Merthyr Mawr Bridgend Station Walk follow the road to the right and continue for a short Sarn Park The Bridgend Circular Walk Continuation of & Ride distance until you see a stone stile in front of Celtic Trail Bridgend Circular Walk you. Go over the stone stile keeping the See leaflet 2 hedgerow and wall on your right hand side. When Section 1 Sarn you have reached the stile opposite the entrance to Llanerch Home follow the road to the right and take either of the signposted foopaths on (SECTION 1) Aberkenfig either side of the New Inn Bridge. New Inn Bridge (6) was built in the 15th Introduction Century. The holes in the parapets were where 1 This leaflet describes a 9km (5 / 2 miles) section farmers once pushed reluctant sheep into the of the Bridgend Circular Walk. You should be able River Ogmore for a seasonal dip! At the side of the bridge there once stood an Inn where the to complete this section of the walk in 3 hours 19 but allow more time if you are thinking of visiting 18 Celtic Trail LandLord would rob and murder travellers en route spur MIlepost Penycae route to St. David’s shrine. some of the sites identified in the leaflet or you M4 Children’s Glan Rhyd to Bridgend Marker Lane simply want to enjoy the countryside. The Play Area Railway To continue on the Bridgend Circular Walk Viaduct villages of Laleston, Pen-y-fai and Sarn have follow the footpath as signed along the rough everything that you will need by way of facilities. Village Post track towards Whitney Farm. Before reaching Shop For convenience the directions below are office the farm take the waymarked footpath on the Church right hand side which leads through a small written with Merthyr Mawr as the starting point B North of All r i (for this section of the walk). You could, The d wooded area to a wooden stile. Follow the foot- Lodge Saints g 1 Pheasant e Court 15 n 3 however, equally well start from Sarn Park & Ride Church d path along the field edge as waymarked on the Colman R Lodge o or any point along the route and, if travelling in 16 14 a stile with the hedgerow on your right hand side. Court d A the opposite direction, simply reverse all the Colman School To 4 Please note that the four fields on this section of Court 17 0 Lodge Pen-y-fai Bridgend 6 directions. Colman 3 route often contain cattle and other stock. You Farm If you wish to visit Ogmore Castle (1) and Nantffornwg can help by reporting loose dogs or other prob- Castle Tea Rooms leave the car park by means of lems affecting stock to the farmer at Whitney the swing bridge. Then follow an ancient track Farm. At the end of the field there is a wooden and cross the River Ewenny via the stepping stile with an adjoining field gate. Cross this stile stones. However, you must take care as the tides and follow the waymarks to a metal field gate. can be exceptionally dangerous as they change Go through the gate and the footpath continues very quickly and you could be isolated on the Cefn Glas to the stone stile with the hedgerow on your left wrong side of the river. It is easy to see why the hand side. Normans built a castle here as it commands a Cross the A48 (however take care as the strategic position on the River Ewenny. traffic is usually travelling at high speeds). To begin this section of the walk, from the car Follow the tarmac path and go over the stone Llangewydd Road park near the swing bridge in Merthyr Mawr – stile. Cross the field to another stone stile and walk back towards the village green along the in the next field follow the well worn path to road. When you get to the green follow the road the waymarking post at the end of the field. to the left and continue walking along it with the Take the field to the left and continue until you church on your right hand side. reach a stone stile. Go straight ahead after the stile and you will then be on High Street in the Bryntirion Church Laleston of Village Farm (Trelales) St David House Horeb Milepost 10 11 12 Chapel Merthyr Mawr (2) is an idyllic little settlement, 8 7 village of Laleston. as picturesque as they come, with an outstanding The As well as being able to find most of the facil- collection of thatched dwellings beautifully The 9 Oystercatcher Great House ities you will need the Village of Laleston also has positioned around an old Village Green. 