Photograph (c) G. Woosnam Walks derived from Nos. 57, 58 and 59 Ystradowen In and About Welsh St Donats The settlement of Welsh St Donats has existed since pre Norman times. It was called Welsh, some believe, because the soils where it is located were not in Norman times deemed suitable for arable farming. So it remained in Welsh hands, outside the Norman sphere just to the south. Even in the mid 19th century its inhabitants were overwhelmingly Welsh speaking. The addition of Welsh to its name also conveniently distinguished it from its namesake on the coast. Development of the village has been slight. It has its church and village hall but no other amenity. It exists as a grouping of well-appointed residences in an unspoiled, attractive part of the Vale. The level nature of the land on which it is sited belies the fact that at almost 400 ft above sea level, it is one of the higher settlements in the Vale. Because of footpath blockages in some places and a lack of Rights of Way in others there is no obvious complete circular walk around Welsh St Donats available within the distance parameters that we have adopted. Thus this leaet/web item departs from the format used in previous examples. It describes two walks, for the most part within the Welsh St Donats Community area, that can be used as standalones or, if so wished, linked up by the walker, using the appropriate O S map. Distance Walk A 4 miles. Walk B 7½ miles. Map OS Explorer 151 Cardiff & Bridgend. Recommended. S Start Parking To match the Route Guide below: for Walk A, park roadside in Welsh St Donats itself; for Walk B park at Hensol Forest Walk A car park. Grid Ref ST 031 768. Since both walks are circular the walker may join the route at any convenient point. Walk B Public Transport A limited two a weekday V5 service, runs to/from Cowbridge/Barry Spur or Diversion Refreshments None on either of the two routes. Road IndustrialRiver or Stream Estate Wooded Area Railway You then reach a stile leading you into a Built-up Area field. Maintain direction through two more FEATURES OF INTEREST stiles./gaps to enter the Vale Resort Golf Individual Building 1 St Donats Church. This church Course (6). Church dedicated to St Donat is over 800 years Lake Turn right and follow the footpath along the old. The earliest record of it was in course’s perimeter (there is an attractive lake to the right) to reach a stile that takes 1153. It is Early English in style with you out of the course. Now bear left to skirt a pre reformation sanctus bell. the boundary of Home Farm and its The church was restored in 1891 S Start outbuilding developments. First you pass Path Golf Course the entrance to the Coed Llwyn Rhyddid (7) 2 Ham Farm 6 Church Farm. This is one of the few Short Route heronry on your right, then the entrance to Llwyn Yoy Ty Deg Cymru. Continue, curving right, to long, low Welsh farmhouses still in alternative route to avoid hill Spur or Diversion Driving Graig Pond reach the Farm drive and then a country Road 7 Range occupation. It has early origins. It is built Penllyn Home lane. Here you turn right. River or Stream Catreglas Those wishing to acquaint themselves with of local limestone and has an internal 5 Wooden Area Farm 4 the Hensol Vale Hotel Resort area should winding staircase Railway 3 continue ahead for a short distance, passing Built-up Area 3 Caecady House. A house of this Llansannor the well known golf buggy store to take the Individual Building Church & Court stile on the left. The Public Footpath name has existed here since medieval Church 4 continues to the left of the changing rooms Refreshments through the lower area of the car park and times, probably named after a family Gallops on to the drive that bears off left through called Caddy. The existing house was what was Hensol Hospital N B changes to built in the latter half of the 18th century River Thaw Tre- the route of the public footpath are liable to Pen y lan by a Lewis Jenkins. He was the last Dr. Salmon’s Wells Coed Dodridge occur here). 6 On the main walk, after turning right, 2 y Marlau male of the Jenkins line; a family who continue along the well-defined track to had lived here for centuries. reach a slightly higher grade of country road. Turn right. You soon reach a gate on 4 Llwyn Ddu. This owes what fame it Penllyn 5 the left that allows you into a field (if locked Trebettyn Bryn y has to the fact that the celebrity Tom S Hensol Forest take the stile a little further along). Keeping Ddafod to the left of the field you progress to a Jones owned it for much of the 1990s. Newton second field via a gap. Cross this field House diagonally right to pass under transmission Because of security issues the 7 Farm lines and reach a stile that gives onto footpaths crossing its land were diverted Penllyn Castle another minor road. to a much more circuitous route that has Turn left and walk gently downhill to reach Prisk 1 proved difficult to maintain. Welsh St Donats/ a stile on the right that leads you into a field 3 Caecady with its gallops, associated with the nearby 8 5 2 S Llanddunwyd Hensol racing stables. Cross the gallops via the Hensol Forestry. As on most 9 Forest gap provided and head downhill, bearing Forestry Commission land this area right with the gallops, to exit the field. was planted with quick growing conifers. WELSH ST DONATS C Pisgodlyn (You are now in Tre Dodridge with Rose A48 Course of former railway Cottage to your left). Now however the trees are being Llwynhelig Farm Aberthin SCALE (APPROX): Warren Hill Turn left to a road junction. Here turn right replaced by what are deemed native Llwynhelig House to soon arrive at a stile on the right. Take 1 Kilometre Farm species such as oak, birch, rowan and SCALE (APPROX): this and bear left (ignore stile down to the ash. This increases flora and fauna 1 Kilometre 1 Mile right) to climb, diagonally, to the top right diversity. The southern part of this 1 Mile 1 hand corner of a large field. Here cross the corner of the next field via two stiles and forest is now an open, on foot, access School continue along a partly fenced track, turning area. S Cowbridge ROUTE GUIDE FOR WALK A Follow the road, which lies straight ahead, ROUTE GUIDE FOR WALK B left then right, towards Ty Fry Farm that you A48 gently downhill to a stile on the right, just Walk starts at Hensol Forest (5) car park. will see ahead. When you reach the farm 6 Vale Resort and Golf Course. The walk starts at St Donats Church. beyond Bwlch Gwyn Farm. Now follow a drive proper, turn left along what is a A leisure complex that has been Grid Ref. ST 027762 route that swings right round the fence of Facing away from the road take the left permissive path to reach at Ty Fry Lodge (8) hand track out of the car park that heads developed on the site of the former the electricity sub station to a gate in the a minor road. Cross it to a stile directly field boundary on its far side. slightly uphill into the forestry. When you Hensol Hospital. The complex contains opposite. Now bear right across a large Enter the churchyard via the main reach a crossing of tracks turn left along two golf courses, a 4 star hotel with entrance and head with care to the stone Once through this bear right and walk up an almost flat, direct route that takes you on field to a stile adjacent to a gap, which stile on the yard’s edge to the left of the the slope towards the pylon in the extreme to a country lane. There is a choice here. To leads you into a second field. Head downhill many other leisure facilities, a Grade church itself.(1) (N B the official route for top right hand corner of the field. Cross the walk the full distance turn left and walk on to the bottom right hand corner passing 1 listed building (Hensol Castle) and is the footpath is around the adjacent Church stile here and turn right to walk along a past the entrance to Llwyn Ddu to reach, a through attractive, hummocky terrain. Take little further on, a stile on the right. To shorten the training centre for the Wales RFU Farm but locals rarely use this). narrow passageway between two fences. the stile or gate here and head uphill to the (2) the walk a little turn and follow the road as well as The Blues and Cardiff Proceed across the rather bumpy field to a This takes a somewhat angular course but right right of Warren Hill Farm that you will see gently downhill. Pass the entrance to stile in the far right hand corner. Once over, eventually you will arrive at a stile leading above you. Cross the stile here and turn City FC. Catreglas to arrive at a stile inset from the turn immediately right to another stile next you on to a road. Turn left to pass the road on your left.