Cross Common to Pop Hill and the Moors
A walk from the Murch via Cross Common to Pop Hill, then down to the Cardiff/Barry Road; returning to Dinas Powys via the Moors and Southra Park Playing Fields.
N.B. This walk is particularly unsuitable in wet weather with muddy conditions.
The walk commences outside the Tesco Store in the Murch.
Cross Murch Road and take the path past Vale Court into Fairoaks, opposite the Bethesda Chapel. To the right you will see Murch Junior School and Dinas Powys Public Library.
Follow along Fairoaks until the junction with Pen-y-Waun where you turn left towards Plas Essyllt, then right to the bottom of Sunnycroft Lane. Take the route up the stone track towards Cross Common. The steep sided dip near the top of the lane results from the removal of a footbridge that carried the path over the tramline joining the quarry, on your left, to the lime kilns, on your right (off Cross Common Road). These kilns were only finally closed down in the 1960’s.
On reaching the top of Cross Common and enjoying the views from this high point, turn right and down the hill to the gate at the entrance to Cross Common Farm. Go through the gate, into the yard and over the stile immediately to your left (Public Footpath No.15) and into the field beyond. Turn right from the stile and continue across the field to the corner of Shortlands Wood. Continue with the edge of the wood on your right. At the end of the wood carry on across the fields bearing slightly to the left and into the narrow field with a gate at its entrance (this site is extremely muddy in wet weather). Proceed onwards through the field with the fence on your left and, where the fence turns away to the left, continue down the hill to the hedge below. Then turn right towards the gate. Go through the gate and continue straight down to join Green Lane. Then down the Lane and over the cattle grid and out onto the Barry Road.
Turn left towards Barry, walking with care along the verge until you see on the other side of the road an opening leading to the Moors, by a bridge over the river.
DO NOT GO ONTO THE ROAD – STAY AWAY FROM THE EDGE BEWARE HEAVY FLOW OF TRAFFIC
Cross the road with extreme care then cross the river whose waters started their journey in the Wenvoe/Wrinstone area flowing through the wooded ravine at Cwrtyrala, the fields at Michaelston-le-Pit, past the remains of the Manorial Mill and into Dinas Powys. Now they are nearing the end of their journey to the Bristol Channel where they will join it at Bendrick, near to the entrance to Barry Dock. Turn right and, keeping the river immediately on your right, return towards Southra Park which you leave at the Playing Fields, over the footbridge, onto the Barry Road and back towards the Twyn. PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL ON ALL ROAD CROSSINGS
This is the end of Walk No.5
