Glamorgan (Welsh: Morgannwg, historically known as Glamorganshire / Sir Forgannwg) is a traditional county in Wales and also its most densely populated region. Wales' two largest cities, Cardiff and Swansea, were part of Glamorgan (they are now counties in their own right) and so the area is somewhat more cosmopolitan than other regions, and offers the greatest variety of shopping, entertainment and cultural events. However, for those less interested in the hustle and bustle of city life, the county also has an array of other attractions, such as the sea-side resort towns of Barry and Porthcawl, the spectacular coast and sandy beaches of the Gower Peninsula and the hilly areas to the north. The former industrial heartland of Wales, simply referred to as the Valleys, is in the central part of the county. Vale of Glamorgan is at the coastal belt of Glamorgan in. "The Vale" is bounded generally by Cardiff to the East, Bridgend to the West, the M4 to the North and the Bristol Channel to the South. The rolling green countryside on the South Wales coast between the capital city of Cardiff and Bridgend is the beautiful Vale of Glamorgan. It is served by four towns, the seaside resort of Barry, fashionable Cowbridge with sophisticated shops, restaurants and cafes, historic Llantwit Major and elegant Victorian and Edwardian Penarth which has a pier and a handful of pretty villages including Gileston all crowned by 14 miles of glorious Glamorgan Heritage Coast. Fresh green countryside with rural and coastal beauty spots, endless breathtaking vistas, joyous walking, excellent local produce and country pubs as well as the excitement and facilities of Cardiff, a thriving waterside city.
The historical county of Glamorgan no longer exists as an administrative area. However, some county level sports teams, for example Glamorgan County Cricket, still use the title. The county has been divided into eight administrative districts, with the largest and most important being Cardiff and Swansea. The others are as follows: Bridgend, Caerphilly, Merthyr Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot, Rhondda Cynon Taff and Vale of Glamorgan.
Glamorganshire is well served by the motorway system and can easily be accessed by junctions 29 to 47 of the M4. The A465 trunk road from Hereford passes east-west through the county, joining the M4 at junction 43. The A470 trunk road passes north-south linking Cardiff, Pontypridd and Merthyr Tydfil to mid and north Wales.
The Great Western main railway line passes through the county affording easy access to Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire in the west and Newport, Bristol and London in the east. The county contains an extensive local rail service centred on Cardiff.
Cardiff Airport is west of Cardiff in the Vale of Glamorgan.
The best means of transport for exploring the region is by private car.
Buses depart from Swansea Bus Station to most of the suburbs and rural areas of Swansea, and to other towns in the region. Towns with central bus stations to their suburbs include Neath, Port Talbot, Llanelli and Carmarthen. Most services are operated by First Cymru (dead link: January 2023).
Arriva trains operate suburban and rural train services from Swansea station to Llansamlet, Skewen, Baglan, Briton Ferry, Gowerton, Bynea, Llangennech, Pontarddulais, Pantyfynnon and Ammanford.
There are some good walks in the Vale, many from the Valeways Scheme. As a county on the coast, the Wales Coast Path runs the full length of the Glamorgan Coast, from Cardiff to Bridgend. The route then continues around Wales as a long-distance path. There is another long-distance trail in the Vale of Glamorgan, the 69 mile long Valeways Millennium Heritage Trail. This path goes to many destinations in the Vale, including Southerndown, Cowbridge, Rhoose, Barry, Cardiff, Llanharry and Colwinston. The trail runs in a circle, and is made up of mainly Bridleways. Most of its destinations are covered in this Wikivoyage article! It takes you from the sea, to near-sky heights, with some fabulous views across the Vale
Although not the most popular surfing resort in Wales, the Vale of Glamorgan hosts some great waves.
Situated on the Bristol Channel, Southerndown becomes very popular in the height of summer when the sun is out. Even when it's raining, it's still pretty busy. A sandy, RNLI Lifeguarded beach with loads of space, makes Southerndown a great place to spend time on the beach and surf on the waves on the flooding tides. Southerndown is situated on the Glamorgan Heritage Coast. Other facilities on or near the beach also include public toilets and a shop.
Further West than Southerndown, is Ogmore-By-Sea, also known simply as Ogmore. Although not as popular as Southerndown, and with fewer facilities, Ogmore does sometimes have surfers, especially East of the Beach. The mouth of the river Ogmore is on this beach, although entering the water is not advised at this point
The town of Llantwit Major has an RNLI Lifeguarded beach. Sometimes popular with surfers
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