Lower Ogmore (Ogmore Vale to Ogmore Beach)

[Mark R]

Read full River Guide

[Kayak-Bloke]

Sarn is a good place to put in if taking beginners down. If looking for fun for the more experienced paddler then the industrial estate at Bryncethin is a better put in. Lots of small drops, close together

[Kayak-Bloke]

If Googling the Ogmore you may come across this pile of tripe:

http://www.bridgendcanoeclub.co.uk/inde ... 1295121027

I can only express my disappointment on behalf of all paddlers that this local club have tried to lay some claim on the access to this great little river. I have had (many) first hand encounters with Ogmore fishing club bailiffs and other folk ,from the OAA, with no real authority telling me I can't be on this river. This has Included many confrontations in what the above page claims to be the 'agreed' paddling season.
Perhaps nothing underlines the issues of access agreements more than this situation.
The club believe they have access from October to March the angling club dispute this (saying it's only at weekends...).

Sadly Canoe Wales has details of the above club's access officer as POC for the Ogmore.
Better to use Rainchasers as your access officer: Is it on or above the 'low' level? Then crack on and have fun.

[HARRY5]

Following the rain last week there is now a tree trunk/large branch stuck on the middle arches of the bridge just downstream of the motorway drop (under the M4). Clearly visable at current levels but would pose a significant hazard at higher (paddling) levels.

Cheers

[cobrathe1st]

With regards to this river can someone help re: access. I'm not a member of Bridgend Canoue club but do use the river allot. I took a small group of kids on the river at ogmore castle with the intention of paddling up to the foot bridge and back down, taster session basically. Before we even got on the water I was met by a fisherman screaming at me across the river. I've really had enough of this situation, I'm a coach trying to get young people of Bridgend interested in the outdoors, the river is a great recourse which is continually difficult to use. What can I or we do to sort this situation out??

[Kayak-Bloke]

Sadly there I fear there is nothing you can do. The OAA is the biggest fishing club in Wales as such it has its fair share of idiots like any large group. I have probably met every bailiff at one time or another, such is the amount of confrontations I have had!

The reference to Bridgend Canoe club is a complete red herring. They are totally afraid of the OAA and avoid confrontation at all costs. The BCC website states what they believe the 'agreement' to be yet I have been confronted DOZENS of times during the times when it is supposedly 'OK to be on the river.'
I was once confronted paddling the river at 1.8 metres on the gauge, that's big water for the Ogmore, completely useless for fishing yet the OAA still wouldn't agree to paddlers being there.

Being confronted by some moron while you are leading a group of children is not good.
The only time the police turned up, following a call from the OAA, they completely sided with us, stating that they did not believe any law had been broken and that the situation of a bailiff following us and shouting from the bank (which we informed them about) sounded much more serious and they said they would respond immediately if called because paddlers felt threatened. They recommended that we do that if it happened again. I suggest you get Bridgend police number programmed into your phone for future use.

I will add, for balance, the head bailiff is polite and non-threatening. Sadly not all of the OAA's representatives and members follow his example.

You could try contacting the OAA and asking to debate access with them.
You could also try fishing some rock out of the river and turning it to gold...

KB

[HARRY5]

In work this morning and watched the good men from the Council/Environment Agency removing the tree that was lodged across two arches of the little bribge over the River Ogmore under the motorway. Clear now to run when we get rain!!

Trampus

[mike@cap]

sounds good, do you reckon there will be enough water by this Friday to paddle it ?
Thanks

[mike@cap]

Hi there
What's the current situation re the Ogmore, probably Brymenyn down to Bridgend, hoping if enough water to do this weekend ! You recommended this river a couple of years back and we had a really good time with a beginners group,
thus hoping to do again this Friday !
Last time we got in at Brymenyn, which worked well but is there any merit getting on at Bryncethin, what access like and how much longer does it add to trip.
Thanks for your help
Mike

[Kayak-Bloke]

I'm told there's a tree down right across a section of the Ogmore and it needs to be portaged.
Anyone know where exactly the tree is?

Cheers,

KB

[pjmartin]

Paddled this yesterday. A tree is down across the whole river just downstream of the brynmeny industrial estate. Portage left via the foot path. It's a big tree and may be there for some time.

[pjmartin]

*Brynmenyn

[Kayak-Bloke]

Cheers for the reply. :-)

[Kayak-Bloke]

Paddled this yesterday. Tree still there and looks like it will be for sometime. River was at 80cm on Bridgend guage there was a passable gap between the roots and the bank river right. If getting out to portage river right be aware a seal launch is required to get back on. As a popular river with clubs and beginners I agree with above post portage left if walking around.

[Kayak-Bloke]

There's now a second tree down it is not passable on the water. Easy portage river left. The tree is approx 200m upstream of the boxed in weir.

[Kayak-Bloke]

Second tree gone. The one just down from Brynmenyn has shifted and broken in two. Much easier to pass now, on river left.

