Ramblers head west to find drier ground

Penarth and District Ramblers

Glamorgan Star news 27/03/2024

3 minutes read

Sheila from Penarth and District Ramblers and her group of 11 walkers plus Bruno the dog recently enjoyed a rail ramble from Bridgend and a circular historic walk.

It was Caroline Wyndham (1789-1870) – the heiress to the Dunraven Estate – who in 1857 first brought clean and free drinking water to the town. She paid for a pipeline to be laid from Sarn to Bridgend and also for the Randall Memorial Drinking Fountain, which opened in 1860, commemorating John Randall, who managed her estates for 33 years. A Blue Plaque commemorates her contribution to the town.

An underpass led them to the Ogmore River before some pavement walking brought them into Craig y Parcau Local Nature Reserve. Carefully crossing the A48 and continuing along a woodland path, they traipsed through mud to reach New Inn Bridge – locally known as the ‘dipping bridge’ because farmers would shove their sheep through the holes on the side of the bridge into the river for their yearly dip.

The Dipping Bridge or New Inn Bridge. Photo: Sheila Vaquerizo. — **| The Dipping Bridge or New Inn Bridge.** *Photo: Sheila Vaquerizo.*

The group listened to the story of Cap Coch, a local highwayman and proprietor of the New Inn where coaches travelling through would stop. If they stayed overnight he would murder them, tipping their bodies into the river or burying them nearby. This was not discovered until many years after his death.

After a morning break in the pretty churchyard of St Teilo’s at Merthyr Mawr village and a visit inside, they moved on across the boggy Ogmore Moor to make their way to the ruined Ogmore Castle for more historic tales and lunch out of the wind. Then, making their way through meadows beside the River Ogmore brought them back to the ancient stone bridge that gives the town its name, before heading back to the station for the journey home.

St Bride’s Major walk

Jan and John changed their planned walk to avoid mud and, beginning from their original starting point in St Brides Major, played host to a group of eight walkers as they set off past Pitcot Pool and into fields at Pool Farm.

Stiles and gates brought them to woodland at Pant y Slade where on their recce, parts of the path had caused a problem due to a deep ditch being formed by constant rainfall, which filled with water and mud. So, it was a nice surprise to see the path had been resurfaced with two new storm drains fitted, which hopefully will cure the problem. They made their way to Dunraven Bay picnic area and stopped for morning break.

Heading uphill onto the clifftop with its views back across the Dunraven Estate to the ancient walled garden and over Dunraven Bay, more locally known as Southerndown beach, the clifftop led them to Ogmore-by-Sea and a stop for an early lunch. Then, following waymarked paths through the dunes beside the Ogmore River and with views towards Porthcawl, a narrow path beside the B4524 brought them to the Pelican Inn with its glorious display of daffodils and a lovely view of the ruined Ogmore Castle.

The Gang at Ogmore Down. Photo: Joy Strangward. — **| The Gang at Ogmore Down.** *Photo: Joy Strangward.*

Following pavements at Ogmore-by-Sea village to climb a narrow lane beside lovely old drystone walls festooned in green moss to emerge onto Ogmore Down, the long distance views were obscured by a soft mist. Heading over the open heathland they dropped downhill past a row of houses and reaching the B4265 just as a thick drizzle rain began to fall, made their way back to the start.

You can follow the group here or on Facebook.

Joy Strangward