Kenfig National Nature Reserve — Attraction in Cornelly

An incredible place. Somewhere so different to anything you usually experience. We parked at the visitor centre, had a cracking coffee and toasted bagel at the food hut, then took a steady 40 mins or so to amble through the dunes towards the beach. If you are a bird twitcher, or have an interest in ecology, fill y boots. Seeing horses on the trail was lovely. Some crazy low canopy sand dune woodlands, the like I've never seen before. Great to explore. Cool in the summer. Dozens of different hidden trails to choose from. You begin to hear the surf about a half mile off, crashing echoes off the dunes, quite deceiving. And then quite suddenly the trail spills you out atop the beach - and what a beach! MILES of pure sand, flat and gleaming where wet. The beach is incredibly far from the water at low tide, we saw some bikes doing crazy big loops, we saw some sea anglers, lone folks wandering. But generally hardly ANYONE there. We walked for 45 minutes up the beach splashing through the shallow surf that went on for 100s of metres towards the sea. Just paradise. You feel detached from the world you arrived from. The industrial structures far in the distance give it a surreal atmosphere. We then headed up the beach into these long drifts of sea wood, which we explored for ages. Some huge trees, and lots of small wood and odd human items, cast in the sea years before. We then settled in a nook in the sand dunes overlooking the beach, and had our own private sheltered sun trap sand dune camp spot, where we put up our anglers tent, laid out a blanket, got some food out, and just totally relaxed. A bit of sunbathing, a bit of exploring. Some sleeping, some eating. Then, a slow amble back through the surf again, this time the tide further out exposing crazy sand formations and odd rocks. Absolutely beautiful. So much sky. The walk back through dunes was harder, it being hot and the dog being a bit older and needing carrying over the softer parts, but it was still really good fun. Back to the visitors centre where we washed down from the cold water tap, and then hit the road. Next time we are going to look at the old castle ruins of medieval Kenfigg.

Honestly? A magical nature reserve, and one of the most captivating beaches I've ever visited in the...

This time of year its not so easy to find a dog-friendly place to walk your dog off the lead AND be near water. The picture you can see is what my dog Peaches and I had to ourselves! Idyllic. Peaches loves the sea but it intimidates me especially when you can't see how deep it is beneath your dog. Here, the water was a foot deep for as far as I could throw the ball at least and in a beautiful summers day it felt like a little piece of heaven! I'd give anything to have something like this at the bottom of my garden! It was popular with other dog owners but not so much you noticed it. The coffee place was nice but wasn't impressed with the food, quality or choice and didn't look anything like it was made out to be on Facebook but the reserve more than made up for this and if you haven't been before and you know a dog that loves playing in the sea I say "Go!" The water is a tidal pool I believe and comes in and out just like the sea does. When we were there the tree in the picture wasn't surrounded by water. Further along the waters edge there were 3 ponies having a drink - I imagine people are able to keep their ponies there, loose like in the old days or maybe I'm just...

Nice place to visit. Plenty of walks to the beach, But of all the reviews on here not one mentions that a large part of the beach is used by Nudists / Naturist.. why it is not mentioned I don't know? I imagine that nobody wants to say just in case it attracts others who may enjoy getting an all over tan.

UPDATE 2025... Hottest day of the year predicted... and could not sleep because it was just to hot. So at 5am I went for a walk in Kenfig.. Absolutly no cars in the car park so decided to strip off and had a naked walk to the beach through the dunes then along the beach to the river Not another sole anywhere, and what a lovely walk it was, birds singing the sun shinning and the temperature was just about perfect....... BUT what a shame I would have loved to take a skinny dip but so much sxxt - or should I be polite and say sewage near the waters edge All in all I would recomend getting up at the crack of dawn going over to Kenfig, Stripping of and walking to the beach........ The recomendation is for Nudist / Dog walkers / Joggers or...