Port Talbot and Baglan

The Wales Coast Path splits in two around Port Talbot. The stretch running beside Swansea Bay has been partly diverted inland, while another option involves traversing the hills above the town, enjoying views of the coastline from a distance. Combining both routes creates an interesting circular walk.

Route detail

Distance: 10.9 miles or 17.6km
Start location: Port Talbot Parkway Station
Start Grid Ref: SS 76745 89643
Start What 3 Words: reader.urgent.flips

Transport to the start

Parking
Parking on both sides of the railway at Port Talbot Parkway Station and elsewhere around town.

Bus
Daily bus services to Port Talbot Parkway Station from Swansea, Neath and Bridgend, but these are very limited on Sundays.

Train
Daily South Wales Mainline train services link Port Talbot Parkway Station with Cardiff and Swansea.

Map and GPX link 

The circular route is marked in dark pink in the map image below. The purple flags show the start and finish point. View and download the GPX link Port Talbot and Baglan 

Detailed Route Description

1. Port Talbot Parkway Station has a bus station alongside it and there are car parks on both sides of the railway line. Cross a covered footbridge over the railway station to get from the bus station to a road called Cramic Way. Turn left to follow the road past the redbrick Harbour Court. This building dates from the early 20th century and was the General Office of the Port Talbot Steel Company. It was once surrounded by the steelworks, but now stands isolated. It was converted into a Magistrates Court in 1988.

2. Reach a roundabout on the dual carriageway Harbour Way. This was opened in 2013, shortly after the opening of the Wales Coast Path. As the road was constructed with a generous footpath and cycleway, the Wales Coast Path and cycling routes were immediately diverted to make use of it. Follow the cycleway signposted for Neath. At the next roundabout, cross the road as signposted and follow Harbour Way as signposted for Swansea and the Aberavon Seafront. Pass under a blue footbridge to reach another roundabout. The Wales Coast Path used to follow Riverside Road, but relied on crossing an old railway bridge which is no longer available for use. Instead, stay on the main road as signposted for Swansea and cross the River Afan.

3. Use a pedestrian crossing to get across the road, then walk as directed to a blue footbridge and cross back over the same road as signposted. Walk straight ahead along Victoria Road to traffic lights and turn left along Newbridge Road, as signposted for Aberavon. The road passes houses and suddenly turns right. At this point follow a tarmac path beside the tidal River Afan. Pass a few houses to reach a small area of sand dunes and turn right to follow a fenced promenade past more houses. There are views across Swansea Bay to Swansea and Mumbles Head.

4. The promenade path briefly heads inland to pass a small coastal car park at the end of Victoria Road, near the Bar Gallois. Feel free to walk on the extensive Aberavon Sands when the tide is out, but the Wales Coast Path stays on dry land. A broader promenade path leads onwards, passing a spacious coastal green featuring a concrete whale and penguin sculptures. After passing sunken gardens the intriguing steel knot sculpture called Kitetail is passed, and toilets lie beneath a grassy knoll. Emergency services are passed, including the RNLI Lifeboat Station, Coastguard Rescue Team and Aberavon Surf Life Saving Club. Continue past Remo’s, Pirate Cove and Franco’s, maybe stopping for lunch.

5. A road runs alongside the promenade for a short while, as far as the Memo Beach kiosk, then the promenade continues past the Rushcliffe Hospital, coming to an abrupt end. Follow a path inland to the Scarlet Avenue car park, keeping to its seaward side. A gravel path runs across a grassy area, heading further inland through two kissing gates to reach a corner on a road beside the blue-painted Aberavon Naval Club.

6. Walk straight inland along Purcell Avenue. Either walk along the pavement past houses, or walk along a generous grassy strip alongside the road until the avenue bends right. At this point, follow a short tarmac path as signposted to reach a road junction. Cross the road, which is called Solar Way, then turn right as signposted along the pavement. Turn left at a roundabout beside a play park to continue along Seaway Parade. Pass the sports grounds attached to Ysgol Bae Baglan and reach another roundabout. Go straight past the roundabout, keeping to the left-hand side, soon passing beneath a blue footbridge. Turn left as signposted at a roundabout to follow a road into the Baglan Energy Park. This area used to be occupied by petrochemical plants, but it was redeveloped into a site where various businesses were connected to a private gas-fired power station. Unfortunately the power station ceased operations and the businesses now receive power from the National Grid.