13 The some interesting features. Surrounded by meadows and woodlands, the Well Broadlands The medieval Church of St.David (7) is located Ancient Church (3), which dates back to the in the centre of the village. It sits on a slight rise middle of the 19th Century, was built on an above High Street and is listed Grade 1. Parts of ancient site. Indeed stones have been found the church date back to the 13th and 14th dating from the 5th Century suggesting there was Centuries. The church currently has four bells an important Christian cemetery here. hanging in the tower. The oldest one was cast at Candleston Castle (4), once a 14th century a Bristol foundry in 1380 and has an inscription fortified mansion house, is situated on the edge A48 that reads "Sancte Michael, ora pro nobis". of the Sahara-like dunes of Merthyr Mawr Warren. Translated this means "St. Michael pray for us". It is now an Ivy covered ruin that was once the New Inn Situated on High Street in Laleston are also the centre point of the village of Treganlaw (Welsh Bridge following points of interest: for: The town of a hundred hands), which has 6 been buried beneath the ever shifting sands of The Milepost (8), which is Grade 2 listed, is a Merthyr Mawr Warren. Whitney good example of an elaborately detailed cast iron Farm milepost. It is situated opposite the Mackworth Merthyr Mawr Warren Link to Arms and was one of a series of cast-iron mile- (5) was once a part of the Bridgend station walk posts erected in the 1830’s for the Bridgend largest sand dune complex Turpike Trust. The Road itself was first turnpiked in Britain stretching along 2 in 1764. the coast to Briton Ferry. 4 The warren is an important The Great House (9) is a listed Grade 2* build- ing. It is an Elizabethan manor house with parts wildlife habitat and a site Home of scientific interest, Farm of the building dating back to 1586. The building which shelters a rich variety of plants. is considered to be an important survival of a Church Ogmore larger early post medieval house. It is now a hotel Follow the road until you see a public footpath River and restaurant. sign on your right hand side. Link to 3 On High Street you will also find The Choice: At this point you can take the road to Heritage Coast Merthyr Mawr Walk Car 2 Oystercatcher Public House (10), Village Farm the left which is a link to the Heritage Coast Walk Park Swing Bridge House (11) and Horeb Chapel (12) all of which are and Candleston Castle. Candleston Ewenny KEY Castle Stepping Grade 2 listed. To continue on the Bridgend Circular Walk Stones River 4 Bridgend Circular Walk Until 1928 when mains water became available follow the footpath over the stone stile through in the village The Well (13), which is situated off the wooded area, over a wooden stile (which is Link to other walks Merthyr Well Street, was the main source of water. waymarked) and across a field to another stone 5 Mawr Warren 1 River stile opposite Home Farm. After this stile turn Continuation of Ogmore When you reach High Street turn left and you Castle left and follow the waymarking posts situated in the Bridgend will note waymarks on a lighting column on the Circular Walk Railway the verges on the minor road. When you reach See leaflet 3 opposite side of the road. Walk between house the top of the incline on the road you will note a Roads numbers 41 and 43 High Street and follow the public footpath sign. lane for approximately 30 metres. At this point Built up areas on your right hand-side you will note an old Choice: at this point if you want to get to concrete public footpath sign about 2ft high, Bridgend Town Centre on the River Ogmore & follow the accommodation track for approxi- use the pavement on Heol Tyn y Garn. (Note that horse-drawn railway built between 1827 and Leaflet 1 mately 100 metres past Rock House and Elm should you wish to sit down for a while there are 1830. It is now a road bridge. On the western side Cottages and you will note a stile and a benches on the common and also a children’s of the bridge is an engraved tablet reading "This signposted public footpath directly ahead of you. play area). bridge was erected in the year 1829 by Morgan Follow the signposted and way- The village of Pen-y-fai has a small Post Office Thomas, Laleston, Mason". marked footpath over 6 stiles on Pen-yr-Heol, and a village shop on Treharne Choice: at this point you can take the spur of through fields that sometimes Drive.