Cwm Nash

One of the few beaches in the Glamorgan Heritage Coast that requires a little effort to visit, this beach can be found following a picturesque walk along a tree lined track, which follows Nash Brook to the beach.

 

The beach at Cwm Nash, also known as Monknash, is a beautiful beach with a dramatic cliff backdrop, the brook over spills onto the rock platforms below creating gushing waterfalls which give way to fertile rock pools and, when the tide is out, stunning golden sands.

 

Heritage and Wildlife

Cwm Nash is a great place to see peregrine falcons that nest on the cliffs. You may see a pair of them gently and effortlessly wheeling high in the sky hunting for prey. Watch out for them then suddenly folding back their wings and diving to catch their prey at speeds of up to 200mph.

 

When you visit the beach, look up to the small cliff face to the West and you might see some bones poking out. These cliff tops are thought to be a burial site for both the local community and tragic shipwreck victims during the 1500 & 1600s AD. Although badly damaged, the ancient bones were discovered after fierce storms caused the cliffs to collapse revealing the long forgotten graves.

The nearby village of Monknash once had a strong connection to the church, Monks Nash was a grange – an outlying church-owned farm which supplied food to the Cistercian abbey at Neath. The remains of the grange can still be seen around the village, use our Family Fun pack to find your way around the village and discover the carpenters workshop, dovecote and trout pool to name a few.

 

Whilst in the village you may also like to visit the historic Plough and Harrow Pub, and hear their ghostly tales.

 

Facilities

• Pub
• Parking
• Nature Reserve