{"id":26609,"date":"2023-05-09T13:36:25","date_gmt":"2023-05-09T11:36:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/?p=26609&preview=true&preview_id=26609"},"modified":"2023-05-10T11:16:25","modified_gmt":"2023-05-10T09:16:25","slug":"7-vale-of-glamorgan-dunraven-bay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/2023\/05\/09\/7-vale-of-glamorgan-dunraven-bay\/","title":{"rendered":"7. Vale of Glamorgan, Dunraven Bay"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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WALES<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

07. VALE OF GLAMORGAN, DUNRAVEN BAY<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Distance: 3miles\/4.8km | Time: 2 hour | Grade: Moderate | Total ascent: 82m
For more walks and days out visit countryfile.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The stream makes its way from Cwm Mawr to tumble over Dunraven Bay\u2019s layered cliffs <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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Walked by Margaret Bartlett <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

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Known by the locals as Southern down beach, Dunraven Bay is a family favourite in all seasons for its remarkable geology and terraced cliff faces, rock pools, fossil hunting and historic walled garden. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Towering thin-layered cliffs of limestone and shale form a dramatic, but unstable, backdrop to the sweeping beach, with its curving terraced rocks worn smooth by the waves \u2013 asight so arresting, the bay has starred in several TV series, including Doctor <\/em>Who. <\/em>A cliff-top walk offers superb views along the coastline, with its tumbling waterfalls and shining sands. To explore the beach visit at low tide; the sand is covered at high tide.<\/p>\n\n

1. START <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n

From Dunraven Car Park, walk along the road past the stone gatehouse on your left and up into Dunraven Park, an SSSI. In summer, look for meadow vetch and greater butterfly orchids and southern hawker dragonflies above the stream. Go through the wooden gate to enter Dunraven Historic Walled Gardens \u2013 asheltered haven below the headland, called Witches Point. Walk through the garden\u2019s four \u2018rooms\u2019, built in 1803, admiring the quince, mulberry and fig trees. <\/p>\n\n

2. 0.4 MILES <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n

In the last \u2018room\u2019 of the garden, leave through the wooden door into woodland. Take the path straight ahead uphill to a wooden gate. Turn right and walk 100 metres to the picnic bench and lookout for an astounding view of the coast; spy waterfalls tumbling from the heights. Take the path on your left up to the headland then through a metal kissing gate on to the cliff path.<\/p>\n\n

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3. 0.7 MILES <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n

Go over the stile in a stone wall, then continue on the path, down steps and into Cwm Mawr, a mossy wooded valley with a tumbling stream. Follow the path up deep steps. Go through a metal gate on to a grassy field for more coast views. Retrace your steps back to the lookout. <\/p>\n\n

4. 2.1 MILES <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n

At the picnic bench, turn left and take the path through the woods on to Witches Point. Go through a gate on your left and up some steps, then through another metal gate on to the blustery headland. Climb up a slope to reach the top for superb vistas, taking great care. <\/p>\n\n

5. 2.4 MILES <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n

With the sea on your left, head back in the direction of the car park, looking out for pillow mounds (medieval rabbit warrens). Just before the path drops back down the grassy slope, turn right inland to see the remains of Dunraven Castle, a mansion built in 1806. <\/p>\n\n

6. 2.7 MILES <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n

Follow the sloping grassy path back to the car park for easy access to the beach for a paddle. <\/p>\n\n

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USEFUL INFO <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Starting point <\/strong>
Dunraven Car Park, CF32 0RP; \u00a35 entry charge (cash only) Apr-Oct; \u00a33 Sat and Sun from Nov-Mar. Toilets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 303 bus from Bridgend stops outside the Three Golden Cups pub opposite the top of Beach Road, a 15-minute walk from the start. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Terrain <\/strong>
Paved paths up to and inside the walled garden are pushchair friendly although there are steps in the garden. The coast path has turnstile gates and stiles and it is steep, rocky, slippery and muddy in places. No fences on the clifftops. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Map <\/strong>
OS Explorer 151 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eat\/drink\/stay <\/strong>
In the car park, a small shop sells ice creams and drinks. Open Sat and Sun 12\u20135pm; daily in summer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Three Golden Cups pub serves food. Its campsite is open Mar-Oct. thethreegoldencups.co.uk<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In association with<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In association with<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Known by the locals as Southern down beach, Dunraven Bay is a family favourite in all seasons for its remarkable geology and terraced cliff faces, rock pools, fossil hunting and historic walled garden.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9135,"featured_media":26873,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ub_ctt_via":"","purple_page_number":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_page_number":"","purple_seq_number":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_seq_number":"","purple_source_article":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_article":"","purple_source_issue":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_issue":"Special-2023","purple_external_id":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_external_id":"Special-2023-4082ae88-572d-4b8e-836c-b05c4623a387","purple_issue_code":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_issue_code":"|0000084069||","purple_android_product":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_android_product":"com.im.countryfile.203","purple_ios_product":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_ios_product":"com.im.countryfile.203","purple_web_product":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_web_product":"","purple_publication_id":"","purple_migrated":"","kt_blocks_editor_width":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"2023-05-04T16:50:12Z","apple_news_article-theme":"","apple_news_api_id":"6c9f4b78-b2ad-490a-9378-3c44c07fa394","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2023-05-08T06:51:03Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADQ==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/AbJ9LeLKtSQqTeDxEwH-jlA","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":true,"apple_news_is_preview":true,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_article_theme":"","apple_news_sections":"[]"},"categories":[135],"tags":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/05\/dunraven-bay.png","author_info":{"display_name":"Katie.Hood@ourmedia.co.uk","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/katie-hoodourmedia-co-uk\/"},"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"4","apple_news_title":""},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/05\/dunraven-bay.png",624,350,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/05\/dunraven-bay-150x150.png",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/05\/dunraven-bay-300x168.png",300,168,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/05\/dunraven-bay.png",624,350,false],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/05\/dunraven-bay.png",624,350,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/05\/dunraven-bay.png",624,350,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/05\/dunraven-bay.png",624,350,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Katie.Hood@ourmedia.co.uk","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/katie-hoodourmedia-co-uk\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Known by the locals as Southern down beach, Dunraven Bay is a family favourite in all seasons for its remarkable geology and terraced cliff faces, rock pools, fossil hunting and historic walled garden.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26609"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9135"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26609"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26609\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26998,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26609\/revisions\/26998"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26873"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26609"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26609"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26609"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}