the limestone the of exploitation Large-scale

incline until its junction with Ty Draw Ty with junction its until incline on both sides. Follow this footpath which footpath this Follow sides. both on but it is suspected that it is probably is it that suspected is it but Kenfig,

tar and lime-wash. and tar

hand side. Take this footpath up a steep a up footpath this Take side. hand with ranch/motorway style fencing style ranch/motorway with maced road through the area connecting Cardiff to Cardiff connecting area the through road

being used as a fertilizer or for making mor- making for or fertilizer a as used being

a signed public footpath on your right your on footpath public signed a right hand side. The path is tar- is path The side. hand right your on path the main the was it century 15th the of middle

on Stormy Down, their production mainly production their Down, Stormy on

the footway for 25O metres until you see you until metres 25O for footway the concrete access track. Take the public foot- public the Take track. access concrete Until the Until Motorway. M4 the of struction

men opened small quarries and built kilns built and quarries small opened men

link to Cornelly Walk 2. Continue along Continue 2. Walk Cornelly to link Go through the gate and continue along the along continue and gate the through Go was severed by the con- the by severed was Sheet y Heol 6

fuel in limekilns. Groups of two or three or two of Groups limekilns. in fuel

passing under the motorway there is a is there motorway the under passing

Church". the path emerges onto Heol y Sheet. y Heol onto emerges path the became more readily available for use as a as use for available readily more became

Continue along the footway. Shortly after Shortly footway. the along Continue

Sheet means "The House below the below House "The means Sheet through a further three kissing gates until gates kissing three further a through middle of the 17th century when coal when century 17th the of middle

along the footway under the M4. the under footway the along

name of this farm lying south of Heol y Heol of south lying farm this of name cables along the path, which is waymarked, is which path, the along cables in the area. It started in a small way in the in way small a in started It area. the in

Cross Porthcawl Road and turn left. Walk left. turn and Road Porthcawl Cross

7 In its present form the form present its In . Farm Tanglwyst Follow the line of the overhead power overhead the of line the Follow the former importance of the lime industry lime the of importance former the

area through to the present day. present the to through area Ty at gate kissing bypass the to get you kissing gate and continue across the field. the across continue and gate kissing slope of Stormy Down is a stark reminder of reminder stark a is Down Stormy of slope

important road junction at the heart of the of heart the at junction road important and follow the road for 5OO metres, until metres, 5OO for road the follow and ahead of you to the left. Go through the through Go left. the to you of ahead tle dry valley running up into the western the into up running valley dry tle

Margam (B4283) and hascontinued as an as hascontinued and (B4283) At the junction with Heol y Sheet, turn left turn Sheet, y Heol with junction the At at which point you will notice a kissing gate kissing a notice will you point which at The scarred and pitted landscape of this lit- this of landscape pitted and scarred The

ADVICE AND INFORMATION COUNTRYSIDE CODE ACCOMMODATION The going is mainly easy although it may be To make a reservation or to obtain information wet and steep in places. Remember to wear RESPECT on accommodation contact one of the Tourist suitable clothes and good shoes/boots and Information Centres. These are at McArthur take food and drink with you and be pre- PROTECT Glen Designer Outlet off Junction 36 the M4 pared to get fit! Always follow the ENJOY (telephone 01656 654906) and at John Street, Countryside Code. When you are walking Porthcawl (telephone 01656 786639). on minor roads keep to the right and make • Be safe – plan ahead and use of verges whenever you can. follow any signs For further general information about the It should be easy to follow the route using • Leave gates and property as Bridgend area you can contact us via e-mail the map and instructions inside this leaflet. you find them at [email protected]. When walking the route try and look out for • Protect plants and animals, the Walk logo that will be situated on stiles, and take your litter home Alternatively, you can visit our website - gates and posts along the route. Directional which is at www.bridgend.gov.uk waymarks with arrows will assist you as to • Keep dogs under close control which direction to walk in once you are on • Consider other people a public right of way. We also recommend Follow the Countryside Code wherever you you refer to the OS Explorer Map 151 go. You will get the best out of the country- Cardiff and Bridgend. side and help to maintain it now and for the For further information about this walk, to future. pass on your comments and suggestions or to report any practical problems on any of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS PUBLIC TRANSPORT the paths please contact the Rights of Way Thanks to the following for helping to either Section, Communities Directorate, Morien For further information on bus times and prepare the walk and text or for sponsoring House, Bennett Street, Bridgend Industrial service numbers telephone Bridgend the leaflet Estate, Bridgend, CF31 3SH (Telephone County Borough Council’s, Public Transport • Cornelly Community Council O1656 642537 or O1656 642593) Section or by e-mail at on O1656 642559 or • Barrie Griffiths, Local Historian [email protected] the Traveline on O871 2OO 22 33 (www.traveline.info). CAR PARKING If you have to use your car there is on street parking at North Cornelly and South Cornelly. 5km (3 miles) 21/2 hrs