This walk starts from the Beach car park at Llantwit Major / Cwm Col-Huw and follows five miles of the Wales Coast Path as far as Cwm Nash, then heading inland to finish at The Plough and Harrow Pub, Monknash. This walk offers a lot along the way, with nature, interesting buildings, local smuggling legends and spectacular scenic views of the Glamorgan Heritage Coast.

From the car park a set of steps lead up to a clifftop path where further along are fine views of the limestone cliffs typical of the Glamorgan Heritage Coast.

There’s evidence of dramatic rock collapses on this section.

Further along are three World War 2 home defence ‘Pill boxes’. The first one is constructed from local stone and it’s clear why this location was chosen, with a superb vantage point just across the Bristol Channel.

The path continues along the clifftop before steps lead down to Tresillian Bay, a secluded cove of grey pebbles and boulders.

On the approach to the bay some caves can be seen in the cliffs which according to local legends were the haunt of pirates and smugglers in past centuries.

After crossing the bank of pebbles and climbing steps out of the bay, the path levels out. This section towards St. Donat’s is sheltered by hedgerows and it can be very muddy in parts, particularly near King George’s Field. There are a number of ‘step stiles’ set in old walls made from local stone and which are quite high, or seem to be if you have short legs!

Before descending to St. Donat’s Bay, look inland through the trees to glimpse the historic castle, which is now an exclusive college. It was once a home belonging to the notorious American media tycoon William Randolph Hearst.

At St. Donat’s Bay, the path is surfaced as part of the sea defence and runs alongside the impressive fortified walls and gateway to the former castle, now Atlantic College.

Atlantic College has a particular claim to nautical fame. Thanks to a reader of this blog for sharing information about the important role its students played in the development of the Rigid-hulled Inflatable Boat (RIB) here in the 1960s. Read more about their incredible achievement here

The path climbs through wooded slopes to the clifftop, continuing towards Nash Point with more fine views of the contrasts in the coastal landscape, particularly the patterned rock terraces along the coast below.

Ahead are the Nash Point Lighthouses. The coast here was treacherous with many shipwrecks through the centuries, the shallow waters and rocks sending many mariners to a watery grave.

The lighthouses were built in 1832 and brought safety to what had become a notorious part of the coast.

Their pristine whitewashed walls with the old keepers cottages and outbuildings, one topped by a huge foghorn, are still an impressive sight on the headland.

From Nash Point the path meanders downhill into the valley of Cwm Marcross before a climb uphill then levels out on a wide grass track between the clifftop and farm fields.

On the approach to Cwm Nash, as the path descends there’s a spur of headland above the bay and it’s worth going onto this area to enjoy a spectacular double view, both ahead westwards and back eastwards, of the rugged cliffs and coastline below the path just walked.

After walking downhill into Cwm Nash, we detoured from the Wales Coast Path, taking a path inland which follows a babbling brook flowing to the coast through a pretty valley.

The upper end of the valley is very picturesque, with banks of mature woodland and the ivy draped ruins of an 18th century corn mill alongside the Nash brook.

A country lane leads to Monknash and the village pub, The Plough And Harrow. The pub dates from the 14th-century and has an ‘olde world’ ambience, full of character and traditional features. It’s a great place for a rest and refreshment break on this walk.

Route Stats

To complete an ‘out and back’ walk, from The Plough and Harrow, at the nearby road junction turn right and follow the country lanes through the village of Marcross then rejoining the coast path at Nash Point return to Cwm Col Huw car park. Distance 4.8 miles.

Total walk ‘out and back’ distance ~ 10.5 miles.

Public Transport ~ Adventure travel bus service No 303 . Please see link in comments helpfully provided by a reader of this blog.

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