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Old Industries and New Parks (8km, 5.5 Miles)
This walk provides a fascinating glimpse into the past where the remains of the South Wales coal and iron industries provide a heritage trail through an area rich in wildlife and natural beauty.
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Starting Point from Tondu Station
Leave the platform via the footbridge, turning left at the top of the steps. At the main road, turn left. Take care when crossing the busy main road.
Wesley School
Now an office suite of the Bridgend County Borough Council.
Go through the metal kissing gate to the right of the church. You will soon see the remains of industrial buildings through the trees to you right.
Tondu Iron Park
This new attraction has been restored from the original Tondu Iron Works built by Sir Robert Price in the 1820's.
Follow the waymarked track, ignoring the first wooden stile on the left. The route crosses the next stile on the left, but it’s worth taking a short detour to the Derllwyn Road Conservation Area.
Park Terrace
This is a superb example of 19th century employer built housing for workers.
Retrace your steps to the stile, cross it and follow the path keeping the field boundary on your right. Cross the next stile and continue through the wood.
Parc Slip Nature Park
Parc Slip Nature Park, headquarters of the Glamorgan Wildlife Trust, is on the site of an old colliery and opencast workings. It has been restored to provide a variety of wildlife habitats, including grasslands, wildflower meadows, wetlands and woodlands. The Park has a network of paths open to the public, some of which are accessible by wheelchair.
Follow the road signs for Cwm Risca. At a bend in the road, take the farm track up to the right and bear left to cross a timber stile. Keep the field boundary on your right.
Cross another stile and continue along the edge of a small wood. Pick up the farm track to Tondu House Farm. Bear right through farm buildings and then take the waymarked path on the left at a stile. Make for the huge oak tree in the field. Just beyond you'll emerge onto a track.
Duffryn, Llynfi & Porthcawl Railway
The track you are on is the line of the railway, which was completed in 1828 to serve ironworks in and around the valley. It was originally a horse-drawn tramway, but was later rebuilt to accommodate locomotives.
Follow the steps straight down the hill through the trees.
Sir Robert Prices Tramroad
Just before the road is the line of Sir Robert's tramroad, built to bring coal from his colliery in Betws to the iron works at Tondu.
At this point you have a choice
1) To get back to the station, turn right and follow the sidewalk to Tondu.
2) To continue the walk, turn left and take the next footpath on the right.
Follow the path to the road and turn right. Go under the bridge and cross the stone stile on the left. Follow the public footpath through the woods.
Eventually you will join up with the Ogwr Ridgeway Walk.
Ogwr Ridgeway Walk
The walk links up with other regional routes, the Coed Morgannwg Way in the west and the Ffordd y Bryniau in the east.
Turn right along the Ridgeway Walk and follow the waymarked path across the fields to the road. Turn left, cross over and continue to follow the signs along a rough track.
At the waymarked stile on the right leave the Ridgeway Walk and follow the path to Bryngarw Country Park.
Bryngarw Country Park
The park covers 113 acres and is divided into four main areas - woodland, grassland, formal gardens and wetlands. Well maintained paths and trails will ensure you get the most from your visit.
Leave the park via the main gate and turn left at the road. At the next raod junction turn right and pick up the surfaced path on the right just after the church. Cross the next road and follow Queen Street. Continue along a rough track which descends through trees.
Coytrahen Colliery
This was a drift mine once employing 250 men. It closed in the 1920's.
Follow the track to the main road in Tondu and turn left to return to the station.
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