Discover a land of wonderful beaches, heather-clad moors and rugged coastline with this walking adventure in the Gower Peninsula. You’ll wander through the Whiteford Burrows Nature Reserve and the Llanrhidian Marsh, where oystercatchers and turnstones nestle in rare early marsh-orchids and dune gentians. Continuing to Rhossili village, our route takes us to Worm’s Head, the most westerly point on the peninsula, and the fascinating ruins of the Salt House. We explore the Oxwich National Nature Reserve on or way to the spectacular Three Cliffs Bay, where lizards sun themselves on warm days. The Mumbles Lighthouse marks the end of our Welsh odyssey, an enduring symbol of this beautiful coastal landscape.
Our start point is a lovely boutique hotel in the heart of the Bishopston Valley, just a short distance from The Mumbles. In the evening, our guide will hold a welcome meeting to discuss the week ahead, give advice and answer any questions. We'll then have our first meal together.
We begin with a transfer to Llanrhidian Marsh, a Site of Special Scientific Interest. It is also covered by the sea at high tide, so we'll start at a brisk pace. We also enjoy the Whiteford Burrows Nature Reserve, a protected area full of rare flora and numerous bird species including wildfowl and waders. Our day continues with a traverse of the Rhossili Bay dunes to see one of the most beautiful beaches in the UK. Total ascent: 740ft (225m)
From Rhossili Bay, we set out for Worm's Head, a rocky promontory with sweeping views of the bay. If tides allow, we'll explore the promontory itself. Looking back on the 3mi (5km) stretch of Rhossili Bay sands, few would argue it's not worth the detour. Back on the mainland, we enjoy a clifftop walk to Port Eynon. Tide permitting, we explore the ruins of the Salt House. We then transfer back to our base. Total ascent: 1,460ft (445m)
Leaving the sandy beaches as we head to the limestone cliffs, we walk through Oxwich National Nature Reserve. Here there is a rare mix of fresh and salt marshes, cliffs and woodland and another beautiful Welsh beach. We then come to Three Cliffs Bay, where lizards sunbathe in summer. There should also be visibility to Pennard Castle, originally built in the 12th century, though the stone ruins on show today are from a rebuild in the 13th and 14th centuries. Total ascent: 1,310ft (400m)
The final section of the path leads from Southgate along high cliffs to Pwlldu Head. The bays and coves along the way are gloriously untouched and as we reach the end of the headland the Mumbles Lighthouse appears in the distance, standing proudly for more than 200 years on a small island just off the coast. The seaside town of Mumbles itself lies just a little further on, marking the end of the Gower Coastal Path and a fitting way to end our journey. This evening we have a farewell dinner at our hotel. Total ascent: 855ft (260m)
It’s time to say goodbye to this beautiful corner of Wales as we head home after breakfast.
This single-centre holiday is based at the following hotel. If you'd like to extend your stay here, or upgrade your room, just let us know at the time of booking.
To find out more call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or email usa@exodustravels.com
Our aim is to provide holidays that are unbeatable for choice and flexibility. We've listed our most popular travel options below, however you aren't limited to these - we can tailor-make virtually any holiday to suit.
To find out more about the travel options available call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or email usa@exodustravels.com
Here at Headwater we thrive on feedback from our customers. It's the only way we can continue to develop, and where necessary improve, our services and ensure our holidays continue to be the best they can be. As this is a relatively new holiday, we don't yet have any customer reviews available from our customers, but here are the comments that have been received from previous Exodus travellers.
Wonderful scenery in a quiet, unspoilt area of the UK. Great group of fellow walkers and a friendly and enthusiastic leader.
Really enjoyable short break walking the Gower Coastal path. The scenery is surprisingly varied - from salt marsh to rugged cliffs and vast sandy beaches. The walking is mainly on well defined paths with a few rocky sections. There are some steep ascents (rewarded by amazing views) and descents but they are relatively short. The Gower Hotel is a great base for the trip. The staff are really friendly and there is a nice bar and restaurant. We had an excellent local guide (Cari) who passed on lots of interesting info during the walks. She was also really helpful in arranging lunches and dinners for the nights we didn’t eat at the hotel. The visit to the Gower Gin distillery (which included a very generous gin tasting !) was an enjoyable addition to the itinerary.
We had such a good 4 days of walking, lucky enough to be blessed with a friendly, chatty group and perfect walking weather, dry, mostly sunshine but not too hot. The route has a surprising amount of variety, shaded woodland, marshes, glorious golden sandy beaches, cliffs, coves, rocky shores and seaside resorts. The itinerary was relaxed enough to enable several members of the group to have a brief swim each day. The unexpected opportunity to visit Gower Gin, a micro distillery, was thoroughly enjoyed by us all! Be aware that, unlike many Exodus trips, this is not an all-inclusive holiday. This did result in a few problems organising food.
