Candleston Castle

This a ruined manor house within the woodland set amidst the Merthyr Mawr dunes a couple of miles from Bridgend

I used to play here as a child and still have very fond memories

Worth having a look around if you can spare the time

Beautiful spot, just behind the car park for the sand dunes near Merthyr Mawr village - hidden up the bank and easily missed.

Not really a castle but an old fortified manor house built around 14th century and abandoned in 19th century - (why would they do that?? A ye olde pad by one of the biggest sand dune playgrounds in Europe, where scenes from Lawrence of Arabia were filmed??).

Anyway, they did leave it and it's now a bit of a ruin but just as fascinating - you can crawl through little crevices, pick your way up a dank staircase and peer into the gloom of the dark cellar room.

Shame they've blocked off access to the uppermost walls, that was fun and nicely dangerous - you'll just have to be more inventive. (These health and safety people perhaps should be hung out to dry, maybe from a high window!)

Lovely surrounds, green and brown and red woodlands, huge golden sand dunes - bring a picnic (and maybe a thermal blanket) for out door dining needs, excellent.