A good route, mostly on tarmac, but a couple of fields with kissing gates and a section through the Grove golf course prevent it from being wheel friendly....

Paul Chilcott

Only one negative, where the route through Merthyr Mawr turns sharply south, the path was well overgrown, so rather than a battle with above head height bracken and himalayan balsam, I elected to take the easy way out along the path leading down towards Candleston Farm and then south along the sandy bridleway, meeting up with the original route near the Candleston Castle car park....

Paul Chilcott

All of a sudden, everything goes haywire, and the maze of trodden paths you find on the ground simply don't match what's shown on the map. I walked back and forth through those dunes, just to see where the waymarked paths went, along with the most well trodden paths, and I managed to separate out three good options for getting from one side of the dunes to the other. I think this is the best route through the dunes and it's also the closest to the right of way shown on the Ordnance Survey map2 This is a good route, but once it splits from option 2, there are no waymarks, so you have to follow the most trodden path onwards, and not get pulled off course onto other paths....

Paddy Dillon

I looked at the first part of the route, from Port Talbot to the big roundabout near Margam Country Park, and on another day I looked at the route from the Kenfig dunes to Porthcawl. On another day I walked through the Kenfig dunes and picked up the Wales Coast Path on the other side of the Afon Cynffig, and headed in the direction of Porthcawl. If I could offer split star ratings, I'd give three stars for the route out of Port Talbot to Margam, and five stars for the route from Kenfig dunes to Porthcawl....

Paddy Dillon

As others have mentioned, Merthyr Mawr Warren is certainly a test of your navigational skills, but it's also the nicest part of the walk. There's some road walking, but it's not too busy....

sftuck

The route goes east of Porthcawl on the road until you split off on a right of way through a caravan park. The next section is very pleasant walking off road on a paved path on the coast path going around Trecco bay caravan park overlooking the beach. Leaving the car park you walk alongside a single track road that was fairly quiet for my visit until you branch off the road close to the church. Returning to the route, there is a small section of field walking before you follow the road around the Merthyr Mawr Estate House for 20 minutes. Follow the river to the Bridgend Life centre and then it’s a short walk on the road into the centre of Bridgend....

Stuart Bain

It also includes Merthyr Mawr and its sand dunes, leading on to the sandy beaches around Porthcawl. Photo 5 - Merthyr Mawr sand dunes...

Paul Chilcott

All the main points are covered in the first review; the most important is that the route through Merthyr Mawr Warren (from Candleston car park to the beach near Porthcawl) is difficult to navigate as it is indeed warren-like with many more paths than are shown on the map, and few markers. It’s easier to walk through straight through the dunes between the car park and the beach (directly south of the car park). The footpath sections south of Bridgend are well-marked; there are a couple of stone-slab stiles (see pic 2)....

MaddyT

I don't recommend following the route in land as you will be on a fairly busy country road (stick to the coast) toilets and caffies on route....

Paul Currie

Going round isn't a problem with some lovely country lanes leading to Porthcawl....

Paul Currie

A lot of roads where nicer footpaths could seemingly have been chosen - but otherwise a clear and easy walk...

Laura Phelps

This is a hugely rewarding walk of just about 8.5 miles with glorious sea views, fine countryside and fields all the way into the heart of Bridgend....

Black Squirrel

Part of the route (country lanes) is liable to flooding above ankle depth after prolonged periods of heavy rain - wear long wellies, rather than walking boots....

MyndArCiAmDro