Best of the Gower Peninsula

7 Days & 6 Nights 4.4 Read 5 reviews

Walk the Gower Peninsula, home to some of Britain’s best coastal scenery
Dramatic promontory at Worm's Head and the award-winning Rhossili Beach
The fashionable and fun town of The Mumbles, gateway to the Gower
Charming and welcoming Welsh villages and local pubs
Salt marshes, freshwater pools, sand dunes and diverse bird and plant life

Walk the Gower Peninsula, Britain’s first designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Explore trails that take you along sand dunes and towering grassy cliff tops, through woods, charming villages and past hidden coves, Iron Age promontory forts and Medieval castles. Immerse yourself in the ancient history of the Gower Peninsula. The first inhabitants recorded here were pre-historic and the oldest modern human remains were discovered in a cave on the south side of the peninsula in 1823. The Normans invaded in the 12th century, leading to instability and troubled times. Nowadays the Gower offers serene and peaceful landscapes, with award-winning beaches, nature reserves and the friendly Welsh people, with their wonderful lilting accents!

What To Expect

Travel restrictions and resources, to and from any destination

If you love walking by the sea and through areas of great natural beauty, staying in welcoming B&B’s and learning about fascinating history, including intriguing tales of piracy and smuggling this tour is a great choice for you. This 7 day/6 night walk is rated moderate, due to the fact that there will be some significant elevation gains and losses as you walk up to the cliffs and down to the beaches and up various hills.

Tour Type:

Classic Routes | If you’re the active, outdoorsy type, who’s interested in taking on the great routes of the world or looking for a challenge, then our Classic Routes are for you. We’re talking the West Highland Way, Tour Du Mont Blanc and the Passau to Vienna Danube Cycle Path, to name but a few!

Activity:

Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&B’s, inns, and guesthouses.

This trip is suitable for:

Solo Travellers

Ideal if you have an interest in:

Off the Beaten Track

Activity Level & Terrain

This tour involves coastal walking, along dunes, beaches, through some wooded areas and on cliff tops and also offers some inland walking on footpaths and bridleways and small country lanes. Some of the walking will be quite flat but at other times there will be ups and downs as you will be walking from beaches up to cliff tops and vice versa, etc. The distances are not so far though, so this tour is walkable for those who have a good level of physical fitness. This tour is rated as moderate.

Please note that depending on where you spend the night, the distances at times may be more or less than listed every day. So please be prepared for longer or shorter walks when necessary.

Navigation

Quite often you will be walking on the Gower Coast Path which is quite well signposted. However at other times, you will be walking on public footpaths and bridleways, so you will have to rely on the detailed route notes that we provide to help you find your way. GPX tracks are also accessible on the Macs Smartphone App, so you can simply follow the route on your phone if you wish. We also provide detailed maps.

Accommodations

The accommodations on this tour are mainly comfortable B&B’s and guest houses with the occasional small hotel. They are all warm and welcoming and some may be quite simple, yet always comfortable.

On the Gower Peninsula, accommodation choices can be limited, so at times there are choices of 2 places to stay and we organise the walks so that you can walk from or to either place. Because of this, the walk distances may vary, depending on where you are staying.

Additional Nights

If you wish to add additional nights along the trail or at the beginning and end of your itinerary please contact us. You may choose to add some rest days or extra days where there is plenty of sightseeing.

Solo Walkers & Single Rooms

This holiday is available to solo walkers, although a solo supplement is payable.

If you require single rooms within your party we would be happy to accommodate your request, although it is not generally possible to secure more than three single rooms in a party. A single supplement is payable.

Included

6 Nights in B&B’s, guesthouses and hotels
6 Breakfasts
Luggage transfers
Transfers to walks as necessary
Detailed Information Pack, route notes, maps, access to the GPX tracks via the Macs Smartphone App
24/7 telephone support from our UK office

Excluded

Travel to Gowerton
Travel from Mumbles
Lunches, dinners, snacks and drinks
Travel Insurance
Personal Equipment

Extras

Extra night(s)

When To Go

You can start your Gower Peninsula walk anytime between April and October. Please note that if you are planning on booking this tour it is better to do it as early as you can because the B&B’s tend to get full quickly, especially at the weekends, so some flexibility with your start date may be required. Please note that local buses are limited or non-existent on Sundays, if they run at all. When planning your journey please take this into consideration.

Getting to the Start

The closest airport to the start of the walk is Cardiff Airport. You can make your way from Cardiff by taking either a train or bus to Swansea (takes between 2H30and 3H30). From Swansea take a train to Gowerton and from here an included transfer (30 mins) brings you to Llanmadoc/Llangennith. Please let us know your train time arrival as soon as possible after booking so that we can plan your pick-up at the appropriate time. It is also possible to fly into any of the London Airports (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted). Then make your way into the centre of London to Paddington Station. For further information on train or bus travel please visit the following websites, Trainline or National Rail, Traveline Cymru.

Getting from the End

The Mumbles is easily accessible by bus to Swansea. There are buses every 20 minutes and the journey takes 25 mins. From Swansea take a train to Cardiff. Again check out the websites above for more specific times and schedules.

Luggage Transfer

Your bags will be transferred from your accommodation as per your itinerary and moved onto your next overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.

General Information

The distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes.

Equipment

Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat, sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.

