Editing Llantwit Major (section)

==Geography==
Llantwit Major is located in southeast Wales and mid-west along the coast of the [[Vale of Glamorgan]]. The town can be accessed from the north directly by the B4268 road and indirectly by the B4270 road (St. Athan road) which branches from the [[A48 road]],<ref name="Jones2002"/> and directly by the [[B4265 road]] which leads to [[Bridgend]] in the northwest and [[Cardiff Airport]] and [[Barry, Vale of Glamorgan|Barry]] in the east. It is one of four towns in the Vale of Glamorgan with the third largest population after Barry and [[Penarth]], and ahead of [[Cowbridge]], which is about {{convert|4+1/2|mi}} to the northeast. Llantwit Major is about {{convert|9|mi}} from Bridgend, 10 miles from Barry and about {{convert|15|mi}} from Cardiff.<ref name=OS170>{{cite map|title=Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 170 ''Vale of Glamorgan (West Porthcawl & Rhondda)''|ISBN= 9780319232866 |publisher=Ordnance Survey|date=2013}}</ref> [[Boverton]] is an eastern suburb of Llantwit.

The River Ogney, runs through the town and joins the streams [Hoddnant and Boverton Brook] which flow in from Eglwys Brewis in the northeast; these then merge and become the Afon Colhuw, which meanders down the Colhuw meadows before discharging through an outfall into the sea. The Llantwit Major area is built on a range of different levels and the town itself is sloping. At the lower coastal level is the flat, glacial Colhugh Valley, marked by steep cliffs on both sides, leading to a pebble beach.<ref name="FON">{{cite web|url=http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/beachguide/beachguide.php/location/43/Llantwit%20Major|title=Llantwit Major Beach|publisher=Forces of Nature.co.uk|access-date=22 January 2012}}</ref> The beach, located to the south of the town ({{Coord|51.396667|-3.500833|type:landmark}}), has the remains of an ancient old stone wall from the large Iron Age hill fort, Castle Ditches. The steep cliffs at Llantwit which allow walks along the coast to [[St Donat's Castle]] and [[Atlantic College]] have undergone dramatic [[erosion]] in recent years: in many places, the rock structure has collapsed in piles, particularly on the eastern face.

The cliff path, once set about {{convert|100|yards|-1}} from the edge is now within metres of the nature pathway, and the [[Vale of Glamorgan]] Council has installed extensive new barriers to prevent fatalities. The {{convert|14|mi}} of coastline from [[Gileston]] in the east to Newton Point in the west, passing through [[St Donat's]] and [[Southerndown]], is protected as part of the [[Glamorgan Heritage Coast]]. [[Tresilian Bay]] is between Llantwit Major and St Donat's. Along this stretch of coast the cliff path winds through numerous valleys.<ref name="BBC">{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southeast/sites/llantwitmajor/pages/llantwitguide.shtml |title=Llantwit Guide |last=Renee |first=Rob |date=6 April 2006 |publisher=[[BBC]] |access-date=27 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100206204438/http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southeast/sites/llantwitmajor/pages/llantwitguide.shtml |archive-date=6 February 2010 }}</ref> Llantwit Major beach has one of the finest sites in Wales for [[Jurassic]] fossils, including [[coral]]s, giant [[brachiopods]], [[gastropods]] and the bones of [[Ichthyosaurus]].

The beach is popular with summer tourists, and has a campsite on the nearby fields. The beach has a snack bar and restaurant and associated amenities to cater for the increased public demand in recent years. There is an expansive rocky beach at low tide, with a stretch of sand towards the far west, and views of the [[Bristol Channel]] and the coastline of [[Somerset]], with the landmark white roof of [[Butlins]], [[Minehead]].

===Climate===
{{St Athan weatherbox}}