Guide to Candleston

Candleston Website

Candleston is a 100 acre dedicated larp site near Brigend (S Wales). It features a wide range of IC and OOC facilities (everything from hot showers to a buried pirate ship) plus vast amounts of terrain plus a sandy, free-draining soil that copes well with most weather. It also has four yurts that are included in the hire cost for glamping.

The downside is that it comes at a high price, so the club cannot afford to use it that often.

Directions

• From the M4, take junction 35 into Bridgend and take the first exist onto the A473.
• Go straight across the next three roundabouts, switching onto the A48 at the last roundabout.
• Go over two roundabouts, then take the turning to Merthyrmawr on the left.
• Follow the Merthyrmawr road through Merthyr Mawr and out the other side.
• Keep going until you run out of road. There is a gateway on the left just before the public carpark/turning circle.

Address

Candleston Castle Campsite
Merthyr Mawr Road
Merthyr Mawr
Nr Bridgend
South Wales
CF320LS

Public transport

Nearest station: Bridgend
Nearest bus: Brigend

Logistics

You will need to make sure that you bring the following:

• Plate
• Cutlery
• Cups
• Things to cook with (if no catering planned)

There are hot showers, lights in the main building and a kitchen with fridge, sinks and a gas cooker (needs fire to make it go).

If you are using a yurt, you will need to bring wood and fire-making equipment as you will need to warm-through the yurt when you first arrive to dry it out.

There’s a Tesco about 2 miles from site (CF31 3SQ) – this is also where all recyclable waste has to go at the end of the weekend. The nearest chippie is Finnegan’s Fish Bar (CF31 5EJ), there’s also a Chinese and an Indian at the same estate.

All power for the site comes from a diesel generator; the club is responsible for buying fuel, so minimal energy wastefulness is appreciated.

GM Information

You will need to make sure that the following is brought:

• Bin bags (especially black ones)
• Washing up liquid x 2 (ne for the kitchen and one for the outdoor sink)
• Sponges
• Soap
• Toilet roll

If you’re arranging catering, note that the cooker is a scout-style gas cooker that only does Hot and Very Hot – cast iron cookware or other ways to reduce heat safely are practically a necessity. The oven pilot light is slightly broken (light it manually then light the rest of the gas manually) and bring fire-making equipment (ideally long matches) as the sparker is also broken. In order to get the gas going you will need to:

1. Make sure the generator is running.
2. Set the fan over the minimum line on the dial.
3. Start the gas interlock.
4. Wait a few minutes until it’s ready.

Either you or the Committee will need to contact Mike Penny (the site warden) in the week before the event to arrange site opening-up times; Mike may or may not be present when you arrive. Contact details are on the Candleston website.

All buildings have to be emptied and cleaned and locked up by 4pm on the Sunday, although actually leaving site can take a bit longer. As payment is done in advance of the event Mike may or may not show up at 4pm to do the site check.

Rubbish goes out to the dumpsters by the main gate. Recyclables go to Tesco or home.

Site Map

Sketch map