Walk 8: Llantwit Major to Ogmore-by-Sea

I will always remember the walk from Llantwit Major to Ogmore-by-Sea as my first truly breath-taking Wales Coast Path walk. We had experienced plenty of lovely moments leading up to this walk, but the walk from Llantwit Major to Ogmore-by-Sea really felt like we’d made it to the Wales Coast Path ‘proper’. Now walking along the Glamorgan Heritage Coast, our views throughout this walk were of rugged cliffs, stunning rock formations, and beaches full of fossils and rock pools.

This was also the first walk where we were blessed with lovely weather, as we were walking on a sunny September day in 2020. While we had been able to get out and about in England during the COVID pandemic, we hadn’t been able to pass the Welsh border until this point, so as soon as we were allowed, we headed to Llantwit for a day of walking. Testament, perhaps, to how dull the lockdowns had been, I also managed to convince my sister to join us for the day!

In order to resolve the transport issue, given that COVID regulations were still in place, we bought two cars, parking one in Ogmore before driving us all in the second car to Llantwit Major car park (which wasn’t flooded this time!), where we took the first short ascent of many from Llantwit Major beach to the cliff above it.

We walked along the cliff for a while, passing a World War II pillbox, before the path dipped into Tresilian Bay, where we spotted a lovely white cottage, which looked like a wonderful place to live, with very easy access to the beach!

We continued along to St Donat’s Bay, which is home to an interesting structure that looked a bit like a castle, but which actually belongs to the UWC Atlantic College.  

Next, our walk took us to Nash Point Lighthouse, built in 1832 to assist mariners clear of the Nash Sands. Last manned in 1998, Nash Point Lighthouse was the last in Wales to be automated.

The beautiful views kept on coming, with the outlook from the cliffs above Monknash Beach rewarding us for our continuous ups and downs! One of the most interesting dips took us into a pretty forested area with a sweet little bridge, giving us some much-appreciated shade.

Our final ascent took us up from Dunraven Bay, a lovely looking beach with holidaymakers enjoying the final days of summer. With tired legs, we continued along to the end of our walk, at Ogmore beach.

In yet another first, when we arrived at Ogmore, we changed into our swimmers and went for a dip in the sea! We had a lovely little swim as the sun was setting, although we had to be quite careful not to get too close to the mouth of a river, which causes strong cross currents (which we definitely felt!). Thankfully, we made it out safely, and headed back to the car to return home after a lovely day of walking!

🥾 Distance: Around nine-and-a-half miles.

⭐ Highlight: This was just a beautiful walk all round.

👎 Less Good: The ups and downs definitely tired us out!

🚗 Transport: We took two cars and parked one at Ogmore, before driving the other car to Llantwit to start our walk.

🛏️ Accommodation: This was just a day trip, so we stayed at home.

🌱 Food: We went home for dinner, as COVID restrictions made dining out a little trickier than usual!

🗺️ Map: This route is featured in the official South Wales Coast guide.

Still not convinced? Read my ten reasons to walk the Wales Coast Path. If you’re ready to start planning your walk, you can find lots of resources to help you on your way here. Please note, I collect a share of the sales from the links on this page.