Twelve miles in the glorious Vale of Glamorgan
The forecast was promising as William from Penarth and District Ramblers set out from the Knap car terrace with his companions in order to tramp twelve miles in the glorious Vale of Glamorgan. Originally this walk was to earmark the annual trek to the Blue Anchor for lunch which would be enjoyed halfway round, but due to Covid restrictions for the second year running his plans were thwarted.
A short but steep climb led them up onto the clifftop above the pebble beach and then into the southern tip of Cliffwood on a muddy path to reach the Golden Stairs for the descent into Porthkerry Country Park. The frost adorned boardwalk led them towards the car park where the 110 foot Porthkerry Viaduct towers high above like a sentinel and following Robin’s Walk towards the Old Rectory, they veered off into boggy fields adjacent to the Whitelands Brook for the gradual ascent through fields to Port Road.
Following the verge beside the busy road for a short distance led them to a stile and back into fields behind Blackton Farm in order to join a farm track leading to the road for the journey into Penmark village, where the churchyard of St Mary’s beckoned them in for morning break.
Continuing along part of Valeways Millennium Trail through fields on the north-western edge of Cardiff Airport brought them to the hamlet of Fonmon with its delightful duck pond and through a small wood and fields to join Port Road which led them to East Aberthaw. Not to be outdone a slight pause in the fresh air outside the Blue Anchor for a swift pint followed before they descended via Well Road into the nature reserve.
They followed narrow paths through the wood and the reed beds on the western edge of the lovely lake, guarded by the ruined limeworks to finally reach the coast by the sea defence wall which protects the land and Aberthaw Power Station. Crossing to the sand dunes and seeking a place for lunch, a washed up tree trunk provided seating whilst overlooking the Bristol Channel and the Somerset and North Devon coastline.
Fortified they set off across the salt flats to climb the newly winding refurbished steps up the cliff to Fontygary Leisure Park, following part of the Wales Coast Path along the clifftop past empty caravans and the old disused limestone quarries to reach Rhoose Point. Onward through Porthkerry Caravan Park and the vast Iron Age hillfort of the Bulwarks for a slippery descent through woodland back into Porthkerry Park for a steep climb back up the Golden Stairs to re-trace their steps back to their start.
You can follow the group’s exploits at here or Facebook.
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• | Muddy and wet conditions doesn’t dampen Ramblers walk
