Walk 14: Oxwich Bay to Rhossili

If you’ve read my previous post, you’ll know that our second Gower Peninsula walk was actually our first Gower Peninsula walk. On a sunny Saturday in June, we drove to and parked in Swansea, grabbed some food from a local supermarket to keep us going over the weekend, and jumped on a bus to Rhossili. So, rather than walking in our usual direction – which would have meant us starting at Oxwich Bay and finishing in Rhossili – we actually walked from Rhossili to Oxwich Bay.

Rhossili is a place of incredible beauty, with panoramic views of sandy beach and sea. When we got off the bus, we began walking down the road, which swept off to the left, taking us through a National Trust-branded gate and along a popular path towards Worm’s Head.

Worm’s Head is the most westerly point of the Gower Peninsula. It is possible to walk to the end of Worm’s Head, although it’s not on the Wales Coast Path, and you have to be incredibly careful of tide times to ensure you don’t get stuck there for the night! Contrary to what you might think, Worm’s Head isn’t so named because it looks like a worm – the name is derived from the Old Norse word ‘wyrm’, or ‘wurm’, which means ‘sea serpent’ or ‘dragon – much more appropriate for a Welsh landmark!

As the path took us away from Worm’s Head, we passed the Gower’s most visited attraction, Rhossili Sunflowers. We were walking too early in the year to be able to enjoy the sunflowers, but we did return in August, and it was stunning.

We enjoyed a nice walk along a lovely path which took us out of Rhossili. The Gower has a reputation for its beauty, and it truly doesn’t disappoint – as we walked, we took in stunning views as we passed Fall Bay, Mewslade Bay, and walked along the cliffs all the way to Overton Mere. We even spotted some rabbits in the fields enjoying the early evening sun. We have bunnies at home, so love spotting their wild siblings when we’re out and about!

By the time we reached Port Eynon, we were getting a bit peckish. Thankfully, Port Eynon is home to not one, but two, fish and chip shops! We grabbed a delicious early dinner of veggie sausage and chips at The Seafarer Fish and Chip Shop, which we enjoyed with a lovely sea view. After refuelling, we continued around the beach and along a cliff path, before finally reaching Oxwich Point – we were nearly at the end of our walk!

Getting from Oxwich Point to Oxwich Bay was easier said than done, however – in fact, this was the most difficult end to a walk we’d had up to that point. We reached a wooded area where we had to walk up a lot of steps. We took these as gently as we could, and I did have to stop a few times to get my breath back, but we finally made it to the top, passing St Illtyd’s Church and reaching Oxwich Bay, where we were rewarded with stunning views of the sun setting on the beach.

I had considered that we might go for a swim after our walk, but, as we didn’t arrive until 8:45pm and we were very tired, we opted for an early night instead! We checked into our pod at Oxwich Bay Hotel, showered, and enjoyed some of the snacks we’d bought in Swansea, before heading to bed to get a good rest to prepare us for our second Gower walk the next day.

🥾 Distance: 12 miles.

⭐ Highlight: So many stunning views, but especially at Rhossili.

👎 Less Good: The steep ascent to Oxwich Bay.

🚗 Transport: We parked in Swansea and got the bus to Rhossili, before walking to our accommodation.

🛏️ Accommodation: We stayed in a pod at Oxwich Bay Hotel, which was lovely, and just what we needed after a long day of walking!

🌱 Food: We grabbed an early dinner at The Seafarer Fish and Chip Shop on our walk, and tucked into some snacks we’d bought earlier at the hotel. 

🗺️ Map: This route is featured in the official Carmarthen Bay and Gower guide.

Still not convinced? Read my ten reasons to walk the Wales Coast Path. If you’re ready to start planning your walk, you can find lots of resources to help you on your way here. Please note, I collect a share of the sales from the links on this page.