Porthkerry Country Park and hamlet

Starting from the beach car park at The Knap, Barry, the walk takes us past the remains of a Roman villa, built during the latter stages of the 3rd century for use with the harbour which was situated in what is now known as Watchtower Bay. We will then head up to Marine Drive overlooking the lake and Italianesque gardens developed in the 1920’s as a public works exercise to combat the recession years. At the end of Marine Drive, we enter Porthkerry Country Park and continue down ‘The Golden Steps’ to the beach. The park consists of some 220 acres which was landscaped in the 1840’s and gifted to the people of Barry by the Romilly family. Walking across the head of the beach, we enter a wooded area and climb up to Porthkerry Caravan Park which sits on the approach flight path to Cardiff Airport. The walk then crosses the Vale of Glamorgan railway line and enters the small hamlet of Porthkerry where there will be an opportunity to visit the small church of St. Curig. Taking the path down an old ropeway used for raising cargoes up from Porthkerry beach/harbour, we will stop for lunch and refreshments at the café in the central park area.

The walk continues under the arched railway viaduct, which initially opened in 1897 before partly collapsing and having to be rebuilt a year later. We then follow the ‘The Heartbeat trail’ through fields on the outskirts of the park before continuing along the Nant Talwyg valley, past a site of an old timber mill which specialised in making wagon wheels (not the chocolate ones unfortunately) until the early 20th century. Crossing the stream, we carry on upwards though the woodland; down through the Cwm Barry valley before taking the steps to the exit road from the park. A short walk will lead us past the remains of the 12 century Barry Castle and the Gorsedd  stone circle, erected to commemorate the 1920 National Eisteddfod before entering the grade 2 listed Romilly Park and returning to our start point at The Knap car park.