WALK 2: DINAS POWYS - LAVERNOCK

A walk which links Walks 1 and 3, and which passes Old Cogan Church (St. Peters), Old Cogan Hall and takes in part of the Cosmeston Countryside Park at Lavernock.  The park has an information centre, a cafeteria and a very authentic mediaeval village, all open every day.

Getting there from Cardiff:
by bus: from Central Station services nos. 305 and P7. Call 01222 396521 for times.
by car: A4161 to Canton, fork left at disused St. David's Hospital into Wellington Street then left at Leckwith Road (B4267). Follow this road over roundabout (signposted "Dinas Powys") for 3 kilometres then, at left hand bend, after a public telephone box, bear right uphill, through a wooded road, Pen y Turnpike. In 2 kilometres and at foot of a steep hill turn right at road narrowing into a small car park space at the entrance to a lane called Millfields, not marked as such, but directly opposite clearly marked Millbrook Road.

From the car park space cross into Millbrook Road and walk along to the junction with the Cardiff Road. Cross and walk up Murch Road, thence Murch Crescent ahead for 800 metres to pass a school on the right and then into a surfaced lane ahead. Follow lane to its exit into Sully Road at T-junction. Turn left then in 200 metres turn right into road leading to Old Cogan Church and then Old Cogan Hall where one joins a wide track which leads into Cosmeston Country Park.

In 800 metres look for wide grassy areas on both sides of the track with a stile and gate in each. Take the left one and descend short slope to a stile by a gate. Cross the stile and walk diagonally right going down and back up a fold in the ground to reach a narrow path which roughly follows a stoned surface water drain on the left. Aim for a clearly visible stile which leads to a wide path around the park's lake. Turn left and follow this path clockwise around the lake passing the park entrance onto a wooden boardwalk.

In 130 metres take right fork on boardwalk to reach a service road dividing the lake. Turn left and walk to 2 stiles facing each other just beyond the road leading to the mediaeval village. Take the right hand stile and with hedge to right walk through the narrower of 2 gaps in the facing hedge into a second, inclined field.Bear slightly left and walk up the slope to reach a stile in the hedge on the left, Go over the stile and over another immediately on the right. Walk right keeping just below the mound on the left to reach a gate. Go through the gate and with the hedge to your left walk to a clearly seen barn. Go to the right of the barn to a stile leading to junction of Cog Road and Sully Road.

Turn right and walk along the Sully Road for 450 metres to a single cottage on the left. Just beyond the cottage, (Cog Bridge), go through the gate on the left and walk diagonally right heading for the corner of the field. Walk through a clear gap in the facing hedge and turn left to stile ahead. Cross the stile and walk up a short incline to a second stile ahead. Over this stile and with hedge to your left go to another stile which leads into a small copse. Go through the copse on a clear path which leads into a field with a ditch across the path. Keeping the hedge on your left cross the ditch and then a clearly visible fence. Once over this fence (or nearby gate), you reach another part fence, Cross this, or go around it. to reach a stile in the left corner which leads onto Cross Common Road.

Turn left, pass bungalow on the right, and, at left hand bend in road. turn right into a driveway. Leave the driveway by going onto a grassy track on the left which runs between a hedge and a line of trees. Follow clear path, descend and rise from hollow, crossing old mineral line, and keep to clearly defined track which descends through a small wood to reach the Murch housing estate.

Turn right along Longmeadow Drive and walk to a small shopping centre. Turn left at junction with Murch Road and follow road to traffic lights at junction with the Cardiff Road.Thence go along Millbrook Road to car parking space at Millfields.