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St Lythans

Haunted Field Walk

THE ROUTE

From St, Nicholas Church Car Park� return to main road. Cross at trafficlights and walk down the lane towardsDyffryn.After a short distance a stonestile will be seen on your right. Crossthis and go down through the cwm toa stile under a tree on your left.Youpass the old quarries �. Continue tothe next stile by a large tree.Turnright and follow the hedgeline to thenext stile in the corner of field. Crossand turn left on the field edge till afence bears left. Go right and head forthe next stile which is clearly seen.The Tinkinswood burial chamber � ison your right with its entrance gate inthe corner. Cross the stile by the gateand note the remains of a stone rowin the field � Continue across thefield in the direction of a telegraphpole.The next stile will be in front ofyou. Cross and continue in the samedirection to reach a stile and a smallbridge to the right of the shack.Continue to the next field boundaryand stile. Continue with the wall ofDyffryn House on your left �.Thispath has some lovely trees to yourright Please note there is no entranceto the house from this side. Crossanother stile to reach the road byDyffryn Farm.

Turn left then left again and followthe road. Should you wish to visitDyffryn Gardens turn left at the nextjunction and walk a short distance onthe road to the entrance.

Those walkers on the main routecontinue past the junction and turnright through the kissing gate into theso-called haunted field with theSt.Lythans burial chamber �.Thereare surprising views from this fieldwith Barry in the distance on thebrow of the hill.

Should you want to cut short thewalk return to road turn right andfollow the country lane to St.LythansVillage.While not a busy lane there istraffic and it is narrow in parts.

For the main route, go towards thefarm at the top left hand corner of thefield. Cross the stile then go throughfarmyard. Please close all gates behindyou.

Continue across a series of stiles.The ruins in the field to your right areold lime kilns � Go through a smallgate and continue along the edge oftwo fields with woods on your right.DO NOT cross the stile into thewoods. Continue till you reach theclear track leading downhill on yourright. Follow this for a very shortdistance and look for a stile in fence

on left.This stile is set back away fromthe track but can be clearly seenexcept in mid summer when therampant vegetation means you mayhave to look for it.

Cross and follow an attractive littlepath through the woods that climbsand comes out on the edge of the golfcourse. Continue left to the kissinggate out onto the lane. **Thosewalkers coming from Wenvoe join theroute here where they turn right

Turn left out of the gate and followthe track. Parts of this track are oftenflooded but can be passed with care.Continue with the woods on right tillyou come to a stile by a farm gate onyour left. Cross and continue with thehedge line on your left. Note the radiomasts on your right.When you reachthe stone and wooden stiles by theconifers you have a choice.

Cross the stile, follow a short paththen turn right to visit church �.Thepath goes over stone stiles across thechurchyard. On the road turn rightand walk along to Lodge Farm.

If you do not wish to visit thechurch, do not cross the double stilesby the conifers but turn right to crosstwo stiles onto the road opposite theentrance to Lodge Farm.

This walk of just 51/2 miles enables one to view three features of national importance: Duffryn House with itssplendid gardens and two burial chambers of considerable antiquity,Tinkinswood and St. Lythans.Add to thelist the charming village of St. Nicholas and the pleasant, easy to walk terrain and one has a walk of quitewide appeal.

Distance 51/2 miles (from St Nicholas) or 7 miles (from Wenvoe) Map Explorer 151.Parking At St. Nicholas Church, in the village, north of the main road(A48); roadside in Wenvoe.Public Transport For St Nicholas X2 Cardiff to Bridgend.For Wenvoe X96 or 96 Barry to Cardiff bus half hourly.Alight at the Golf Course/Garden centre.Refreshments & Toilets Pubs in Bonvilston and Wenvoe, none on the route.

START At St. Nicholas or Wenvoe. St. Nicholas Village: Parking at St. Nicholas Church in the village north of the main roador Wenvoe: Parking on roadside in the village.

If walking from Wenvoe, the route starts near the entrance to the garden centre.Walk up the track from the main road andyou will join the main circular route by the golf course at the top of Burdonshill.Then begin the route guide below at **.

SUMMARY OF WALK. Starting at St. Nicholas it follows the Heritage Millennium Trail till Dyffryn then St. Lythans burial chamber, Burdonshill (those starting from Wenvoe join here) St. Lythans and Lodge Farm before returning to St. Nicholas.Distance: 51/2 miles or 7 miles from Wenvoe.

Short cut: From St. Lythans burial chamber along a narrow country lane to the village.Shortens the route by 11/2 miles.

PLACES OF INTEREST

� ST. NICHOLAS VILLAGEOld cottages and church.

� REMAINS OF PREHISTORICQUARRY

The stones for both burial chambersare believed to come from here asthey are constructed from the samemudstone.

