Visit The Beaches

Here on the Gower we are spoilt for choice with no less than 25 beaches to explore, ranging from gorgeous golden sand vistas to secluded coves tucked beneath the rugged limestone cliff paths.

You’d be hard pressed to find a bad beach on the peninsula and while all 25 are worth visiting, not everyone has the time nor the stamina to do so. Instead I have written a blog post highlighting my favourite beaches to help you decide.

Two beaches you definitely have to see whilst visiting the Gower are Three Cliffs Bay and Rhossili Bay, which has been voted as one of the top 10 beaches in the world. There are my first port of call when a non Swansea-friend (I don’t have many) comes to visit and I want to show the Gower off.

Both locations are easily accessible by car but are also serviced by the 118 bus which departs from Swansea central bus station. 

What makes them both so special is their unique coastal scenery which you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere else in the world. I have lost count the number of times I have visited each beach yet I still awestruck each time I go. Anyway don’t take my word for it, check out some of the photos below.

Three Cliffs Bay

Three Cliffs Bay is my favourite beach on the Gower and one of the peninsulas most visited locations.

The beach is made famous by its three iconic peaks which protrude from a wide bay of golden sand backed by gently sloping dunes.

Adding to the the beaches allure is the magnificent Pennard castle. A 12th Century Norman fortress, whose remains stand prominently on the cliffs above the winding pennard pill which cuts through the luscious green valley.

Three cliffs is beautiful at any time of the year and is particularly worth visiting for either sunrise or sunset.

Unfortunately the beach isn’t the easiest or quickest to reach There are three ways to access Three Cliffs which I have outlined in the blog post below, each of them require a short (15-25 minutes) but spectacular walk which adds to the enjoyment of the visit.

If you are looking for a beach to spend the afternoon lounging on, my recommendation would be to explore pennard castle and view the the iconic peaks from the cliff above before parking up at the neighbouring Pobbles beach. This is a small cove which connects with Three Cliffs at low tide, however at mid-to high tide it gets cut off and forms its own separate bay.

Rhossili & Worms Head

Once voted as the best beach in Europe and included within the top 10 in the world, Rhossili bay is a location which words simply can not justice.

The beach is made up of three miles of golden sand and is backed by the peninsulas highest point, Rhossili Downs alongside a mile of dramatic coastal cliffs.

The highlight of this location is the spectacular worms head, a giant sea-serpent shaped island which marks the most westerly tip of Gower. Named after the Viking word for Dragon (‘wurm’), it is connected to the mainland by a rocky causeway which is only accessible two and and a half hours hours either side of low tide.

How to reach Rhossili & worms head

Parking is available at the large national trust car park which sits up on the cliffs which overlook the beach. From the car park you barely have walk 10m before your presented with an incredible view of both the beach and Worms head.

Another reason why Rhossili is so impressive is due tot eh sheer number of viewpoints you have available to you.

The shoreline can be reached by following the steep concrete path which drops down onto the beach from the Worms head hotel. Here you will find the wooden remains of the Helvetia shipwreck, a Norwegian ship which run aground here in 1887.

Another option is to walk up to Rhossili Downs, which at 193m is the highest point on the Gower. The short 1km stroll involves around 150m of elevation gain and will give you panoramic views across the peninsula.

My recommendation would be to take a stroll along the rugged and dramatic coastal cliffs towards the old coastguard station situated at the end of the headland. The one mile stretch of cliff top has magnificent views of both the Worm and Rhossili beach.

For those feeling a little more adventurous you can hike onto the Worm and all the way to its outer head. Access is via a rocky causeway which gets cut off 2.5 hours either side of low tide. I have written a detailed blog guide below for those who want more information on this.

Rhossili is undoubtedly the best place on the Gower to watch the sunset as you can see the sun drop directly below the horizon. Aim to head down in the late afternoon /early evening and take the time to stick around.

Head down the Mumbles

Located on the south coast of the peninsula, Mumbles is a small seaside village which acts as the gateway to the Gower. The village and surrounding coastline is full of charm and jam packed with things to do and places to eat, making it a perfect place to bqae yourself if you are visiting the region.

Firstly take time to explore the village itself, I would recommend grabbing an infamous infamous Joes Ice cream (Double scoop, sprinkles and nuts with a flake and wafer) before walking the promenade from the recently developed Oyster Wharf for 1.5 miles around to Bracelet bay.

