Ogmore-by-Sea Beach

I grew up in Ogmore by Sea, and lived pretty much right on the beachfront until I was about 15. Stupidly, I’ve probably been to the beach here more in the 6 years since moving away than in the entire 15 years I lived there!
This is one of the nicest and most popular beaches in the area, and one of the largest. When the tide’s out there’s plenty of space here and there’s also some really interesting caves all along the front stretching down to Southerndown. These were used by the famous smugglers of the area. Their modus operandi would be to attach lanterns to the local sheep. Passing ships would then come in towards land and get wrecked on the many submerged rocks in the area. The smugglers would then loot the wreckages and store their various goods inside the caves. There are even rumours that when the smugglers’ local tavern was demolished (on the banks of the River Ogmore) a concealed tunnel was found, stretching about a mile to Southerndown. They would use this to make a quick escape. There’s plenty of history here and there are many more interesting stories emanating from the local area, adding further mystique to the beach itself.
Quick word of warning though — keep your eye on the tides as you can get stranded if it catches you unawares
When the tide’s in, the only area accesible is pretty rocky. I’m no expert (as the next few words will demonstrate) but there are many cool looking rocks to be found here (!). I’ve found plenty of fossils — some of them pretty large.
Apart from the beach itself, in the summer there are burger vans and ice cream vans to keep you refreshed.
It’s a great part of the South Wales coast and it’s teeming with history. You can walk pretty much all the way around the coast as well, around to Southerndown and Nash Point. If the sun’s out, I would highly recommend it as there’s some truly breathtaking views to be had along the way.

I wish I could say I came here to rock climb, but mainly I just visit Ogmore-​by-​Sea with my beloved and his two-​year-​old daughter (which explains the my photo of a stuffed cow on the grassy knoll).
Even on cold, dreary days, you’ll find surfers of all ages here. When the sun emerges, be prepared, as this beach gets crowded with picnickers and lovers walking hand in hand.
This was my first excursion to a Welsh beach (I ignorantly thought all seafronts in the world were lined with soft sand), so it was a pleasant surprise to find jagged cliffs and smooth rocks in place of fine white grain.
I think Ogmore is the ideal spot for a picnic, with spectacular views, ample car parking and pretty clean bathrooms for a beach spot (there was even soap and loo roll!).
Be careful during certain times of the day, as the tide comes in much faster than you’d expect — we set up our blanket and within 15 minutes had to move it to back!

Popular with rock climbers, Ogmore-​by-​Sea is a seaside village in the Vale of Glamorgan about 20 miles from Cardiff, on part of the Glamorgan Heritage Coast.
St low tide, the beaches have sand — while at high tide there are some pretty ragged rocks. The beach’s generally steep and overhanging rocks are popular with climbers, although some routes are a bit unstable so it’s not one for beginners.
For fossil-​hunters, there’s plenty to spot in the rocks, with a variety of forms clearly visible. The beaches also overlook Tusker Rock in the Bristol Channel, once a notorious hazard for ships, which is only visible at low tide and takes its name from Tuska the Viking, a Dane whose fellow Vikings invaded and partly colonised the area.