[Modelmakerman]

Im looking to run the Ogmore tomorrow if the predicted rain hits Im hoping it should come up to a runable level. Ill be running it for the first time with a small group of reasonable experienced paddlers.

Ive read the river guide and seen a comment about getting on at the industrial estate at Bryncethin, any further information about this, where to park etc.
We will be getting off at the old stone bridge/dipping/ducking bridge, again any further information would be greatly apreciated. Looking at the guide Im estimating this run to take around 3 hours at most is this realistic?
Anything else worth knowing about this river/access/hazards (not already covered in the guide)?

Thanks in advance
MMM (Dave)

[Kayak-Bloke]

Dave, sorry I missed your post.
Best put on is directly behind Rush Cycles.
Unit 11, Kodak house Abergarw Trading Est, Brynmenyn, Bridge CF32 9LWSorry I missed your post Dave.

If parking near there then Rush also has a coffee shop so maybe pop in post paddle and buy a coffee for the parking.
If you park there park on the road. The units clamp of not a customer.
Yesterday, a small group of us got on behind the Fox and Hounds in Ogmore Vale.
Still not worth the hassle in my opinion. A tree is a definite portage and the broken weir looked very sketchy.
Brynmenyn still the best and most accessible get on and it all goes from there.

[Kayak-Bloke]

Further bit of info on the Ogmore.
I love this little river. Acracking bit of grade 2 with loads of stuff going on and play potential all over the place. 20 minutes from my front door hence the reason I'm on it alot.
BUT... there is a downside to the Ogmore.

It's connected to the sewer system overspill. This means that after heavy rain untreated sewage goes straight into the river (to prevent the sewage system from backing up and flooding). This is not illegal but it is disgusting.
I'm pretty darn careful with my routines when paddling this river (I try not to eat or drink on it and use alcohol wipes after padding). But the river has twice made me seriously ill.

So in summary: Enjoy the Ogmore, but remember it's foul water and treat it accordingly.

Have fun:

[conoroneill]

We paddled this river for the first time at the weekend, checking it out for potential future trips with some beginners. It was quite nice, will be a good option to give us some variety.
We tried to find a sensible get-on in Sarn, but didn't really succeed. The river description page (here:
https://www.ukriversguidebook.co.uk/riv ... more-beach ) says:
"Just downstream of the Bryncoch Rd bridge in Sarn Village is a good place to put in and is downstream of the first weir. There’s plenty of parking near the bridge."
As far as we could tell (according to google), Bryncoch Road is in the middle of Sarn and doesn't have a bridge over the river. :-(
For info, we actually got on at an old closed-off bridge on "Hoel Persondy", but it wasn't ideal, and doesn't have "plenty of parking".
GPS: 51.5399519,-3.592911
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/51° ... 950997,17z

Can anyone tell us fairly accurately where the normal get-in in Sarn is supposed to be?

Many thanks - Conor

[jmmoxon]

I think they mean Bryn road, plenty of parking, not sure how easy access is:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.5468317,-3.5918888,3a,75y,32.67h,87.87t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sXwoSX3OaP8hl_uQ4PzHX6g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
Mike

[jmmoxon]

Actually looking back at Kayak-Bloke's post from 10 Nov 2014, Brynmenyn is just above Sarn & access point at Rush Cycles is just by the bridge on Bryn Road there.

We got on at cycle car park behind Fox & Hounds in Black Mill, but there is a huge tree jam between there & the pipe (with a huge dead salmon as well). One right hand corner has a concrete wall at bottom with undercut shelf below water, so take care there. The weir at end of Garw looked pretty nasty - rusty metalwork sticking up - if paddling that trib. Some of drops have been rebuilt, so watch out for rough boulders in places too.

Mike

[Kayak-Bloke]

Hi both.
The best get in is behind Rush Cycles, in Brynmenyn.
Don’t park in the allotted slots though you’ll annoy the shop owners.
Park on the road in front.
You can add length to journey by getting in higher up, behind the Fox and Hounds pub but there’s a massive tree forcing a portage, which is a swampy walk around. Best to avoid.
From Brynmenyn to the Bridgend Rec it’s about 5.5 miles- takes 2 hrs if you play.
I once straight lined it in 45 min but that was really going for it and it was a good solid medium.

[mike@cap]

HI
Any updates re access or tree blockages etc for the Ogmore.
Paddled the river with our club numerous times, love the river,
fantastic for our Beginner groups, (albeit literally sadly found a dead person in the river when we paddled it once !)
hoping to paddle weekend of 30-31 March but wondering if any updates we should be aware of and what recommended water level is ?
Thanks Mike

[mike@cap]

Planning o paddle the Ogmore over 26 or 27 October 2019
any update on levels or possible tree obstructions etc ?
Thanks
Mike

[sarahdiamante]

Top section from ogmore vale was not paddle-able in October 2023 - lots of portaging due to trees. Would recommend putting in at blackmill by the confluence or below at brynmenyn as others have recommended