On route you will pass Verdi’s, Mumbles pier, and the ever impressive Mumbles lighthouse before finishing at the delectable Castellemare restaurant. From here you can either return to Mumbles or continue to follow the coastal path for a further 1.5 miles around to my next suggestion, Langland Bay…

Langland Bay is a small but charming beach with beautiful coastal views and arguably the best facilities on the Gower. Lifeguarded year round, the blue flag beach has ample parking on its shoreline alongside two cafes and restaurant. Its also a firm favourite for the local surfers and even has four free tennis courts situated behind its iconic white and green huts.

For those wanting a little taste of the Gowers magnificent coastal views, I would recommend following the wheelchair friendly coastal path for one mile around to the neighbouring Caswell Bay.

Walk the Welsh Coastal Path

From secluded rocky coves to the sweeping panoramic vista, the Gower is home to some of the finest stretches of the Wales 870 mile coastal path.

The variety of terrain and coastal features means you’re spoilt for choice on the Gower when it comes to walking. Starting at idyllic seaside village of Mumbles there are 46 miles of costal goodness to explore with walks for people of all ages and abilities. Away from the steep rugged cliffs and sandy beaches there’s acres of sheltered woodland and rolling grasslands to explore.

It is possible to walk the entire length of the Gower peninsula but not everyone has the stamina or the time. Instead I have outlined eight of my favourite walks in a blog post below.

Other things to see and do 

Learn to Surf

Gower is the heartland of Welsh surfing. Across the wave-packed peninsula there’s a huge array of beach, point, and reef breaks to satisfy even the most seasoned of surfers.

Some spots are easy to find locations renowned across the UK, whilst others are coveted gems kept secret by the locals who have surfed them for decades.

The most consistent and popular spot is Llangennith beach on the tip of the peninsula. Its western facing sandy beach break has year round waves and is the perfect spot for beginners to learn their craft. Although it does get busy, two miles of beach means that there’s plenty of room for everyone. A word of warning here, under bigger conditions the paddle out at Llangennith is notoriously difficult and wouldn’t be suitable for beginners. If this is the case I would head to the more sheltered beach break of Caswell bay outside the village of Mumbles.

There are several surf companies across the Gower set up to teach beginners, providing all equipment including buoyant boards and wetsuits.

• Gower surfing/ Surf GSD - Located at the sheltered sandy shore break of Caswell Bay, its a perfect learning environment or beginners

• WSF Surf school - located in Llangennith, this company is owned by the Welsh surfing federation and teaches surfing to absolute beginners,

If you’re just after board and wetsuit hire then check out PJ’s surf shop down in Llangennith or Guts Surf shop in Caswell.

Try an adventure fuelled activity 

Whether its sea kayaking around Oxwich peninsula, rock climbing at the famous Three Cliffs bay or coasteering along the spectacular limestone cliffs of Rhossili, Gower Adventures offer a wide range of exciting outdoor adventure activities form all ages and abilities.  Each trip provides approximately four hours of activity per day with a break for lunch including all equipment, instruction and insurance. 

Head for a coastal cruise 

Gower Coast Adventures give you the opportunity to see the spectacular coastline from a different perspective. They offer a variety of boat trips around the peninsula departing from from Oxwich Bay on the 'Sea Serpent', a 12 person rigid-hulled inflatable craft, powered by a 315 horsepower turbo diesel engine capable of 30 knots. 

Go hiking in the Brecon beacons

The Brecon beacons encompasses some of the finest scenery in South Wales. It my not be the highest or most rugged mountain range in Wales but if you’re looking for Jaw dropping waterfalls, spectacular hilly hikes, beautiful bike trails or some sensational star gazing then this is the national park for you. The park boundary is only a 45 minute drive from Swansea and the waterfalls make for a fantastic day trip if its wetter than an otters pocket. Check out my full guide to the Brecon Beacons below.

Head into Swansea

I’m not going to lie, I lose a small part of my soul every time I set foot into the Swansea City centre. Its a bit of a dive and really not the best place to visit, especially when you have the Gower on the doorstep.

That being said there are a few things to do if it is a complete and utter washout. The centre is home to the historic Swansea Market, the largest indoor market in Wales, and the free to enter National Waterfront Museum in Swansea Marina. If you do visit the museum, make sure to stop by Coast Cafe for some of best coffee in Swansea.

Finally, if you wanted terrific views of the city you could even look to climb Kilvey hill, however don’t take anything too valuable as you may not come home with it.