Walks In Wales You NEED To Explore - Porthcawl To Merthyr Mawr

[@JMlebeau]

Just discovered your channel. Please never stop these videos. I could watch stories about Wales all day.

[@flydriveexplore]

Thanks. We do videos about our other travels too, Route 66 and Las Vegas (so different to the green Welsh countryside!) But as we are staying local for at least the next few months there will be plenty more rediscovering Wales videos to come.

[@mikewherrett8020]

I lived in Newton in the late 1950s and 60s and also went to St John's School. Don't forget Rob Brydon also went to St John's. This video brought back so many happy memories of the hours we spent wandering over the sandunes and exploring the rifle range. In those days there were many fewer homes down Bryneglyws Avenue. There used to be a couple of caravan sites beyond the school, where I delivered Sunday papers. Further on down beyond the caravans was a rubbish tip for some time and if you continued down the rough road you came to the old sand works down near the beach. I have no idea if there are still any signs of the old works. Happy days. Thanks for the memories.

[@flydriveexplore]

The whole area is pretty much covered with grasses and bushes now. I remember playing in the dunes as a young kid in the early 70s and my father letting me steer his van as he drove down the old road there to get sand for building.

[@faithgooder2938]

My Dad used to take us along there when I was a child in the 1940s He called it the wilderness. We loved going for walks that way

[@johnnywalking83]

Keep the hair. It looks great! Always enjoy your videos.

[@hunkhk]

this has to be my favourite video so far - so much peace and serenity and lots of happy memories of hot summers playing in the dunes back in the day, cheers from Malaysia!

[@flydriveexplore]

Thanks - Yes, that area is always nice and quiet.

[@helenwildman1005]

I grew up in Newton. We spent many happy hours playing in the church yard. The church used to be open and we used to sign our names in the visitor book even though we lived there. I remember climbing on the well. Sitting on top of it and jumping down. How lovely to see it again. There were iron horses painted red in the playground. We played in the shooting ranges and built dens like the one you found.

[@flydriveexplore]

Glad you enjoyed and it brought back memories. I remember those red horses in the playgrounds that a few of you could sit on.

[@annadalton3879]

I also grew up in Newton, late 40’s to early 60’s, and share all your memories. I have since lived in Canada and Texas and now in Spain and have experienced great joy watching this and the memories it brings. We lived in a house overlooking the church. My grandfather Reg Elcock used to adjudicate the exams the boys sat at St Johns school. Wonderful memories.

[@charlessmith6668]

Where have you been hiding this EXCELLENT video? It's brilliant, thanks.

[@flydriveexplore]

Glad you liked it! Thanks for the info on Facebook too.

[@willaustin4526]

Fantastic. Enjoyed very much, from canada, with my welsh 80yr old mother 😂

[@flydriveexplore]

Glad you both enjoyed it 👍

[@OnASeasideMission]

Lovely walk. You started off right where I used to live. We moved to Nottage In '62 and the first place we lived was The Swan. Had hoped that you'd go through the village to West Road. Dad gave up pubs after a year or so and turned one of the shops into the butcher's which, I think, is still there.

[@flydriveexplore]

I may do a video on the village itself in the future

[@OnASeasideMission]

@@flydriveexplore Hello Marcus and Mel. Please do. Robert Heinlein once described Wales as 'one of those nowhere places where nothing ever happens'. My comment is: 'And what's wrong with that?' Stay well and keep 'em coming.

[@flydriveexplore]

@@OnASeasideMission Thanks

[@nickclark9541]

What a great country, definitely on my bucket when I visit the UK.

[@flydriveexplore]

It really is!

[@whattovisitinromania5044]

Very beautiful place, great views all over you look! 🌼🌿💕

[@Stevali1966]

Hey i remember years ago when i use to come holiday to Porthcawl. We stayed in a caravan the bottom end of Trecco bay. I use to walk over to newton beach and explore the range of dunes and stumbled across the firing range and use to forage for used rounds and found loads of them when i was a kid.

[@flydriveexplore]

We used to go over there when we were young as well, it was great place to play as a kid.

[@kenijonesESQ]

I just found your channel today and I'm loving it !! Finally a channel to binge watch. Cheers from across the pond from P.E.I. Canada

[@flydriveexplore]

Thanks and welcome

[@Sludgepump]

Excellent video! Grew up in Porthcawl and explored every corner as a kid, except for Candlestone Castle. (Don't know how I missed that)! Really great to see your footage of the remains. Just about to look at your older video of the same. Thanks, this was great!

[@flydriveexplore]

Glad you enjoyed it! Candleston is about a 3 mile walk across the dunes towards Merthyr Mawr. It is really quiet there at the moment as most people visit by car and the car parks are still closed although all the footpaths are open.

[@OurWorldForYou]

Great video Marcus 👍- Lovely looking scenery - After a walk like that, you deserve a pint 🍺 - damm this lockdown! 😠

[@flydriveexplore]

Thanks, yep, can't wait for those pubs to reopen.

[@phoenixrising6245]

Currently binge watching your fascinating videos - which I discovered recently - as you showcase your lovely country... Ghosts included!!! I'm just across the country, in East Anglia and have promised myself to visit before too long, although I did visit Brecon Beacons once which was breathtaking!! I've decided that it's time to return!

