All walks › Cardiff and the Vale
Cardiff and the ValeOgmore Castle and Merthyr Mawr
Stepping stones across the Ewenny to a castle ruin, and a dune system behind it that is one of the largest in Europe.
- Distance
- 3.7 mi / 6 km
- Time
- 2 hr 5
- Ascent
- 100 m
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Shape
- Circular
Where it is
The circle shows the general area, not the exact start. Use the directions link below to get to the car park itself. Contours and paths shown are OpenTopoMap, drawn from OpenStreetMap data.
The route
Cross the stepping stones by the castle and walk through Merthyr Mawr village and into the dunes, returning by the river or the lanes.
Worth knowing
- The stepping stones are impassable when the river is high; check before relying on them.
- The Big Dipper in the dunes is the tallest dune in Wales and is hard work to climb.
- Candleston Castle sits half buried at the edge of the dunes.
What you’ll see
The castle and stepping stones, thatched cottages at Merthyr Mawr, and the dune system.
Background
The dunes buried a medieval settlement and the ruins of Candleston Castle stand at their edge, partly engulfed by sand.