144. Monknash to Ogmore

We’ve had a lovely evening with family at the Plough and Harrow Inn, just above the campsite, followed by Welsh Cakes, kindly provided by Jack and Lisa. Delicious, thank you very much 😊

This morning we’re up early for Jenny, Dean and Doug to pack up their camper and tent as we take a leisurely breakfast.  We’re staying on for one further night.  Thankfully there’s no faffing with getting to our start point as we are walking from the campsite.  It is, however, a 20-minute walk back to the bottom of the valley where we left off last night.

The first ascent is steep and rocky, with the sun beating down on us – it’s going to be a hot one! We stop at the top to firstly admire the view over the estuary to Somerset, secondly to find Doug – he was waiting for us on the beach! The fields atop the stripey cliffs are bare of grass, we wonder what the sheep are finding to graze on? Traeth Mawr, which translates as Big Beach, just below us is a stunning sandy beach. I’m not sure how the two walkers got down there, but I cannot imagine this ever getting busy.

The going is easy along the edge of the fields on the level cliff top.  Swallows, or swifts (sorry I’m a tree expert not birds) are swooping over the clifftops. Ahead we can see a large group of people and an array of tractors gathered at the corner of the field.  As we near, this appears to be a gathering to celebrate the life of maybe a local farmer.  We pass by swiftly.

It’s a relief to be out of the glare of the midday sun as we head into Cwm Mawr – big glen, but not for long, we are soon back on the scorched clifftops.  Ahead we can see the promontory on the map referred to as Trwyn y Wrach, which I think translates as Witches nose – seems very appropriate.  The path skirts across the top then inland a bit, past a stone tower then around the edge of Dunraven Walled Garden.

This is a perfect time and spot to stop for a bite to eat, thankfully we have a picnic packed.  The walled gardens are sparse but well kept, the highlight for us is finding ripe figs on an expansive fig tree.

Just round the corner a car park is bustling with cars, campers and people carrying beach toys and deckchairs. The small sandy beach at Dunraven Bay is busy busy.  We take the path back up the other side and continue alongside the “dangerous cliffs”, wondering at the people sitting perilously close to the edge!

We’re walking in open countryside with many others; inland we can see the dwellings of Southerndown and just on a bit West Farm shop and café.  We are tempted to stop but Dean is waiting for us at Ogmore. Just half an hour more of scorching sun on the clifftop path it gently dips down to Ogmore-by-sea.  There are several small sandy coves broken up by rocky promontories with a large and very busy car park.

After my dip in the sea, I’m a little concerned to read the professionally portrayed interpretation board which advises not to swim in the sea due to “poor annual classification”, which I had read about on the Safer Seas and Rivers Service app.  They certainly don’t advertise that fact very loud and clear!

We enjoy an ice cream on the beach then a lift back to our campsite, via a shop to grab eggs for an omelette for tonight’s supper.