8 walkers meet up at Wick Village Hall on a Bank holiday Monday morning and headed off to Cottrell Park Golf club in St Nicholas, met by 5 others who drove directly from Ogmore by Sea, Llantwit Major and Claire’s brother and sister-in-law from Bonvilston.
The plan was to walk the perimeter of the two courses, Macintosh and Button Gwinnett, total distance, just under 6k or 3.6 miles. Meeting in the car park, now numbering 13 in all we started the walk on a track that divides the Mackintosh and Button Gwinnett courses, the two 18-hole golf courses at Cottrell Park.
Button Gwinnett, whose family once lived at Cottrell Park, was one of the fifty-six men who assembled at Philadelphia in 1776 to sign the American Declaration of Independence, thus becoming one of America’s immortals, not bad for a boy from St Nicholas!
Taking the tunnel beneath the St Nicholas to Pendoylan road, we continued our walk along the footpath. Making good progress, we were soon walking through woodland and back to the tunnel, continuing toward the Mackintosh course. By now it was warm with hazy sunshine and the course looking excellent with many golfers out, hopefully enjoying their round!
We were now walking alongside the A48, but not too noisy for a Monday morning, then crossed the road close to the entrance of the golf course and headed through woodland, climbing a steepish hill that finally levelled out, allowing us to enjoy views toward the hillsides above Llantrisant and Talbot Green.
Now descending through more woodland with many different plant species, and some enormous trees, we arrived at the lake and time for the group photo.
Finally, with a steep climb toward the clubhouse, the walk was complete and we headed toward the car park and club house, staying for an hour or so to enjoy a very nice lunch.
wickwanderers.com 