Southerndown 2010
The coastline of southeast Wales.
This was a there-and-back walk from Ogmore-by-Sea to the dramatic cliffs of Southerndown. To make it easier to follow, the pictures are shown in sequence from end to end, and not in the order they were taken. The most dramatic scenery is at the end of the gallery.
High tide at the Ogmore estuary, with the Merthyr Mawr Warren sand dunes on the far side.
Rifts in the mudstone on the Ogmore-by-Sea beach, exposed at low tide.
The rifts are (mostly) not blowholes, as they are open all the way up. Pity.
Rift reflections.
Slot. Just to be different.
Conglomerated mudstone.
Alcove.
Another set of rifts, this time in the lower limestone.
One with a complete rock bridge over it. These appear to be solutional, created by small streamlets.
In Wales, even the sheep take holidays.
Paddle surfing down the coast.
Near Bwlch Bach.
Bwlch Gwyn.
Tubular fossil, about 30 cm long. It looks to me like a sea cucumber or sea slug, or perhaps a sponge, but if you know better, please let me know.
Coasteering at Black Rocks.
Black Rocks. Which are orange. Of course.
A natural arch, submerged at high tide, but with its deep channel exposed at low tide.
Superb cliffs below Southerndown.
Large caves pepper the cliffs, with openings as much as 20 metres tall.
The path is now forced above the clifftops, and the views disappear.
With most of the beds here being limestone, there are many signs of caves, such as these shakeholes. However, there are no proper caves known in this area; only sea caves.
If someone had got to this stage, would a sign telling them to call the Samaritans really make a difference? Given how close this is to Bridgend, perhaps it would be better to install these signs at the source of the problem; on Bebo.
The peninsula of Trwyn y Witch.
Dancing Stones at Dunraven Bay.
Dunraven Castle.
Remains of a walled garden.
Cliffs on the peninsula.
Slabs of limestone being claimed by the sea.
The distinctive striped beds of the Blue Lias limestone, decorating the coast to all the way to Lavernock.
Exposed fossil shell.
Rock fall on the cliffs. The lifeguards were keeping people clear, but we had the chance to see the newly exposed details of the blue and yellow stripes.
Imprints of several ammonites below the cliff.
Exposed, ribbed edge of an ammonite.
Imprint of an ammonite.
The rocks here are not as rich as Lavernock, but this is easily the largest ammonite I have seen in its natural setting. It would have originally been nearly half a metre in diameter.
The rock is also very rich in shells, which are fairly well preserved.
Dunraven Bay.
The cliffs leading from Southerndown to Nash Point. These are upto 65 metres in height.
The first large valley, Cwm Mawr, has a small stream dribbling down a final 10 metre cliff to the sea. The map calls this a waterfall, but even on a good day, it is little more than a mossy dribble.
High tide at the Ogmore estuary, with the Merthyr Mawr Warren sand dunes on the far side.
Rifts in the mudstone on the Ogmore-by-Sea beach, exposed at low tide.
The rifts are (mostly) not blowholes, as they are open all the way up. Pity.
Rift reflections.
Slot. Just to be different.
Conglomerated mudstone.
Alcove.
Another set of rifts, this time in the lower limestone.
One with a complete rock bridge over it. These appear to be solutional, created by small streamlets.
In Wales, even the sheep take holidays.
Paddle surfing down the coast.
Near Bwlch Bach.
Bwlch Gwyn.
Tubular fossil, about 30 cm long. It looks to me like a sea cucumber or sea slug, or perhaps a sponge, but if you know better, please let me know.
Coasteering at Black Rocks.
Black Rocks. Which are orange. Of course.
A natural arch, submerged at high tide, but with its deep channel exposed at low tide.
Superb cliffs below Southerndown.
Large caves pepper the cliffs, with openings as much as 20 metres tall.
The path is now forced above the clifftops, and the views disappear.
With most of the beds here being limestone, there are many signs of caves, such as these shakeholes. However, there are no proper caves known in this area; only sea caves.
If someone had got to this stage, would a sign telling them to call the Samaritans really make a difference? Given how close this is to Bridgend, perhaps it would be better to install these signs at the source of the problem; on Bebo.
The peninsula of Trwyn y Witch.
Dancing Stones at Dunraven Bay.
Dunraven Castle.
Remains of a walled garden.
Cliffs on the peninsula.
Slabs of limestone being claimed by the sea.
The distinctive striped beds of the Blue Lias limestone, decorating the coast to all the way to Lavernock.
Exposed fossil shell.
Rock fall on the cliffs. The lifeguards were keeping people clear, but we had the chance to see the newly exposed details of the blue and yellow stripes.
Imprints of several ammonites below the cliff.
Exposed, ribbed edge of an ammonite.
Imprint of an ammonite.
The rocks here are not as rich as Lavernock, but this is easily the largest ammonite I have seen in its natural setting. It would have originally been nearly half a metre in diameter.
The rock is also very rich in shells, which are fairly well preserved.
Dunraven Bay.
The cliffs leading from Southerndown to Nash Point. These are upto 65 metres in height.
The first large valley, Cwm Mawr, has a small stream dribbling down a final 10 metre cliff to the sea. The map calls this a waterfall, but even on a good day, it is little more than a mossy dribble.