Walk 15: Rhossili to Llanrhidian

Our second Gower walking weekend began very similarly to our first – we drove to Swansea, parked up and jumped on a bus to Rhossili, where we once again began our walk – this time, turning right instead of left, to take us towards Llanrhidian.

We started by walking along a path above Rhossili Bay Beach, where we enjoyed another lovely view of Worm’s Head, and past the iconic white house – The Old Rectory – which is reportedly booked up two years in advance.

Rhossili Bay has been named the best beach in Britain, the third best in Europe, and the ninth best in the world, by TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice, and it’s easy to see why, thanks to its three miles of stunning white sand and inviting sea. We enjoyed some nice, easy walking to start the day, with breath-taking views.

The path took us around Hillend Burrows and down onto the beach, where we continued along to Burry Holms. As we walked along the beach, we spotted a few groups of trail runners – it turned out that it was Love Trails festival weekend, so we were put to shame by many a trail runner on our walk!

When we reached the end of Rhossili Bay Beach, we turned right and headed uphill, taking to the cliffs. We passed a couple of cute coves – they were accessible on foot, but not easily so, and as such, had the most stunning golden sand. Considering how warm a day it was, the sea was calling our names!

The path took us past Broughton Bay Beach, and we began the descent towards Whiteford National Nature Reserve. We stopped for some sandwiches, enjoying the stunning view that reached across the estuary to Burry Port and beyond. As we had our lunch, we watched as a group of smartly dressed people with a floral archway started to walk up the hill we had just come down, clearly heading towards somebody’s special place for a slightly vigilante wedding ceremony – a beautiful place to enjoy your big day!

After lunch, we headed down the hill to Whiteford Sands, and walked around Whiteford Burrows. Whiteford Burrows is considered one of the best dune systems in Britain, with an extensive series of dune habitats. The path took us along the beach, past Whiteford Point Lighthouse – built in 1865 and decommissioned in 1933, this is the last remaining cast-iron lighthouse in Britain.

Next, we followed a forest path towards Landimore and through Cwm Ivy Marsh. A causeway closure meant we had to divert around the sewage works, but the diversion did mean we were able to stop for a drink at the Britannia Inn.

The path then took us past Landimore Marsh and through field and forest paths towards Llanrhidian. Just before we reached our destination, we crossed a field where a Love Trails funrun was taking place – with lots of brightly dressed runners and boomboxes playing music, it very nearly made running seem appealing to me! As we passed through a gate, we spotted a vivid rainbow, which made for a lovely finish to our walk. When we reached Llanrhidian, we stopped by the Welcome Country Pub and Kitchen for a veggie chilli and headed to our accommodation for the night, ready to rest up for our final Gower walk!

🥾 Distance: With the diversion, this was about 15½ miles.

⭐ Highlight: The beautiful beach views.

👎 Less Good: This was quite a hot, long walk, but there was no section in particular that wasn’t enjoyable.

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

🛏️ Accommodation: We stayed in the Cwtch @ Cae Ifor – a cosy and beautifully decorated annex with a comfy bed and a shower room. Exactly what we needed for a comfy nights’ sleep!

🌱 Food: Veggie chilli at the Welcome Country Pub and Kitchen – delicious!

🗺️ 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.