What to do when I have 2 days off? Have a 24hr adventure obviously! After finishing nights and having a few hours sleep, we packed up the car and headed to Swansea for a night in a cheap Travelodge. We dumped our bags and headed out for some food and a pint at Sessions by Mumbles Brewery. Unfortunately, the chef decided he fancied the day off, which meant no pizza. Luckily, the friendly staff offered to whip up a couple of delicious paninis for us instead. Santa was especially thrilled to hear it was Happy Hour, and got his second pint for free! We then returned to the car, ready to catch the sunset at Three Cliffs Bay.
We parked at the Southgate National Trust car park and embarked on a scenic cliff top walk toward Three Cliffs Bay. The natural light was beautiful, and after about 40 minutes walking, the peaks emerged before us. The seclusion of the area, thanks to the relatively lengthy walk, added to its charm, and there were very few people around.
I took Momma and Santa down a steep and rocky path leading to the beach, which of course they were thrilled about! The golden sands and blue waters, complete with rock pools and steep cliff edges, created a perfect natural setting, untouched by cafes or shops.
As we strolled across the beach and ventured through the triangular gap in the rock, we remained mindful of the tide gradually coming in.
After some exploration, we returned to the cliff walk to catch the sunset. It was stunning, with the colours changing every moment. Leaving was difficult, as we wished to linger and fully soak in the atmosphere and picturesque views.
The following morning, after a breakfast at Spoons, we headed back to Three Cliffs Bay, but this time parking at Gower Heritage Centre. Here you can stock up on coffee, cake, ice cream, cider and all sorts of other treats – much needed to fuel a walk to the beach. Starting the walk from this point not only provided a fresh perspective of the beach but also allowed us to take in stunning views of Pennard Castle, and a go on the stepping stones along the way.
We then headed to Rhossili Bay – a consistent favorite in Wales’ Top 10 Beaches.
It’s backed by dunes and overlooked by 200-metre-high hills and jagged sea cliffs. There’s a large National Trust car park on the clifftop, which of course is free for NT members. As we strolled along the coastal cliffs towards the old coastguards station and Worms Head, we encountered wild horses and their foals grazing peacefully. For those who can plan their visit carefully, it’s possible to cross the causeway to the Worm, but this requires timing it within the two and a half hours surrounding low tide. Since we weren’t able to time our visit for that crossing, we took the opportunity to relax a bit and enjoy the stunning scenery in the sunshine.
Walking back along the cliff, we continued to admire the expansive three-mile beach before stopping by The View for lunch. We were fortunate to secure a bench with, as the café’s name suggests, an incredible view. The
food was absolutely delicious. Momma is already thinking about planning a trip to The Worms Head Hotel to capture the sunrise and sunset—ideal moments for photography!
We had initially planned to visit The Mumbles, but in our quest for adventure, we decided to seek out Whiteford Lighthouse, the only wave-swept cast-iron lighthouse in Britain. Measuring 13 meters tall, this decommissioned lighthouse was constructed in 1865 and is situated at the northern tip of the beach. Whilst we knew reaching the lighthouse would be a challenge, we didn’t anticipate just how much of an effort it would require. We parked in Cwm Ivy and set off through the woods, alongside the salt marsh. This area was reclaimed from the sea in the 17th century for farmland and has been protected by a sea defense that has evolved in size and strength over the years. However, in 2014, the sea wall breached, allowing the waters to reclaim the land and transforming Cwm Ivy from a freshwater marsh into a salt marsh.
We knew we would eventually need to traverse the sand dunes, and we spotted a stile that led into them, which seemed like the logical route. However, we encountered several barbed wire fences along the way. Fortunately, many had been flattened in spots by previous walkers, allowing us to navigate through. We made our way through the spiky Marram grass and finally reached the beach, which was completely deserted. Unfortunately, the lighthouse was still some distance away, and access varied depending on the tide, so we decided to take advantage of Momma’s super zoom for a closer look before we searched for a better route back to the woods. After tackling a few more fences, we ultimately found our way back to a proper path.
Once we made it back to the car, we decided that it would be ambitious to try to fit anything else into our day, so we decided to head home, reflecting on a wonderful 48 hours spent exploring Gower.
The Travelling Ginger 