II.

Land and Resources

The coastal area of the borough, around Bridgend and Porthcawl, is low lying; in the north the land rises to fairly high hills, with deeply incised valleys running from north to south. Flowing through the borough are the rivers Llynfi, Garw, and Ogmore, which meet at Bridgend before continuing to the Bristol Channel. There is a Site of Special Scientific Interest at Merthyr Mawr Warren, one of Europe’s largest sand dune areas and a wildlife habitat. The dunes are part of a 23-km (14-mi) stretch of coastline of Bridgend and the Vale of Glamorgan that has been designated as the Glamorgan Heritage Coast by the Countryside Council for Wales.

The climate is moderate, with temperatures averaging 5° C (41° F) in January and 17° C (63° F) in August. Annual rainfall in the coastal area is quite low, averaging 750 to 1,000 mm (30 to 40 in); in the uplands of the interior it rises to 1,000 to 1,520 mm (40 to 60 in). The uplands are also colder and less sunny than the coastal stretch.