Llantwit to St Athan 

This linear route connects three of the churches in the Glamorgan Heritage Coast Parish—St Illtud’s Church, Llantwit Major, St Giles’ Church, Gileston, and St Tathan’s Church, St Athan. It follows the Wales Coastal Path along part of the Heritage Coast. Walkers can return to Llantwit Major from St Athan by bus.
We start at St Illtud’s Church, which dates back to the 12th century. St Illtud established his monastic school at Llantwit Major in the late 5th century, from which many travelled to Cornwall, Brittany and Ireland to found new llanau or Christian communities.

Gileston Church is dedicated to St Giles, (c.650 – c.710), a Greek Christian hermit from Athens. He founded the abbey in Saint-Gilles-du-Gard, France, where his tomb became a place of pilgrimage. It was a stop on the road that led from Arles to Santiago de Compostela, the Pilgrim Way of St. James. 
However Gileston took its name from the Giles family, who held the manor in 1350. The church may be on a Celtic Christian site that was said to have been founded by St Mabon. But there is no Mabon in ancient records; Mabon is the name of a Celtic sun deity, ‘Christianised’  in the 6th century. The present church dates from the 15th century, and has a unique south door.

St Athan’s Church is dedicated to St Tathan, a 6th century saint who had a monastic school at Caerwent, Gwent. However in medieval charters the church is frequently called ‘Ecclesia de Sancta Tathana’ referring to a female, said to have been born c.465, living a humble life as a nun in a mud hut on the River Thaw, and buried at Llanilltud Fawr. The church is 14th century, with fine tombs of the Berkerolles family of East Orchard, St Athan. 



Start St Illtud’s Church, Llantwit Major CF61 1SG (SS 9660 6872)
Getting there 303 bus from Bridgend or 304 from Barry; trains from Bridgend and Cardiff. Car Parks in the town.
Walk 
From the south gate of St Illtud’s Church (1) turn left following the boundary wall to the top, then at the junction of lanes turn right, with the Town Hall carpark boundary wall on your left and a field on your right (see insert). Follow the lane to its junction with Colhuw Street.
Turn right down the hill, staying on Colhuw Street, which becomes Beach Road, until you reach a mini-roundabout at the end of the houses. Continue down the hill over a small bridge, passing a kissing-gate on your right, to a farm lane branching to the left. Follow the lane past Rosedew Farm Holiday and Wedding Venue, keeping in the same direction, ignoring the turn to the left. The lane becomes a path running alongside fields. Follow the path to the cliff top at Stout Point.(2)
Here there are good views along the coast in either direction of layered, vertical cliffs of blue lias above extensive wave-cut terraces. 
Follow the cliff path for 1.4 miles to Summerhouse Point.(3) Here is a Seawatch Centre, and the remains of an iron age promontory fort. This is completely overgrown, but you can make out the ramparts and ditches, which would have been far more extensive before cliff erosion. The Point is named after a summerhouse that was built in 1730 within the iron age fort.

Continue along the coast path for 0.4 miles as it drops down to Penry Bay. The way-marked Wales Coastal Path now turns left inland through a field. A path leads through a series of fields, accessed by stiles and kissing gates, with views over the coast—and the former Aberthaw Power Station. 
The path leads into a farm track, and then a lane past Gileston Farm. Continue along the lane to the junction with a road. Turn left to the village of Gileston. (4) At another junction, turn left (signposted St Athan). The road leads past Gileston Manor to the church.
At the church, give thanks for the generations of worshippers who have kept this small building open—and an opportunity to reflect on our own pilgrim journey in the peace and quiet of this medieval building which perhaps stands on the site of a Celtic Christian cell of St Mabon.
From the church, continue up the road for 0.3 miles to the B4265, being aware of traffic. Cross over the main road, using the dedicated crossing place, and continue into the village of St Athan.(5) The church is in the centre of the village.
Here our walk ends. At the church, pray for the mission and ministry of the Glamorgan Heritage Coast parish—and reflect on this walk, and what you have seen and heard on the way, giving thanks for the blessings of this pilgrimage.
 
Map
OS Explorer 151 Cardiff and Bridgend
Public Transport
The 303 NAT bus from Bridgend to Llantwit Major, and the 304 from Barry to St Athan and Llantwit Major. Trains from Cardiff and Bridgend to Llantwit Major.  For up-to-date travel information visit www.traveline-cymru
Refreshments
Llantwit Major has a wealth of cafés providing drinks and meals, restaurants and pubs.
St Athan has the Three Horseshoes pub and a number of shops.