A locals guide to visiting Three Cliffs Bay and Pennard Castle
Three Cliffs bay is a beach like no other.
Its golden sands and distinctive coastal peaks which adorn postcards across the region warrant a visit in itself. Throw into the mix a winding river which flows through a luscious green valley and is overlooked by ancient castle then you have a coastal location which is truly unique.
The beach is easily my favourite on the Gower and is the first place I seek out if am in need of a coastal escape. The views from Pennard castle and the iconic clifftop viewpoint are two of my favourite on the peninsula and ones I will never get tired of visiting.
Although this beach maybe a little more difficult to reach than others, the views and beach itself will certainly make up for that extra effort. Three cliffs is also lifeguarded in the busier summer months and is canine friendly year round making it the perfect place for families and dog walkers alike.
In this blog post below I have listed the four quickest and easiest ways to reach the beach, what to do while you are here, and the best nearby facilities to eat and drink. I have also included a vlog and numerous photos I have taken over the years to help showcase the areas beauty.
Key information
Parking: Available at the villages of Southgate, Penmaen, and Parkmill
Distance to beach: Between 1-2km depending on where you park
Toilets: There are no toilets located at the beach
Lifeguards: From 3th July- 5th September between 10am and 6pm
Dog Friendly: Year round.
Food: Hot food is available at Southgate and Parkmill (Full list below)
Where is Three Cliffs Bay ?
Three Cliffs bay is located on the south coast of the Gower, a thumb sized shaped peninsula situated in the centre of the south Wales coast. The beach is half an hour drive from the city of Swansea or a 90 minute drive from Cardiff.
Three Cliffs Bay parking options
There are four main places to park for Three Cliffs Bay .
Shepherds of Gower, Parkmill
Penmaen
Southgate village, near Pennard Golf club
National Trust car park, Southgate
From each of these four locations you can reach the beach via a short but scenic walk (around 10-25 minutes). I have gone into detail for each of the four routes below. If you haven’t got a car you can reach Shepherds of Gower by catching the 118 bus from the Swansea central bus station.
Looking back at three cliffs bay at high tide, Pobbles is situated on the right
Things to know before deciding where to park
Pennard Pill, which flows down through the valley into the sea, separates Three Cliffs Bay in two. The eastern side of the river is home to the iconic Three Cliffs, Pennard castle, Pennard Golf course, and the smaller Pobbles beach. Whilst the western side is where the main beach area and the Holiday park is located.
Access between the two sides is via either via a wooden footbridge at the head of the valley near Parkmill, or more conveniently via series of large concrete stepping stones located much closer to the beach.
However, as the tide comes in, it floods the river causing the water level to rise significantly. Close to high tide the stepping stones get completely submerged cutting off easy access between the two sides.
When this happens your only option is to either wade through waist deep water to cross or walk half a mile upstream to cross the footbridge near Parkmill.
With this in mind its best to check the tide times and choose where you park accordingly.
Shepherds of Gower in Parkmill (Red)
This is the location with the best parking and facilities. In addition this locations starting point means that you can easily access both sides of the beach during all stages of the tide.
Parking is available in a large field opposite Shepherds of Gower for £3 all day. If you didn’t have a car you can catch the 118 bus from Swansea central. In the summer months a burger van and coffee truck operate from the same field. Over the road there is also a shop & cafe and the delectable Little Valley Bakery, both of which offer parking.
From the car park cross the footbridge over the river into the woodland and take a right, following the path alongside the river as it gently rises up into the forest. After a couple of hundred yards the path will fork and you will have two options.
If you wanted to skip visiting Pennard castle and head straight to the beach, carry on through the forest into the valley and follow the winding Pennard pill for a kilometre down to the shoreline.
If you want to visit Pennard castle, turn left and head up into the woods. Follow this path as it zig zags up the hill, passing the back gardens of several houses, until you emerge onto Pennard golf course high up on the valley side. Carry along the edge of the golf course until you reach Pennard castle.
