Southerndown is a village on the coast of South Wales. It is known for its beach, Dunraven Bay.

The cliffs are an obvious example of sedimentary rock, being made up of layers of carboniferous limestone and shale.

As Southerndown is a west-facing beach, off-shore winds from the East generate much good-quality surf, helped by the warming effects of the Gulf Stream.

There are actually two beaches separated by a headland. On the headland are the remains of Dunraven Castle. Dunraven Castle was a mansion on the South Wales coast near Southerndown. The site of the castle was the location for several earlier buildings, the first of which is said to have been built in the mid-12th century. By the 16th century, a manor house stood on the site. In 1642 the house was sold to the Wyndham family.

In 1803 the Castle was constructed on the site. It was lived in until after the Second World War, having been used as a military hospital during the war. It was demolished in 1963

The castle’s walled garden survives.

The second beach is only accessible by steep steps and is largely unused.

It has been used as a location for a number of TV productions, including on Doctor Who, Merlin and in the Bob Dylan film Hearts of Fire.

Taken with my GH3, 12-35mm and 7-14mm lenses