The meeting place on the Barry Waterfront lies adjacent to the poignant memorial to those seafarers who sailed from the port never to return and the lovely anchor painted black was donated by a local seafarer.
During their wait until the official start time, the group were treated to the sight of the Stavros S Niarchos, which was making its way towards them across the disused dock in order to moor for a visit to the port of Barry and they received a friendly wave from some members of the crew, who perhaps though they were part of a welcoming committee, when in fact it was pure chance that their paths had crossed.
The Stavros S Niarchos is the largest brig built in Britain for over a century, it has two masts, eighteen sails, the rigging has almost 9-miles of wire and rope, it is 59.4-metres long and weighs 493-tonnes, carries enough fuel to drive a small car around the world ten times and under sail can reach a speed of 13-knots. The ship is part of the Tall Ships Youth Trust, a registered charity founded in 1956 which is dedicated to the personal development of young people who are either disadvantaged or disabled, between the ages of 12 and 25, through the crewing of ocean going sail training vessels.
The weather forecast was for heavy showers, but in fact the day remained surprisingly dry when Geraint and his sheepdog Patch were joined by a group of twelve walkers and the very energetic Ruby the spaniel at Barry, before making their way to the Riverside car park at Ogmore-by-Sea for a walk which, as the leader assured them, only contained three stiles – a promise that they kept him to!
Upon their arrival at Ogmore a very cool brisk wind was blowing in from the southwest and after togging up against the weather, the group set off across the open common moorland beside the Ogmore Estuary where they encountered some interesting fungi.
They reached Portobello House a private dwelling, which sits adjacent to and overlooking the Ogmore estuary but at one time was the Portobello Hotel. Both the Portobello Hotel and the Pelican Inn used to sell tokens which could later be redeemed for refreshment and workers would buy them so that at times when they were short of cash they could enjoy a drink! The Prosser family owned the property for some considerable time and for a small fee and after being hailed, Mr Prosser would ferry people who were stranded across the river in his small flat-bottomed boat.
Crossing the coast road they followed narrow sandy paths through bracken at the base of Ogmore Down to reach the Pelican in Her Piety public house.
In 1536, Edward Carne was granted the lease of Ewenny Priory by King Henry VIII and his family coat of arms featured a female pelican on her nest, wings outspread with chicks at her feet and as she plucks her breast, blood flows down into the chicks open mouths symbolising Christ feeding his flock. In fact the first inn on this site named The Pelican was built long before 1741, when the Carne family still held prominence in the area.
Prior to 1920 Ogmore was known as Sutton, a name that derived from the Sutton stone quarries and apparently it is the only stone that hardens as it weathers! Ogmore-by-Sea as we know it today grew from a couple of thatched cottages by Ogmore Castle, an inn, watermill, alms-houses and a couple of outlying dwellings.
Making a detour down past the riding stables and entering the remains of the ruined Ogmore Castle, the group had shelter for morning coffee whilst overlooking the flooded Ogmore Moor complete with two swans.
Ogmore Castle is situated beside a major fording site above where the Rivers Ewenny and Ogmore meet and was originally established by William de Londres, a Norman lord as a ringwork or motte, before a stone fortification was built at a later date, which included a forty- foot great keep. Although its history as a fortification is uneventful and whilst it lies in ruins, the old stone walls of the castle still retain a lovely atmosphere.
Then, as a very short light shower passed over, the group continued following the road to deviate up a track heading inland and up onto Ogmore Down before turning southeast passing several houses, whose gardens contained a pony, goat, chickens and ducks.
Descending by lane to cross the road onto the green at St Brides Major, a climb followed which led them to Penylan Road and topcoats were quickly removed because of the heat, but that didn’t last long because as a short but sharp shower began.
Following Penylan Road there were lovely views across the village of St Brides Major and the group passed the old Bryn Sion Calvinistic Methodist Chapel which was built in 1859. During the early 1900’s, the Deacon and choirmaster of the chapel, Thomas Howe also kept the village shop and after the chapel closed in 1987 it fell into disrepair but was sold and refurbished as a private dwelling.
Before a pumping station was built near Ogmore Mill Farm, the villagers relied on underground storage tanks or wells for their water and dropping downhill the group reached Pitcot Pool which is fed by surface water and springs. The water from the pool was used extensively by the villagers until piped water was introduced and the outlet from the pond runs behind the Old Vicarage into an underground crevice that runs through the village and is known as Avon Dawel, or Silent River.
The group made their way towards Pool Farm and this was where they encountered the only three stiles on their route and not modern wooden stiles but all made of stone and having clambered over them it transpired that the leader had indeed spoken the truth… there were only three stiles!
Heading south-eastwards towards the coast at Southerndown, the group were rewarded with lovely views across Trwyn y Witch and Dunraven Park. The ancient name for Dunraven was Dyndryfan which translated from the Welsh means ‘the fortress of the three rocks’ or a triangular fortress, whilst Southerndown is a corruption of South Down.
Woodland at Pant y Slade led them downhill to the Heritage Coast Centre, originally the laundry for Dunraven Castle, then the Seamouth Café but now an information centre and home to the rangers who look after the 14 miles of Heritage coastline and although it was closed, the picnic benches came in handy for their lunch break.
Refreshed, the group continued down past the small thatched Seamouth Cottage which has featured in both films and TV dramas to reach Dunraven Bay.
Around 1128 Arnold Botiler was granted a knighthood and given Dunraven and it was said he built a castle. The tenure of the Manor was three cups of wine to be drunk when the Lord of the Manor of Dunraven visited and the local pub on the top of the cliff at Southerndown – the Three Golden Cups retains the traditional name of this fact. In fact the three golden cups were incorporated into the arms of the le Botiler family and are the family crest of the Butler family as they later became known.
There were not many people at the car park at Dunraven and as the group climbed steeply uphill to join the open cliff top where sheep were grazing they were hit head on by the force of the wind.
Continuing along the cliff and passing West Farm they descended through the valley where the waves were smashing against the rocks to make their way back to the car park, after what had been a most enjoyable local walk.
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