Things To Do In Bridgend Wales
The town of Bridgend has been a market town since the 16th century and, today, is home to a vibrant mix of independent shops, cafés and well known high street brands. There is a bit of something for everyone here including historic houses and wonderful walks. In this post we’ll cover the top things to do in Bridgend Wales.
Things To Do In Bridgend Wales
St John’s House
Newcastle (12th Century castle)
The Old Bridge
Bridgend Circular Walks
Merthyr Mawr Sand Dunes
St John’s House
This fascinating Tudor house is the oldest habitable house in Bridgend! Research suggests that this hearth passage house was adapted from an earlier, smaller building but testing on the wood beams identifies that, in whatever form, the core building was originally constructed in the early 16th Century. Evidence also suggests that the building may have had religious uses early on, perhaps for Pilgrims heading to St. Davids.
The house is now owned by the St John’s trust after much fund raising and is open on the second Sunday and last Saturday of each month from 11am - 3pm for you to have a look inside! There is no need to book but do check on their website for opening dates.
The onsite shop has souvenirs and original gifts for sale, a lot of which are handmade by local craftspeople. There is also a large selection of second-hand books at only £1 each, with all profits from the shop going towards the maintenance of the house. This is definitely high on the list of things to do in Bridgend Wales!
Newcastle (12th Century Castle)
The ruins of this 12th Century castle sits on the west side of the Ogmore River. It is thought to have been constructed in the early 1100s as part of fortifications protecting river crossings that used to control entry in to Glamorgan. What stands today are the remains of later additions to the original castle, dating from around 1180 when it was under the control of Henry II. Evidence of the castle’s superior build quality is still prevalent today in the Norman doorway which has stood, well preserved and largely untouched, since the 12th century.
The site is free to access all year round and the main gates are unlocked during reasonable daylight hours.
The Old Bridge
Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr, as it’s known in Welsh, is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and Grade II listed structure. It is not known who originally designed and built it but its origins date back to 1425. Today, the bridge has 2 stone arches that span the river Ogmore but originally, it had 5! It has 3 main river arches and a smaller ‘flood arch’ on each bank.
This is purely a footbridge now but it used to carry vehicles as well. The bridge is 2.6m wide between the parapets and so is no good for traffic today, the last known motorised vehicle to cross the bridge was in 1920!
Bridgend Circular Walks
There are a number of circular walks you can do around Bridgend and the surrounding areas. They vary between 5 and 8 miles for the Bridgend walks, which take you on a trail in the immediate area. There are also walks that take you further afield, even joining up to the Wales Coastal Path to really take you on a journey through the spectacular Welsh landscape and rugged coastline.
The visit Bridgend website has details and downloadable PDFs of each walk.
Merthyr Mawr Sand Dunes
The Merthyr Mawr Sand Dunes are a site of specific interest and home to the highest sand dune in Wales, ‘The Big Dipper’. The dune system extends to the size of 3 international rugby pitches! Its home to wildlife where sand has settled on top of ancient limestone cliffs, creating a special habitat for insects, fungi and plants.
The nature reserve site also features grasslands, saltmarsh, a beach and woods. Plus, it’s an important historical site with flints from the Stone Age, burial mounds and pottery from the Bronze Age, hearths from the Iron Age, and Roman tiles having all been unearthed here.
There is also a lovely circular walk you can do around the site, taking you past amazing sites like Candleston castle and to the tallest dune in Wales. Parking is available at the Merthyr Mawr Warren National Nature Reserve in Candleston Car Park or in the nearby village of Merthyr Mawr.
As well as these activities, Bridgend isn’t short of local coffee shops, eateries and independent retailers for you to visit as well. As mentioned above, this is a wonderfully vibrant town with plenty to see and do. If you have visited Bridgend recently, let us know what you thought of this lively market town and feel free to share any suggestions in the comments below.
As always, sharing is caring so make sure to share this guide with your family and friends and inspire them to head off on their own Welsh adventure.
