6.3 miles. Approx. 2hrs 45 with a break.
Following months of heavy rain, and despite a couple of weeks of bright sunny days, many footpaths in the area are still uncomfortably muddy and slippery. This ready-made walk on sandy ground was chosen in the hope of being suitable in most conditions.
Five of us met in the in the carpark at Candleston Castle, Merthyr Mawr Warren, in spring sunshine and were greeted by delightful birdsong. The first part of the track can be underwater after heavy rain but it was completely dry and the steep ascent immediately afterwards warmed everyone up after a cold start. Keeping the fence to our right we wound round to reach the road to Tythegston and to take in clear views across to Bridgend, before following another path through the usually muddy area where the cattle sometimes make an appearance, but this was also very dry. There were no animals but some deer tracks were spotted.
The track alternates between sand dune and woodland where it was sheltered and eventually emerges on the outskirts of the historic village of Newton. Passing the allotments we came across some benches near the church so took advantage of them to sit and have a hot drink while one of us called on an old friend who lives across the road. We noticed that it was a bit breezier and soon realised when we got to the beach that we would be walking into the teeth of a gale for the second half of the walk. There was not much chatting at this stage as it was hard work on soft sand, against the north-easterly wind which was blowing sand into our faces at times.
The tide was well out and there was abundant evidence of earlier storms with large amounts of driftwood and general debris along the high -water mark on the beach and the river flood plain.
In retrospect it would have been a better idea to do this walk in reverse, but it was a good stretch of the legs and it certainly blew away any lingering cobwebs.
TJ