[@flydriveexplore]

Thanks for watching. I hope you get the chance to visit Wales soon. There are some beautiful places to see.

[@WebbysWalks]

Great video. Thank you for sharing. I have started the Wales Coast Path at the North East end, hope one day to reach this area.

[@flydriveexplore]

Thanks. I've yet to explore that part of Wales in detail.

[@zenzen9131]

Excellent video :)

[@flydriveexplore]

Thank you very much!

[@ianpearson8567]

Respect to you in the hard time's, if I cross your path then I wish to talk to you.

[@kevinvanstone6872]

Hi Marcus. When I was 15 yrs of age I was very fortunate to spend two weeks in the porthcawl .outdoor pursuit center in Nottage. It was an amazing adventure for me at the time. We were shown how to map read and eventually had 3 days camping in the forestry commission in port Talbot near the monestry. There was a log cabin which my group of 4 boys stayed overnight. Can you give me anymore information as I have tried to get pictures of the place in Nottage. I think the owner name was Wilki Burton my wife and myself enjoy all your video's. Kind regards Kevin and Diane Vanstone

[@flydriveexplore]

Were you living in the Cardiff area at the time? As there was a camp in Nottage called the Cardiff Camp School which took in kids from Cardiff schools for outdoor activities etc. (All long gone now). I found this pic on Facebook facebook.com/CardiffSchoolPhotos/photos/porthcawl-camp-1970sglan-elyphotographer-unknown/2024508964225990/

[@michellebruce5092]

Wales is a beautiful historical place to visit. 😀

[@flydriveexplore]

We agree!

[@richarddavies6428]

thank you watched your walking videos you really good making them and give me few ideas where me and my daughter to go

[@flydriveexplore]

We only started making the local walks during the lockdown, didn't know how much there was in the area.

[@WelshLad52]

As I live in Bridgend I totally agree with you the well does need a bit of tlc.

[@flydriveexplore]

The others around Porthcawl are full of rubbish as well. I don't know who looks after them or has the key.

[@maggienificent]

Lovely video, thank you!

[@flydriveexplore]

Thanks, the current situation has really made us appreciate what we interesting places we have around us.

[@maggienificent]

@@flydriveexplore Absolutely, I just went for a long bike ride around my city today. exploring places I didn't know about. But I would still like to get back to travelling farther eventually!

[@WyeExplorer]

Brilliant tour. Wow from the wettest start to the driest. What is going on this year. I'll speak of the ranges. They're called butts them places where the targets would go up. We used to be down in then in Aldershot. So much activity back then. I did a video on the old SAS pistol ranges in Hereford. Here's the link kzbin.info/www/bejne/g2XWdXWAl5J5rrM I think you might lie the video. Well, I'll be exploring more. Have a great week. Mark

[@flydriveexplore]

Thanks for the information, I 'll take a look at the video, cheers.

[@WyeExplorer]

@@flydriveexplore A pleasure. Yeah it's a good video but I enjoyed yours to.

[@nailedt0thecr0ss]

I love your videos.

[@flydriveexplore]

thanks

[@RichardGriffiths89]

You should walk through Pembrey Country Park, they have old wartime bunkers Kidwelly Castle is close too

[@flydriveexplore]

Someone else mentioned taking a trip to Pembrey. It's something we should be able to do in the Spring/Summer. We went to Kidwelly Castle last year not long before lockdown, lots to explore and you can still climb the towers.

[@jamesculpin9680]

Looks great. Thinking to do his next week. Can you advise on best place to park and if the route is signposted throughout?

[@flydriveexplore]

The signposting isn't that good but there are a number of paths you can take from Newton. There is a pay and display on Newton Beach but you should be able to park in Newton village or on Beach Road leading to the Beach. Cross the dunes towards the big hill near Wig Fach (the big white buildings are on the hill on your left) 6:35 in the video.

[@jamesculpin9680]

@@flydriveexplore thank you. Will give it a whirl and fingers crossed I don’t get lost. That’s one of my explore days sorted for my time off 😉

[@WelshLad52]

I once went to Porthcawl to the rifle range to metal detect it for bullet shells but couldn't find it.

[@dianel858]

Beach to yourself. How lucky 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@flydriveexplore]

It's like that most of the time

[@ricklyons4264]

Is This close to craigiau

[@flydriveexplore]

Creigiau near Cardiff? About 18 miles

[@BeaEss]

Our mums might have known each other, be a small world if they did!

[@WalesTheTrueBritons]

The problem with Wales. They'll have you Believe that everything note worthy within Wales were built by anyone and everyone besides the Welsh. Which ofcourse is utter nonsense! Most of the Norman/English castles were built atop the far older Welsh forts. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Wales the only country to have a coastal path run the entire length of its coast?

[@flydriveexplore]

You can walk the from the south around the coast of wales to the north although there are some small diversions due to ports, steel works etc but there is a clear path around these.

[@palmer3977]

Take a look at Alan Wilson on YT he's a Welsh historian of real history.

[@WalesTheTrueBritons]

@@palmer3977 😉👍 Half Welsh, the other side of his family were English.