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Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive in Llanmadoc/Llangennith and overnight

Arrive in Llanmadoc or Llangennith, two quaint villages. You will stay in one or the other depending on availability. Included is a transfer from Gowerton Train Station which is only 30 minutes away. Llanmadoc’s name is derived from St Madoc, a 6th century saint of Irish origin. The church here is the smallest on the Gower, dates from the 13th century and is dedicated to St Madoc. If you are staying in Llangennith it is nestled between the slopes of three hills; Llanmadoc Hill, Rhossili Down and Hardingsdown. Enjoy a dinner in the local pub tonight.

Overnight Llangennith

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Blas Gwyr | Bed and breakfast

Blas Gŵyr is a luxury boutique bed and breakfast located in the heart of the Gower seaside village of Llangennith. Surrounded by glorious Gower beaches and spectacular countryside this unique property stylishly combines the old and the new and is an ideal hideaway from the stresses and strain of the modern world. Opened in early spring 2009, Blas Gŵyr offers four individually designed superior doubles with contemporary ‘wet room’ en-suites. Llyrlys (Samphire) has a bath and a hand held shower. All rooms have private access and lead out onto a tranquil courtyard garden.

The sumptuous interiors of each of our rooms are accentuated by stylish contemporary Welsh weave fabrics from Melin Tregwynt. The colour scheme for each room has taken its inspiration from the local flora and fauna that feature in the landscape.

Western House B&B | Bed and breakfast

Situated in a characterful house in the centre of the village, within walking distance of the local pub. Pippa and Mike have run this house as a B&B for the last 23 years. The rooms here are colourful and quirky. Each of our guests will receive one of our delicious breakfast options, which includes either a traditional, vegetarian, vegan or continental breakfast. All of our food is locally sourced and all eggs are our freshly laid free range.

Day 2 Walk from Crofty to Llanmadoc/Llangennith on Gower Coast Path 11 miles / 17 km

Today combines inland and coastal walking at its best. Head out to Whiteford Point and through the nature reserve. This low-lying peninsula which is sandwiched between the sea and the estuary is one of the most remote spots on the Gower and you will walk through a variety of habitats including dunes, beach, salt marshes, mud flats and woodland. At low tide it is also possible to walk across the sand and rocks to Whiteford Point Lighthouse. Built in 1865 it marks a dangerous shoal lying just off the point. Also walk up to Llanmadoc Hill with wonderful sweeping views over the coastline, an iconic sight on this stunning peninsula.

Overnight Llangennith

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Blas Gwyr | Bed and breakfast

Western House B&B | Bed and breakfast

Day 3 Loop Walk via Whiteford Nature Reserve and Llanmadoc Hill 10 miles / 16 km

Overnight Llangennith

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Blas Gwyr | Bed and breakfast

Western House B&B | Bed and breakfast

Day 4 Walk to Rhossili on Gower Coast Path 7 miles / 11 km Day 5 Gower Coast Path and Inland Loop Walk, via Oxwich Bay 8 miles / 13 km Day 6 Walk from Three Cliffs Bay to The Mumbles 10 miles / 13 km

After a fortifying breakfast a short transfer (10-15 mins) brings you to Three Cliffs Bay, one of the most breath-taking views on the whole of the Gower. From here walk through Pennard, passing its ruined castle and along the high cliff tops to Bishopstone Pill, passing around the exposed headland above Caswell Bay. Here is an Iron Age promontory fort and the rest of your trail into The Mumbles proceeds through rugged coastal scenery. At times you walk along the beach, but mostly the trail is on a pleasant surfaced path. Arrive in The Mumbles, your final destination. Walk along the seafront and into the town where there are many restaurants and pubs and where you can dine in celebration of your final night here in Wales. Hwyl Fawr or goodbye!

Overnight The Mumbles

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Langland Road B&B | Bed and breakfast

The Langland B&B offers boutique accommodation just a short walk away from the centre of the Mumbles. It is set in an Edwardian villa which has been completely refurbished. The rooms are all decorated with great care and have a variety of facilities including hairdryers, flat screen TV's, air conditioning etc. They also have hospitality trays with complimentary welsh hot chocolate, bottled water and Welsh Brew Tea. You can also enjoy a delicious full cooked breakfast.

Patricks with Rooms | Bed and breakfast

Patricks with rooms is an established family run Restaurant with rooms. The 5-star rooms at Patricks are stylishly decorated with rich fabrics and modern art. Each room has a luxury bathroom, and a flat-screen TV with a DVD player and iPod dock.

Patricks Restaurant serves modern British cuisine and fresh local seafood. The elegant Lounge Bar offers indulgent afternoon teas and fine wines, and full English breakfasts are served daily.

Tides Reach Guest House | Guest House

Tides Reach is an elegant, comfortable and spacious guest house facing the sea and overlooking the promenade, with uninterrupted views to Mumbles lighthouse and Swansea Bay. It offers a variety of uniquely decorated and furnished rooms – 2 standard doubles, a superior double, family room and two with sea views. Every room features crisp white sheets and down duvets and pillows. All rooms have high ceilings and decorative detail and are decorated to a high standard with elegant furnishings and thoughtful touches to ensure that our guests feel at home during their stay.

Our delightful and airy breakfast room boasts exceptional views across the Swansea Bay towards Mumbles Lighthouse. Retaining the elegant style of the surroundings, it allows you to dine in comfort and in a relaxing atmosphere, whilst gazing at the ever-changing view.

Guests can opt to start with a variety of cereals, fruit choices, fruit juices, yogurts or toast whilst waiting for their cooked breakfast with unlimited tea and coffee to enjoy.

Day 7 Departing Point: The Mumbles