From Chepstow to Newport was a big fiirst day, to start me off on my quest to walk the length of the Wales Coast Path. (See January 2023 – ‘Day 1 Walk by the Resolven Walkaholic’)

But there’s no need for me to be so ambitious, so during January I get my first 100 miles under my belt NEWPORT to ABERAVON. There’s a lot to see on the way as well as stretches of nothingness that seem to go on and on. 

START Newport

I pass the Transporter Bridge, which looks as impressive in the day as it does the night, I follow the path through the streets of Newport, out of the city and find myself back on the Bristol Channel. Soon the West Usk Lighthouse comes into sight, it was used in a ‘Doctor Who’ episode and has a TARDIS outside. A few miles later and I’m in Cardiff, the Path winds its way through the city and before I know it I’m in The Bay area being a proper tourist and snapping the iconic buildings on the dockside.

Across the barrage, over the hill and into Penarth ( the Mumbles of Cardiff)! I’ve not been here before but with its pier and seaside vibe, I’m sure I’ll be back soon.

This is the first proper beach I’ve been on since starting this journey, it only took 50 miles to get here. It’s dark at 4.30 and I’m out of light, my day is done and I’ll continue from here.

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From Penarth the next village is Lavernock Point. The first wireless signal was broadcast from here, over the water to Flat Holm in 1897.

Then Lavernock to Sully via a field that has a river flowing over it, and now for the near future an imprint of my face pressed into the soil.

Next is Barry,. I’ve been here but don’t remember much about it. The Path drags me down a busy road into the town where I end up at the docks, There are still some big ships using the docks and new apartments over the other side.

I follow the path past the fun fair to the site of the old Butlins campsite. New houses occupy the site now and there’s a view over the harbour entrance.

Around the island is the beach, made famous in ‘Gavin and Stacey’, a great bucket and sand beach.

Into the mainland and around to The Knap. (Barry has areas with very different feelings all shaken together and served with a bit of sunshine. )

PorthKerry Country Park is the next stop, a very pleasant and peaceful park with a nice coffee shop. This is where the Glamorgan Heritage Coast starts, the limestone cliffs stretch for 14 miles and are an underrated tourist attraction.

South of Cardiff Airport is Rhoose Point, this is the furthest point South of mainland Wales. A pillar of stone stands to mark this point. ( Make the most of it as there’s nothing to mark the North, West or East.

Time to say goodnight, another day over and a great place to start next time, the only way is up from here.

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To Aberthaw. There’s a lime works ruin here. It must have been very profitable as there’s lime everywhere in the area. The power station is a huge site and is currently undergoing decommissioning.

At Llantwit Major, surfers dominate the sea. (Maybe. too cold for sensible people to be in the water? )

On to St Donat’s, home of lifeguard training and the place where the rescue lifeboats were designed. Apparently, there’s a Tudor rose garden in the grounds of the Atlantic College here, but since I don’t have a weather programme and my name isn’t Derek I’m not getting an invite.

Nash Point next,

if you haven’t been here, why not? > Two lighthouses, beautiful cliffs and fossils everywhere. This is one of the most picturesque places of this walk so far, It’s one of those places you just fall in love with.

From Nash Point the path goes over the cliffs, so that’s what I did. However, if the tide is right there’s a much better walk along the beach. There’s a Magic Waterfall that falls from the cliffs onto the beach just before you get to Dunraven Park. Dunraven house is sadly no longer with us, but the path passes by the walled garden and it would be rude not to take a look inside.

Ogmore by sea has grown and is now a very busy tourist spot, again mad surfers brave the arctic-like conditions to ride a wave.

End of the day and I’ve walked miles- time to recover, just one more walk this month.

Ogmore Castle There’s a bouncy bridge and the sand dunes of Merthyr Mawr before I’m reunited with the sea again. The sun is low, and the waves are crashing, The water is shining like diamonds as it catches the light,

This is what I thought the coast path was going to be like before I started. instead I got mud and cows.

Porthcawl Need I say more? I will!

The area around Trecco bay is worth seeing, I haven’t been to this side before. On the other side of the town, there’s a boardwalk from ‘The Rest’ beside the golf course and it takes me almost to Sker House. Sker House was built as a monastic grange by the monks of Neath Abbeyand there have been 2 books written with it as the setting.

Kenfig sands is a well-kept Its , a long stretch of beach that you can access through the Kenfig Pool and Dunes National Nature Reserve.

Not too far from home and rarely too many cars in the car park.

The path splits at the roundabout by Margam Crematorium, the choice is through the back streets of Margam or through Margam park. The park route is by far the most scenic route but as I’m short of daylight I head for the back streets and arrive at Aberavon seafront. 

That’s as far as I’ve got in January.

It’s a little over 100 miles from Chepstow and 770 miles to Chester. Longer days mean more time to enjoy the coast. If you’re interested in more photos take a look at my Instagram account jack_walkaholic.

How far will I get in February? You’ll have to come back to RDN to find out.

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It was pleasing to see quite a few new faces in this month’s meeting, which points towards the fact that the Society is recovering after the travails of the pandemic and hopefully will be back on an even keel by next year.

This month’s speaker was Mr Keith Tucker of Neath Antiquarians who spoke on the eclectic theme of looking at shops of the Neath area. He began by outlining the activities of the Antiquarians who were close to celebrating their centenary and outlined how their activities could be followed both online and in print. The illustrated talk involved showing a number of old photographs which the audience were invited to make comment on. Luckily, Mr Tucker had the biography of each slide and some photos were subject to selective memory as to the correct location. Quite a few of the photographs were of the upper Neath valley, and included a Royal visit to Cwmgwrach, Melincwrt Chapel and the visit of the National Eisteddfod in 1994. Such was the enthusiasm of the audience, that Mr Tucker had barely reached half way through the archive before the clock brought the meeting to a close. He will return next year with the other two thirds to show to the Society.

Mr Trefor Jones, deputising for Chairman David Woosnam, thanked the speaker for a most interesting talk.

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Next month’s intended speaker is unable to attend and therefore the Society will have a St David’s themed evening including a quiz, when all the questions will be about Welsh History.

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The A465 will be closed for a full weekend between Glynneath and Rhigos from 20.00 on Friday 10 February to 06.00 on Monday 13 February 2023.

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