Once at the castle, take plenty of time to explore the 12th century ruins and enjoy what I would argue is one of the finest view points on the Gower.
From the castle you can either follow the sand dunes which run alongside the edge of the golf course down then back up towards Three Cliffs viewpoint (which is marked by a wooden sea shell shaped structure). Or walk down the very steep sand dunes beneath the castle into the valle, and follow the path onto the beach.
Pennard golf course (Yellow)
This option is the quickest for reaching the Three Peaks & Pobbles beach, however parking is limited.
Limited free parking is available on the road side in the village of Southgate. Please be considerate of local residents and park appropriately. Once parked head towards Pennard golf club where you will have two options.
If you want to visit Pennard castle you can walk across the golf course following the public right of way signs. From the castle simply follow sandy dunes along the edge of the golf course either down to the shingle stone bank down on the shoreline or back up to the three cliffs viewpoint..
If you want to get straight to Pobbles beach or the Three Cliffs viewpoint, follow the narrow path that runs between the Pennard golf course car park and the houses. Turn right when the path forks, then after around 200m the path will fork again. The right hand path will take you along the edge of the golf course towards the main viewpoint, whilst the left hand path will begin to drop down towards Pobbles bay. Both paths do link up via a steep sand dune or set of steps for those who did want to see both.
From Penmaen
This is the best option if you want to easily access in the sandy section of the beach, especially at high tide when the river covers the stepping stones. However parking is limited and the only facilities are located at Three Cliffs holiday home.
Free parking is available behind St John the Baptist church in Penman just off the A4118.
As you turn off the main road and pass the church, the road will split, free parking is located just over the cattle grid on the right. Once again please park appropriately and be considerate of local residents.
Walk down past the church, cross the road and follow north hills lane towards the holiday park. After 100m turn right right and follow the road as it drops down towards the beach, before turning left, passing through a wooden swing gate and walking a further 100m to an incredible viewpoint where the path splits.
The right hand path drops steeply through the woods and leads through the sand dunes to the western end of the beach. The left hand path drops more gently down to the lifeguard hut and the stepping stones. From here you can weave around edge of the river to reach the beach or cross over the stones to reach the castle and viewpoint.
From the National Trust car park in Southgate
The best option if you’re a National Trust member or want to take a scenic cliff top walk to reach the beach.
Parking is available at the national trust car park on the coastal path just outside the village of Southgate. Here you will also find where you will also find two cafes and toilets.
Simply follow the coastal path westwards along the cliff top for 1.2km until the iconic peaks come into view. From here you can drop down to Pobbles beach and back up to the viewpoint, or if it’s low tide you can walk around or through the Three Cliffs to reach the other side of the beach.
If you do this I’d recommend taking off your shoes as you have to cross the wide but very shallow river which flows past the cliffs into the sea.
What to do whilst at Three Cliffs Bay?
Visit Pennard Castle
As dramatic as it is beautiful, this 12th-century ruin is one of six castles located here on the Gower Peninsula. The view from the castle walls is my favourite view on the Gower and is best when combined with a visit to the iconic Three Cliffs Bay.
Perched on the clifftop, the castle has sweeping views towards Three Cliffs bay. If that wasn’t enough it overlooks the winding Pennard pill in the valley below which is a GCSE geography teachers wet dream.
You can stroll across the golf course or clamber up the steep sandy duns to reach the ruins. If you’re lucky you might even have some company in the form of the cows and wild horses which frequently graze the Gower’s common land.
Visit the iconic Three Cliffs view point
No visit to three cliffs would be complete without stopping by the iconic viewpoint which overlooks the peaks. There are two classic viewpoint , the first is is marked by two benches and large wooden shell shaped carving up on up on the dune covered headland. The second and more iconic viewpoint is is from thee grassy headland which looks directly over the peaks.
Relax at the beach
Although this place gets busy during the summer months, its sheer size means there will always be plenty of room for find a spot to pitch your stuff. There is a large sandy beach area backed by an extensive dune system which is popular with families and is accessible at both low and high tide.
