Rhossili Bay loop — Gower Peninsula

Rhossili Bay loop from Rhossili  This is a super nice walk that takes in Llanmadoc Hill and Rhossili Down, as well as a long walk on the beach. The start point is the National Trust Car Park in the charming coastal village of Rhossili, from here there are great views of Worms Head, but you are heading north down a narrow path to Rhossili Beach. You obviously have to time this in line with low tide; otherwise, there is a land-based path adjacent to it. Once on the beach, there is the dinosaur-like rib cage wreck of the Helvetia sticking out of the sand. The walk along this gorgeous beach is about three miles (5 kilometres), which also has a minor stream crossing half way down its length. At the end of the beach, you have Burry Holmes Island, and this makes for a nice little side walk with good views south back across to Worms Head. From here you go back to the mainland to Spaniards Rock and follow Broughton Burrows headland round all the way to Broughton Farm Campsite, where you have to follow the Welsh Coast Path through it. The views on the way are great. Soon after, you head inland for about a kilometre before turning left to follow a good path that takes you around in a loop to the summit of Llanmadoc Hill. Here there is an orientation table, a cairn, and a trig point on its 18- metre top. There are fine views across towards Harding Down and Rhossili Down. Next is the decent down to Llangennith, which is easy enough, but do follow the GPS trail. Llangennith is ever so pretty, but unless you stop at the pub, you are soon heading out on a back road that brings you onto a path that takes you right onto the ridge of Rhossili Down. You then head south along the broad ridgeline, where the views back to Burry Holmes and straight ahead towards Worms Head are superb. It is not long before you get to the trig point, which is at 193 metres height. The views again are super nice, and as you descend back down to Llangennith, the views get even better the closer you get to Worms Head. As you enter Rhossili, you get to visit the 12th-century church of St. Davids. Not long after, you are back at the starting point. The end to what is simply one of the most gorgeous coastal walks in Wales. Parking: Large National Trust Car Park. Route Description: Great coastal footpaths, a shipwreck visit whilst on a long beach walk, a nice island detour, and a couple of gorgeous hills. This is simply a magnificent walk. Route Statistics: 17 kilometres with 600 metres of height gain down in 5 hours.