Valeways walking in the Vale about the vale of Glamorgan

Valeways walking in the vale of glamorgan

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ABOUT THE VALE

Welcome to the Vale of Glamorgan
	The Vale of Glamorgan is the most southerly part of Wales and lies between Cardiff to the east and Bridgend to the west. It is bounded on the north by the M4 motorway and to the south by the Bristol Channel. Except for the south-eastern portion containing Barry and Penarth, the landscape remains largely rural and the greater proportion is farmed. Although the Vale is a low-lying area, 134 metres at its highest, the rolling nature of the ground provides sweeping distant views. On the northern skyline the Glamorgan hills rise to 670 metres and to the south there are superb cross-chanel views of the Somerset and North Devon Coast and the Exmoor National Park.
The coastline is largely undeveloped and in the western part is spectacular with crumbling limestone and shale cliffs rising vertically to 70m metres. n 1971 a 14 mile stretch was the first in Wales (and one of the first in Britain) to be designated as Heritage Coast , this providing it with special conservation status.
	The history of the Vale is fascinating and eventful. Because of the fertility of its land it has seen continuous human occupation for thousands of years and it is densely packed with striking historic sites. These range from Neolithic to Roman, through the period of the Celtic saints to Medieval to Tudor, and right through to more recent times. Throughout the Vale there are attractive villages and hamlets with their ancient churches, fine pubs and a range of visitor accommodation options which can be used as bases for exploration on foot. The footpath network is extensive and in the last few years has undergone a renaissance as through the work of Valeways, to the benefit of both residents and visitors.

Welcome to the Vale of Glamorgan