I prefer to head to the smaller and more sheltered Pobbles beach on the other side of the dune covered headland. This connects with Three cliffs at low tide but gets cut off and turned into its own beach at mid to high tide. Here you’ll find plenty of rocky alcoves to get a little more peace and quiet.
The beach is also patrolled by lifeguards between 10am & 6pm during certain times of the year;
Weekends and bank holidays from 1st May to end of June
Everyday from July 1st to the 5th September.
Take a walk along the cliff path
Three Cliffs bay sits on the southern coastline of the Gower which is arguably home to some of the finest scenery on the peninsula. You’re spoilt for choice when walking in this area and you wont be disappointed no matter which direction of the cliff top you decide to walk in.
I would personally recommend starting in Parkmill or Southgate and walking past Pennard castle, the three cliffs viewpoint then up and round the Great & little Tor. These are two dramatic lookouts which offer terrific views over the sweeping sands of Oxwich beach.
I’d also recommend taking a stroll up the Cefn Bryn which is located behind three cliffs holiday home in Penmaen. A short 10 minute walk will take you onto the backbone of the Gower and offer sensational panoramic views over the peninsula.
You can actually combine both walks for one big loop which I have included in my blog post below.
Sunset from above Tor Bay and Oxwich
Watch the sunset or sunrise
Three cliffs is one of the best locations on the peninsula for watching both the sunset and sunrise. For sunset I would recommend heading to east side of the river to either the iconic viewpoint on the headland or Pennard castle. For sunrise I would recommend parking in Penmaen and heading down to the sandy section of the beach which is backed by an extensive dune system.
Sunset from above the peaks
A drone sunrise shot
Sunrise from the main beach area
Stay up late to see the Milky Way & Bioluminescent Plankton
Three Cliffs southerly facing direction alongside its distance from the light pollution of Swansea means that it is a great place to see and photograph the Milky way. The Milky Way can be visible from March to late September in the UK. For more information, check out this handy guide.
During very rare occurrences in the hot summer months you can also witness and swim with the phenomenon which is Bioluminescent plankton. The microscopic plankton glow an electric blue colour when they are agitated by the movement of the water and can light up the sea as the waves break onto the shores.
I’ve only seen them faintly on one occasion and I completely butchered my focus so I dont even have a decent photo to show for my efforts. Witnessing this sight is like finding all 7 horcruxes in Harry Potter, so go buy yourself a lottery ticket if you do happen to see them.
Where to eat and drink at Three Cliffs Bay
(Un)fortunately there are no facilities located directly on Three Cliffs beach, something which I think adds to to the beaches charm. I would recommend taking food and packing plenty of water if you are planning on visiting. There are also numerous facilities located close to the various parking locations I have mentioned which I have listed below.
Parkmill
Shepherds Stores - A general store and café serving a wide range of essentials alongside food and drink
Little Valley bakery - A Small and passionate artesian bakery serving a delectable range food.
The Gower Inn - located half a mile before shepherds, this pub which serves classic pub grub and drinks at a reasonable price
Southgate
Muddy Mail room - A dog friendly café serving all things cake, coffee, confectionery, and sandwiches. It even has its own mutt menu for those who love treating their pooches
Southgate pub - A dog friendly establishment serving a wide range of beers and ales alongside traditional pub food
Pennard Golf Club - Open to the public and serving both food and drink at very reasonable prices.
Three Cliffs café - A shop, post office, café and restaurant all rolled into one.
The Lookout Three Cliffs - A delightful little café which serves great coffee and fantastic food ranging from full English breakfasts to pizza
Penmaen
Three cliffs Bay Holiday park - Has an on-site shop which is open from 8am-7pm each day
So there we have it, an in-depth, locals guide to Three Cliffs Bay. Did you find the blog useful? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
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For more Gower inspiration check out my in depth Guide to the Gower Peninsula.
Otherwise check in my in-depth guides below which include my must visit location and favourite photography spots in each region.