7. The roadside cycleway quickly passes another roundabout beside Aunty Ann’s Cafe, followed almost immediately by yet another roundabout. Continue straight along Central Avenue. Grassy, bushy and wooded areas often lie between the cycleway and the road, as well as screening nearby buildings from view. Cycleway signposts have been labelled with Wales Coast Path marker disks throughout. The road and cycleway run close together to cross a bridge over a railway branch line, where the former power station can be seen. The road runs down to a roundabout, where the exit signposted for The Quays should be taken, crossing Baglan Brook before passing the Briton Ferry Pharmacy and Health Centre.

8. Reach a tall tower that has a discreet wind turbine on top of it, and turn left along a tarmac path that leads to a nearby stone-built tower. This is the Brunel Tower and noticeboards explain that it housed a hydraulic accumulator associated with a former floating dock. The Wales Coast Path continues alongside Brunel Way, rising gently while passing beneath the busy M4 motorway, which is supported on concrete pillars. Reach a busy roundabout, where the Wales Coast Path splits and a signpost indicates the blue markers of the main route, which have been followed to this point, and the red markers of an upland, inland alternative, which will be followed back to Port Talbot.

9. The busy roundabout has to be crossed, so cross Brunel Way first, then use a footbridge spanning the entire roundabout and come down on the other side in the direction of a McDonald’s restaurant. Walk up Old Road, using the pavement alongside until it runs out, then turn left as signposted up a road called Penrhiwgoch. This road quickly bends left, so at that point keep straight ahead as marked along a path. This rises across a wooded slope between houses and eventually joins a track in Briton Ferry Forest. Turn right to follow the track gradually downhill across the wooded slope, passing through a gateway at the bottom to join a road.

10. Turn left, but only to follow the road past Baglan House Lodge, then turn left again up a very steep road marked as ‘105-110 Thorney Road’. Views stretch across the urban sprawl of Port Talbot to the Bristol Channel, and on a clear day Exmoor might be seen in the distance. When Baglan Villa (number 110) is reached, turn left and almost immediately turn right as signposted to pass the house. A woodland path rises and passes the back gardens of several suburban houses. The highest point is reached at a path junction at 140m, where a marker post indicates a right turn. Go down a few concrete steps and pass between houses to reach a road.

11. Turn right as signposted down Baglan Heights, then turn right down a road called Darren Wen. The road bends left as it descends, then turn left to continue downhill along Ascot Drive. Turn left again at a road junction and walk up another road, Maes Ty Canol, passing the entrance to Blaenbaglan Primary School. Turn right as signposted down a road called Tyn y Twr. The road later bends right, then when a junction is reached, turn left up the narrow Bwlch Road, crossing a bridge over a waterfall in a wooded valley.

12. Leave the road at Blaenbaglan Farm, going through a small gate beside a large gate. Follow an obvious track downhill, turning right at a junction to walk towards a wooded hill. The track climbs and passes through a gate on Mynydd Dinas, in the Afan Forest Park. Always keep walking straight ahead along the most obvious track, avoiding other tracks. Reach a fine viewpoint overlooking the urban and industrial sprawl of Port Talbot, with views across Swansea Bay to Swansea and Mumbles Head.

13. Turn sharp left as marked and walk uphill a short way to another track junction. Turn right as marked and keep climbing along this grassy track, enjoying extensive views. When a gate is reached, turn right along a grassy path, touching 230m on Mynydd Dinas. Views now include the enormous steelworks at Port Talbot. The grassy path runs gently downhill then drops steeply. Almost 200 wooden steps lead downhill, crossing two other paths on a slope of bushes and trees. A house called Bay View is reached at Mountain Side. Walk down the steep and narrow Mountain Road and at the bottom, go down flights of steps and follow a path beneath the busy M4 motorway.

14. Turn left to follow a road away from a roundabout, walking beside a busy road. Pass a bus shelter and reach a pedestrian crossing on a bridge spanning the River Afan. Cross the road here then follow a paved riverside path past a Tesco supermarket to reach an old stone-arched bridge. Turn left to walk away from the bridge, following a pedestrianised road past town centre shops. When the pedestrianised road ends, continue straight ahead, preferably following the pavement on the left-hand side of a road. A broad, paved square is reached and Port Talbot Parkway Station is seen on the other side of it.