Walks you can reach from Sarn by train

A walk of two parts: well-defined paths and ginnels through the Brackla housing estate, then off-road field, woodland and quiet country-lane walking. Some sections are steep, with stiles and steps and ground that can be boggy in the woods even in dry weather. Part of the route follows the Bridgend Circular Walk. Pencoed has trains to Bridgend, Swansea and Cardiff, so the walk can be done in either direction.

Time: 2h–4h30

Lunch: Pubs, cafes, shops and supermarkets at Brackla triangle and in Pencoed.

Warnings: Heol Simonston is busy with fast traffic and the crossing points have poor sight lines; cross with great care. The high-banked lanes near Coed y Mwstwr have no verge. There are several stiles and steep, difficult ground approaching the M4 tunnel; using the underpass at Princess Way is simpler and safer than the road crossing. Can be muddy.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Long walk. Coastal path.

Coastal: three quarters along the coast.

Time: 8h–15h30

Walk details: Railwalks.

Walk details: Railwalks.

Impressive; panoramic views. Mountain paths and with strenuous climbs and descents; surfaced.

Time: 4h–8h

Warnings: Can be very muddy or boggy.

Walk details: Railwalks.

Hilly: a quarter on high ground, rising above the surrounding land.

Woodland: a fifth under tree cover.

Time: 5h–9h30

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Mountain paths with woodland, open moorland and with strenuous climbs and descents.

Time: 5h30–10h30

Warnings: Some footpaths shown on the OS map don't exist on the ground — follow the GPX.

Walk details: Railwalks.

Delightful walk; wide views. Disused railway path with woodland and with substantial climbs; surfaced.

Woodland: two fifths under tree cover.

Time: 5h30–11h30

Walk details: Railwalks.

Great views. Disused railway path with woodland and open moorland.

Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.

Time: 3h–6h30

Walk details: Railwalks.

Woodland: a third under tree cover.

Time: 3h30–6h30

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Travels through quiet roads or off-road cycle lanes through the suburbs of Bridgend, into Laleston, across Stormy Down and down into Pyle. A short walk across boggy fields and with overgrown stiles between Upper Park Farm and Laleston. Passes the Old Bridge (Yr Hen Pont) built in 1425 at Bridgend.

Time: 3h–5h30

Lunch: Laleston has a pub, shops and cafes (though the pub may be closed); shops and facilities in Bridgend and Broadlands.

Warnings: A series of old stone stiles between Upper Park Farm and Laleston are overgrown with brambles and nettles and in one place barred by gates; the route into and out of Laleston is hard to find.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

A valley route whose second half from Pontrhydyfen to Maesteg is good, but whose first half is problematic: proposed detours to avoid the B4287 cross ground that is not a right of way and is in places impassable and the descent into Maesteg is across pathless scrubland.

Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.

Time: 5h–10h

Warnings: The first half is hard to follow and partly impassable; some detours cross land with no right of way. The descent into Maesteg has no obvious path. The B4287 has no pavement.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Stunning, through countryside woodlands with beautiful views. Starts uphill out of Maesteg town, then a narrow, overgrown lane leads to an unwalkable nettly marsh that has to be bypassed via roads through a housing estate. The middle through countryside woodlands is stunning with beautiful views and before housing estates and a fairly busy road into Pyle. A mix of climbs and varied surfaces.

Woodland: two fifths under tree cover.

Time: 4h–7h30

Lunch: There are a few shops at the start and end but no visible toilet stops.

Warnings: An overgrown, nettly marsh section is unwalkable and must be bypassed by road through a housing estate. Best walked in daylight, as the busy-road section may be hazardous at night.

Walk details: Slow Ways.