Southerndown Golf Club

The golf course at Southerndown sits on proper dramatic clifftop terrain overlooking the Bristol Channel - not the sort of manicured course you'd find inland. Wind is your enemy here, and the views are genuinely exceptional even if you're just watching from the clubhouse rather than playing.

It's a members' club primarily, so you'll need to arrange access in advance or come with someone who belongs. That said, it's worth inquiring about visitor play if you're a keen golfer. The layout demands respect - eighteen holes cut across the headland with the sea never far from your thoughts. Fair few shots play directly along the cliffs, which sounds dramatic and is, though the margin for error isn't huge.

If golf isn't your thing, the clifftop walk alone is worthwhile. You're a few minutes from Porthcawl by car, close enough to grab fish and chips and then head back to the course for a stroll round the perimeter. The rough terrain and exposure mean it's best tackled on a calm day - come here in a gale and you'll spend more time leaning into the wind than admiring the geology.

Stay at Trecco Bay Holiday Park just down the coast if you're after a base. It's solid enough, and having the golf club within spitting distance makes it a proper option for golf holidays in South Wales. Allow a full round if you're playing, or an hour for a clifftop walk. The course can be quiet midweek out of season.