Beaches

Several beaches grace the coast by Porthcawl. To the west is Rest Bay, a golden sandy beach backed by low cliffs. The beach faces south-west and is exposed to the winds of the Atlantic resulting in some spectacular waves and perfect conditions for windsurfing and kite surfing. When the waves are a little more sedate it’s a popular spot for swimming, fishing, canoeing and, when the tide is out, rockpooling.

In the opposite direction you’ll find the popular sand and shingle beach, Ogmore Central. The name 'Ogmore' is thought to come from the large caves at the river mouth (‘ogof’ is Welsh for cave). Renowned for its cleanliness, it’s a destination for swimmers, fishermen, walkers and divers who travel to dive Tusker Rock. The rock is visible at low tide and named after a Danish Viking who colonised the area.

Nestled between these two beaches you will find Sandy Bay, Trecco Bay and Newton Bay. Sandy Bay, also known as Coney Beach – famous for its amusements – is a wide stretch of sand which reveals a trek of several hundred metres to the sea at low tide. You can spy the harbour and lighthouse to one end just before the town of Porthcawl, and Trecco Bay is at the other end. Next to Trecco Bay is Newton Bay, or Black Rock Beach as it is referred to locally. A long sand and rock beach of approximately 3 miles backed by Newton Burrows and Merthyr Mawr sand dunes, it is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest and is thought to have the second highest sand dune in Europe.

Dunraven Castle

The ruins of Dunraven Castle stand upon the headland at Dunraven Bay. More a large fortified house than a castle, it had its own kitchen gardens and landing stage in the bay. It was inhabited right up until the 1940s but was demolished in 1963 as it was crumbling and considered unsafe.

There are many legends of smuggling and shipwrecking associated with this dramatic spot in times gone by but today it is more noted for the spectacular sandstone cliffs and for Southerndown Beach which is an excellent swimming and recreational area.

Wales Millennium Centre

This iconic building brims with talent from the fields of opera, ballet, dance, theatre comedy and musicals. It lives and breathes performing art and is considered to be one of the UK’s top cultural attractions. It’s not surprising that it is home to the Welsh National Opera and Welsh National Orchestra along with five other cultural organisations. The attention to detail in this building from the acoustics to the flexibility of design are exceptional. Even if you’re not lucky enough to frequent one of the world-class productions that are staged here, grabbing a coffee and cake and soaking up the atmosphere is sure to impress.