The Dovecot Walk Nos. 26, 26a & 27, Llantwit Major Church, College & Lighthouse This walk is really three walks in one.There is the complete walk named above of 9 miles but also two shorter walks within it; a western elliptical Llantwit Major walk of 31/2 miles; a Marcross/St Donats Circular of 5 miles. Whichever walk you do, you will be captivated by the magnificent Glamorgan Heritage coast with its cliffs and foreshore, and by the walks' nature reserves and ancient churches. On two of these walks you will be in touching distance of the impressive St Donats Castle. Distance: 9 or 31/2 or 5 miles. Map: OS Explorer 151 Parking: To wn Hall car park Llantwit Major, GR 967687; Llantwit Beach GR 957675; Nash Point GR 916684; Lay by just east of St Donats GR 940682 (limited). Public Transport: trains and buses to Llantwit Major and buses only to the Lighthouse Inn at Marcross. Refreshments: various at Llantwit Major, the Lighthouse Inn at Marcross, kiosk (March - Nov inc) at Nash Point, Photograph © Vale of Glamorgan Council cafe at Llantwit Major beach Conveniences: at Town Hall car park. The start of the Route described below is The Town Hall car park Llantwit Major. However, you will be able to pick up the description at whatever point suits you. SCALE (APPROX): 1 Kilometre 1 Mile THE ROUTE S At the exit of the Town Hall car swinging to the left. As you park turn sharp left, to the left of the emerge from the wood Nash Point Tudor Tavern, down Burial Lane.You parallel with the cliff edge. Ahead you lighthouse becomes clearly visible. will pass St Illtud’s Church on the will see St Donat’s Castle; seaward on Continue westward along the cliff top and proceed to right and then reach a flight of steps a decent day you have good views of into the grounds of the Nash Point the wall stile at the bottom of the leading up to Hill Head.At the top of Exmoor. As you proceed along this lighthouse complex .Join the field. Cross this stone stile and follow the steps turn left into Hill Head (the path, ignore any paths leading off to the metalled track and follow it via a small the path left around the building (Tyˆ Gatehouse is over to your right right (unless told otherwise in the text metal gate to Nash Point car park. S 2 Broc) to a second stile that gives and in the field behind is a Dovecote). below), but heed all warning notices, Leaving the car park you have a onto a lane.Turn right.Now head Walk past the Hill Head cottages for this coastline is prone to cliff falls. choice: either take the road inland through a gap between a garage and and continue downhill along a track to After about 1/2 mile you will pass a towards Marcross and its Church ; Park farmhouse on its left. Continue reach a stone stile on the right. Once WW2 pillbox on your left and then a or continue along the coastal path into to a new gate that takes you into over this, bear left along the field edge stone stile on your right. Here walkers the valley. Once on the valley floor turn woodland, along a rough, downhill to a corner stile. Continue downhill, doing the Llantwit elliptical should turn off right, crossing the stream twice via track into the grounds of Atlantic down a flight of steps with Flanders right and follow the text from *1 below. stepping stones, to enter the wooded College. (Ignore paths off to the '& Farm to your right.You will emerge On the main walk continue ahead nature reserve.Take either the left or right right).You emerge onto a road with onto Flanders Road.Turn right and to descend into Tresillian Bay . hand path. Each leads you to the St Donat’s Church on your right. follow this road past the junction 1 Turn left and walk uphill with the high stile on the right. Climb it and Cross its pebbled storm beach, with Marcross road. Here turn left for /4 mile with Colhugh Park to reach a gateway. its often unsightly jetsam, to return via to reach the church. Castle on the right. Follow the road head for the ruins (Sheeplays). Go Here the road becomes a track. steps on its far side to the cliff top. (West Drive) as it bears left, taking round this via a stile and, obeying the Continue along the road past the directions from the Millennium Trail one waymark in this area, through a In essence, all you do now is follow Keep on the well marked cliff top path church to turn right along a track this track for about one mile to reach to reach after approximately another discs. On exiting the College grounds tied gate (this does not correspond next to the bungalow Swn-y-Môr. turn right along the road, past the with definitive footpath map). the coast proper. Along the way you 1/2 mile a junction with a path coming Follow this track which turns left and will pass Bramble Cottage on the left in from the right. Here walkers doing main College entrance, until you Maintain direction, making for the left then right to a stile. Over the stile reach a kissing gate on the right, near of a large clump of trees. Once past and then, walking gently uphill, go the Marcross circular will join the path.*2 stick to the hedge to your left.The a layby S 3 . Go through this to enter these, change direction very slightly through a gate and past some barns on Because of severe erosion along hedge turns sharply left on two George V playing field.Walk south to the left to walk through a large the left. As the path follows the top this stretch of coastline the foot- occasions. Ignore the footpath leading with the wall and woods to your prairie-like field to reach a stone stile of the steep western side of the path is likely to be repositioned off to the left at the second of these, right. Go through a wooden gate to (note castellated Dimlands Lodge to Colhugh valley you cross two more further inland. Please heed relevant you continue ahead to reach a stone reach the coastal path. Those on the the left).You now cross four fields via stiles and eventually reach the remains notices should this take place. stile. From the stone stile head of a bench on the right. Immediately Marcross circular turn right here and stone stiles almost in a line. On the You now cross a stone stile into a diagonally left to a gate that takes you beyond the bench, cross another stile follow the relevant section of the guide far side of the fourth field cross the wooded area. Keep to the right hand onto a road.Turn right. After passing and continue along the well worn i.e. onwards from *2. wooden stile and, bearing slightly path, which stays on top of the slope. The Elms go straight on through a stiled path to the coastal cliff. Here Those doing the full walk turn left right, cross two more stiles and fields The path then gradually descends and gateway for about 100 yards to a stile to reach a broad track (Church there is a dedicated metal bench. and for about 1/2 mile retrace your passes in front of Atlantic College on your left. Cross it and the stile Lane). Bear left to reach Hill Head Nearby is the beach car park S 4 . steps to just beyond Tresilian Bay.Turn (there is no public access from here). opposite to enter a large field. Head and Llantwit Major. The path then swings right, Cross the sea wall and then climb the diagonally right to a stile in a gap in left at the metal/stone stile *1.Walk 1 westwards, on a course roughly steps into the woods, the path gradually the wall.Turn left,hugging the wall inland for /4 mile to reach an 8 step PLACES OF INTEREST church was for the use of the Limestone and Shales. At Tresilian Hearst. The United World College Holy Trinity Church Marcross monks of the monastic grange, the erosion of the shales lower down has of the Atlantic has occupied the site Originally 12th century with a Norman St Illtud’s Church, Llantwit western part by the townsfolk. led to the creation of a number of since 1962. font, south doorway and chancel arch. Major. caves, the largest being Reynard’s Cave. There is also a ‘leper window’ on the Gatehouse and Dovecote Nash Point light A grade 1 listed building, it contains south side of the chancel.There is a These are the main physical remains St Donat’s Castle and Built in 1832 as a response to the medieval wall paintings, Celtic stones fine information board in the porch. above ground of the monastic grange Atlantic College wreck of the ‘Frolic’ with the loss dating back to the 8th century and a that was established in Llantwit Major. The original castle was built early in of 40 lives.The western light is now St Donat’s Church medieval carved stone reredos.The the 14th century. It was held by the decommissioned but the eastern This also has a Norman font but most roof in the west end is thought to Coastal Geology Stradling family for 23 generations one is still working, albeit unmanned.