Walk 12: Swansea Marina to Caswell Bay

We enjoyed the lovely walk from Swansea Marina to Caswell Bay, or, actually, from Caswell Bay to Swansea Marina, on a day trip to South Wales in April 2022.

This walk – our first of the Carmarthen Bay and the Gower section of the Wales Coast Path – was probably the most scenic since we walked from Llantwit Major to Ogmore-by-Sea, and definitely offered a taste of what was to come on the Gower Peninsula.

After driving to Swansea in the morning, we grabbed a taxi to Caswell Bay, where we began our walk. One of the things I really love about Swansea is that you get all the benefits of city life whilst also having close proximity to the beach. If you’re looking for somewhere for a proper beach day, Swansea Beach might not quite cut it, but Caswell Bay is perfect – a beautiful sandy beach, where you can swim in the sea, sunbathe, and enjoy a picnic. When we arrived, there were lots of people tucking into fish and chips and a couple even braving the no doubt very cold sea!

We started with a wander along a path that slowly took us up to onto the cliff above Caswell Bay. This part of the path is wide and well maintained, making for a lovely stroll that’s accessible for most.

The entirety of the walk from Caswell Bay to Mumbles Piers was lovely – we had some nice, warm weather and the walk felt very coastal – the path clung to the cliff with pretty sea views aplenty. The path started out gravelly, progressing to tarmac, and then a wooden boardwalk, making for nice easy walking, with a few gentle ups and downs.

Soon after beginning our walk, we reached another pretty beach, Langland Bay, which was lined with beach huts ready for the onslaught of summer visitors. As we neared Mumbles Head, we saw some people looking excitedly out to the sea, so we followed their gaze and spotted the first seal of our Wales Coast Path journey! It was very distant, and not clear enough to photograph, but it was definitely there!

We continued along the path, past Bracelet Bay, which marks the start (or end!) of the Gower Peninsula, before descending to Mumbles Pier. Mumbles is a well-loved area of Swansea, with stunning sea views, a lovely accessible path which is great for walking, cycling, or even taking the ‘train’ (the Swansea Bay Rider Land Train), and lined with an assortment of great restaurants.

We enjoyed a nice, easy walk along Mumbles Pier – the only slight hazard was having to dodge the land train a couple of times! We did consider stopping for some food, but we really fancied chips and didn’t pass a chip shop, so we continued on.

Once we reached the end of Mumbles Pier, we continued our walk alongside Swansea Beach. Almost the entirety of Swansea’s south side is beach, which I just love. We were even treated to an air show to accompany our walk!

At this point, we could see across the bay to the end point of our walk, Swansea Marina, and beyond all the way across to Port Talbot. We continued along the path past the university, and some apartments with lovely sea view, before we finally reached the marina, crossing a bridge and continuing along the road to get to our parking spot, where we had finished our previous walk. All in all, a lovely day’s walking – next stop, the Gower!

🥾 Distance: 10½ miles.

⭐ Highlight: The walk from Caswell Bay Beach to Mumbles Pier was stunning.

👎 Less Good: There was quite a bit of walking on tarmac, which might put some people off, but I genuinely did enjoy the whole walk.

🚗 Transport: We drove to Swansea and got a taxi to Caswell Bay.

🛏️ Accommodation: This was a day trip, so we stayed at home.

🌱 Food: We enjoyed some tasty food (including chips!) from Swansea Bay Pop-Up before heading home.

🗺️ 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.