� TINKINSWOOD BURIALCHAMBER.

Dates back to 3,500 BC and in usetill 2000 BC. Capstone consideredto be the largest in Europe.Nearby stones may be remnants of awider complex around the chamber,though legends tell they are womenturned to stone for dancing on theSabbath.

� DYFFRYN HOUSE(short detour from route) Built 1893. Grade 1 listed EdwardianGardens. Present garden layoutdesigned in I906.

� ST. LYTHANS BURIALCHAMBER

Smaller than Tinkinswood and neverexcavated. Legends abound in thefield.A saddled horse that cannot beridden is said to be seen on moonlitnights. On Midsummer Eve expectto see the capstone twirl roundthree times while the stones godown to the river to bathe.Whisperto the stones on Halloween and youmay get your wishes granted.

� RUINS OF LIME KILNS

� ST. LYTHANS CHURCHAND WELL

SCALE (APPROX):

1 Kilometre

1 Mile

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Walkers who have walked up the roadfrom the St. Lythans burial chamberrejoin the main route at Lodge Farm.

Walk up the track to Lodge Farm,cross the stile on your right then leftand left again so you are the other sideof the house. Continue with hedge onyour right to the next stile into thewoods.A clear and delightful track leadsto a more overgrown wooded area anda small gate on right. Do not cross butcontinue straight ahead through therough woodland till you reach awaymark posts and a stile on your right.This marks the junction of four paths.

Continue in the direction you havebeen walking to another waymarkwhich directs you out of the wood andto a stile in a fence. Go right towardsthe next stile which can be clearly seen.The path now heads towards the mainroad. Keep to the rough field edge tillyou reach a pylon on the right.Thehedge has been removed at this pointbut continue forward. Pass end of hedgeline on left and continue towardsconifers and main road. Look for clearpath running diagonally across the fieldon your left heading towards farmbuildings.

This in turn leads to the main roadwhere a left turn will return you to thevillage and the end of the walk.

Photograph © Cadw

Walk No. 46,Wenvoe

Tinkinswood Burial Chamber

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WALK LOCATION IN RELATION TOVALEWAYS’ MILLENNIUM HERITAGE TRAIL

Valeways’ Millennium Heritage Trail covers a distance of over100km, spanning over 6,000 years of history. It wends its waythrough a variety of beautiful landscapes. At its northern edgethere are panoramic vistas of the Blaenau Morgannwg, whilein the south it skirts a spectacular cliffed coastline.

The Trail is split into 16 easy to follow sections, each ofwhich can be walked within a few hours.The surroundings arediverse, often spectacular and steeped in history.

Those who have never visited this part of Wales will enjoywalking through fertile, lowland countryside adjoining thespectacular Heritage Coast with its beautiful beaches.Theroute includes many fascinating historic features, fromprehistoric burial chambers to magnificent castles, churchesand mansions.

Valeways has published a guide to the Millennium HeritageTrail. This colourful book describes the 16 sections whichmake up the Trail and comes in a package with 16 separateA3 maps.The guide can be obtained from Valeways for £8.49including post and packing.

Walk No. 46, Wenvoe

The HauntedField

Distance: 51/2 miles

FOLLOW THE WALKER’S CODE

• Guard against all risk of fire

• Fasten all gates

• Keep all dogs under close control

• Keep to public paths on farmland

• Use gates and stiles to cross fences, hedges & walls

• Take your litter home

• Protect all wildlife, plants and trees

WALK FEATURES

• St Nicholas Village

• Tinkinswood Burial Chamber

• St Lythans Burial Chamber

• Dyffryn House and Gardens

• St Lythans Church and Well

• Attractive Countryside

St Lythans Burial Chamber

Dyffryn House and Gardens

Dyffryn House from the air

St Lythans Church

Statue at Dyffryn House

Valeways

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Photograph © Ray Price

Photograph © Cadw

Photograph © Vale of Glamorgan Council

Photograph © Vale of Glamorgan Council

St Nicholas CottagesPhotograph © Ray Price

Photograph © Vale of Glamorgan Council

Valeways is a registered charity working in partnership with thecommunity to reopen existing footpaths to create a network of

enjoyable circular walks across the Vale of Glamorgan, linkingtowns and villages to the surrounding countryside and points ofinterest.We are indebted to the many volunteers who give up

their time freely to provide this walk for your enjoyment.

Valeways

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Registered Charity No. 1062031 Registered Company No. 3330088

Valeways Partnership - Many thanks to the Vale of Glamorgan Counciland the Countryside Council for Wales for their continued support.

Valeways, Unit 7, Barry Community Enterprise Centre,Skomer Road, Barry CF62 9DA

Telephone/Fax: 01446 749000E-mail: info@valeways.org.uk

Website: http//www.valeways.org.uk