Weekend in Bridgend

Traditional covered market with stalls selling Welsh cakes, local cheese, second-hand books, and bric-a-brac. Lively on Saturdays with a mix of locals and traders.

Tip: Grab a half-dozen Welsh cakes from the bakery stall (about £2) – they’re made fresh each morning. Arrive before noon for the best selection.

A large, well-kept Victorian park with a bowling green, tennis courts, a skate park, and plenty of benches. Good for a stroll or a picnic by the river.

Tip: The café at the park’s entrance does a solid £2.50 cup of tea and a scone. Check the community noticeboard near the bandstand for free summer events.

The second-largest sand dune system in Europe, featured in films like Lawrence of Arabia. Big, shifting dunes and a quiet beach. Walk to the top for wide views across the Bristol Channel.

Tip: Park at the free car park off the B4524 before 10am on summer weekends – it fills up fast. Bring sturdy shoes; the sand can be loose and steep.

14th-century fortified house in a field near Merthyr Mawr. Not much more than a shell, but atmospheric and rarely busy. Good starting point for walks through the dunes to the beach.

Tip: No signage – follow the footpath from the Merthyr Mawr car park through the gate marked ‘Candleston’. Free and open access; watch for uneven ground.

Ruined 12th-century stone castle on a hill overlooking the town centre. Small but evocative – you can see the old keep and a fragment of the curtain wall. Best for quick history fix.

Tip: Free to view from outside; the interior is usually locked. Walk up the steep path from Castle Street for the best photo angle. Pair it with a visit to the nearby parish church.