Holiday apartment in Bridgend between coast, nature and history

Bridgend combines coast, nature and a rich historical heritage. In the south of Bridgend County Borough, 12.5 miles of coastline and beaches stretch along the shore. Seven beaches are all located around Porthcawl on the southwest coast; most are sandy and easily accessible. Today, Porthcawl’s promenade, built in 1887 to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria, features traditional amusements, the 1930s Grand Pavilion Theatre, cafés, ice cream parlours, restaurants and bars.

Nature

The landscape is particularly diverse at Kenfig National Nature Reserve. It covers around 1,300 acres of managed sand dunes and wetlands on the South Wales coast between Porthcawl and Port Talbot. The reserve is home to a significant population of the extremely rare marsh orchid. Kenfig Pool, a 70-acre natural lake considered the largest natural lake in South Wales, is also located in the same area.

Parc Slip Nature Reserve also combines landscape and wildlife. Its 300 acres are home to dragonflies, butterflies, birds of prey and deer, among other species. Visitors can hike or cycle along scenic circular trails and look out over the northern wetlands from a viewing hide. An educational trail also conveys the history of coal mining: it covers the 19th-century Parc Slip Colliery and the industrial past of the site.

Bryngarw Country Park comprises more than 100 acres of parkland with woodland paths, colourful gardens, an adventure playground, a café and a discovery centre. Three signposted nature trails are named Meadow Meander, Woodland Walk and Riverside Ramble.

Active pursuits

On the water, Rest Bay Watersports Centre offers surf equipment hire, courses held year-round and stand-up paddleboarding training. The centre also offers cycling tours to attractions in the Porthcawl and Newton area, as well as a tour through the Kenfig dunes.

For running enthusiasts, Spirit of Llynfi Woodland has signposted running routes that provide an introduction to trail running. The Llynfi Valley Trail, a Sustrans route suitable for all ability levels, runs through the lower part of the woodland. Bridgend County Borough also has more than 808 public rights of way with a total length of just over 612 kilometres.

The Darren Fawr Mountain Biking Trails comprise the 3 km Glengarw Trail for riders with an intermediate level of experience and the 3.2 km Gellideg Trail for experienced riders.

Culture and history

The castles tell the story of different periods of Welsh history. Coity Castle began around 1100 as a motte-and-bailey castle. The stone keep and curtain wall were added in the late 12th century; major alterations were carried out in the 14th and 15th centuries after Owain Glyndŵr besieged the castle during his rebellion.

Newcastle Castle is a Norman fortress that Henry II had refortified in the 1180s and which can be reached via historic Newcastle Hill. The castle on Newcastle Hill in Bridgend, together with Coity Castle and Ogmore Castle, guarded important river crossings that once controlled access to Glamorgan.

Ewenni Priory is a free-to-enter Cadw site, 2 miles south of Bridgend on the A48. The church, presbytery and transepts of Ewenni Priory are considered the best-preserved examples of Norman Romanesque architecture in this part of Wales. The site was founded in 1141 by Maurice de Londres as a daughter house of Gloucester Benedictine Abbey. Church House, later known as the Hospice of St. John, provided poorer medieval pilgrims travelling to St David’s with rest and refreshment.

In Bridgend, the Old Bridge was built around 1425 as the first significant bridge over the River Ogmore and gave the town its name. The Bridgend Town Centre Heritage Trail links 28 historic sites in the town centre; along the route, QR codes provide access to an interactive online map.

St John's House is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the last Saturday and the second Sunday of each month. Tours are led by volunteers, and admission is free. Porthcawl Museum presents the local heritage, culture and environmental history of Porthcawl through preserved artefacts and related historical information.

In Maesteg, the restored main hall of Maesteg Town Hall is once again a multifunctional venue for the performing arts.

Getting there

Bridgend railway station provides connections on the South Wales Main Line to Cardiff Central, Swansea and London Paddington, as well as on the Maesteg Branch Line and the Vale of Glamorgan Line. All platforms at Bridgend station are step-free and connected by a footbridge with lifts.

This makes it possible to compare the individual options based on their specific conditions.

More local pages

Porthcawl, Coychurch, Bridgend, Pencoed, Sarn, Pyle, Tondu, Llangynwyd

To the higher-level travel overview: Wales.