ON A pleasant April morning with only a slight breeze, 13 walkers and Ramakin the dog boarded the Vale train at various locations to join Penarth and District Ramblers walk leader Joy for the journey down to Bridgend and tramping through urban streets in the town centre, made their way past St Mary’s Church with its impressive spire, before taking the underpass to walk adjacent to the River Ogmore and across Newbridge Fields.

An underpass led below the A48 and along a narrow pathway into an open meadow which led on to New Inn Bridge, commonly known as the dipping bridge as the local farmers would push their sheep through the holes in its side into the river for their annual dip.

Continuing along the road, a gate led into meadows filled with sheep and lambs and across a well-worn path through a cropped field to Verville, then on across the boggy Ogmore Moor and the footbridge over the River Ewenny onto Ogmore Road.

Climbing uphill onto moorland paths past the vast Ogmore quarries with brilliant views to the north and west, under blue skies Ogmore Moor was stained yellow with flowering gorse bushes.

Dropping downhill and entering the delightful St Bridget’s Church with its glorious stained windows and monuments to the prominent Wyndham and Butler families, morning coffee followed out in the pretty spring flower-covered churchyard.

Tramping through the village of St Brides Major past the now redundant village pump at Pwll y Mer or Pitcot Pool, which supplied water until the village was attached to the mains in 1926, a series of stone stiles led into quiet meadows overlooking Trwyn y Witch.

Descending through woodland at Pant y Slade with a deep purple array of native bluebells covering the woodland floor and passing the Glamorgan Heritage Centre and the thatched Seamouth Cottage, the road led on past the busy Dunraven Bay car park and into the peaceful walled garden of Dunraven Castle, which was fully restored in 2013 and contains a two storey hexagonal ice house as well as a summerhouse.

After admiring the view from the clifftop, an uneven eroding pathway led steeply downhill and across the rock and sandy bay below Trwyn y Witch and then into Traeth Bach and scrambling over rocks to the edge of Traeth Mawr, a stop for lunch in glorious sunshine and a treat of a poem from William by WH Davies entitled A Greeting.

Crossing the vast Traeth Mawr with its crumbling cliffs and views across to the Somerset coastline, Ramakin enjoyed his freedom dashing about chasing seagulls and paddling through pools, before a climb over rocks and large pebbles led uphill to Nash Point and a pause at the Clifftop Cafe for refreshments overlooking Cwm Marcross.

Journeying on to the Nash lighthouse with its cowslip covered meadow, William, Mike, Deb, Kathryn and Ramakin left the group in order to walk on to Barry, whilst the remainder continued along the clifftop beside ploughed and seeded fields, then on beside blackthorn blossomed hedges decorating the narrow path towards bluebell woods surrounding St Donat’s Castle.

Continuing along the cliff through King George’s Field and then down steps set into the cliff to cross the pebble beach at Tresilian Bay; another short climb led them along the clifftop before a descent to Llantwit beach.

Then following the stream through meadows containing quiet cattle at Cwm Col-huw, the gradual climb up Colhugh Street led back into Llantwit Major and making their way to the railway station, there was only a short wait of five minutes before the train arrived to convey them back home.

On May 7, meet 9.30am at the Barry Waterfront for an 8.5-mile moderate walk taking in beaches and cliffs at Monknash and Marcross; contact Joy on 01446 737131.

On May 8, meet 9am at Cogan for a 9.5-mile hard walk taking in Capel y Ffin, Rhos Dirion and Twmpa; contact Robin on 029 2051 4051.

Wear suitable clothing, preferably boots and carry waterproofs, food and drinks. Some degree of fitness is required and if you are in any doubt, then please contact the walk leader for advice.

To follow the group please log onto penarthramblers.wordpress.com or Facebook. Programmes and membership advice can be obtained from Pam on 029 2025 5102.