Rhossili to
Whitford Circular via Llanmadoc
"A land whereon the
breath of Arthur's praise
Floats like a mist:
around whose rock-bound coast
Lie Philip's galleons
rooted fast in sand
Hovers in storm-time many
a drowned ghost
A shore for song, a land
of yesterdays
Linger with me about this
haunted l land"
Albert
White
3 walks starting from Rhossili, all
heading out over tracks and footpaths before returning along the beach. All 3
walks ascend Hardings Down (152 metres above sea level) and the medium and long
walks also ascend Llanmadoc Hill (185 metres above sea level).
The long walk is 16.4
miles, 26.4 Kms, and includes the Whiteford SSSI, Whiteford sands and the
Victorian Lighthouse. The medium and long walks include Broughton Bay,
Blue Pool and an optional visit to Burry Holms. All 3 walks involve stretches of
Rhossili Bay. Alternative starts for all 3 walks are Hillend, car parking charge
in camp-site, and the medium and
long walks can be taken from Llanmadoc, Llanmadoc camp-site car park or honesty
box in field at Cwm Ivy. The medium walk is 11.7 miles, 18.8 Kms,
and the short walk is 7.1 miles, 11.4 Kms.
Toilets, refreshments and payphones at Rhossili and the camp
site shops at Hillend and Broughton sell basics. There is a daytime cafe
and take-away at Hillend camp site and those on the short walk pass the Kings
Head at Llangennith. For a map to get to the start click here.
OS Explorer Map 10 starting at grid ref: SS 41454/88087.
Llangennith
to the left; Hardings Down and Llanmadoc Hill ahead
Long
Walk
Leave the car park at Rhossili heading back down the road. Just past the
bus stop and telephone box on your left take the track towards the church and
after 20 yards take the little wooden gate into the churchyard, noting the
Sailors’ Corner immediately on the right. Leave the churchyard at the far end,
passing the rope lamp, and continue along the road to enter the village of
Middleton. Head into the village and take the road turning on the left by a bus
stop and telephone box, some half mile from the start. The road ascends gently,
crosses a cattle grid and becomes a stony track. The track then starts to
descend with views diagonally left to the village of Llangennith and the hill of
Hardings Down ahead. Cross a wooden stile by a metal gate by a ‘Gower Way’
stone marker, following the track as it curves to the right. Go through a metal
gate, keeping to the main track. Just before this track enters some trees with a
ruined building just visible, go through the gate on the left of the track. (35
mins, SS 43420/89231, 2.09 miles).
The ruined house with
our stile visible
Keep ahead through this slightly marshy area with the trees on your
right, aiming for a wooden stile in the far left-hand corner of the field, just
beyond a pond on the right. Cross the stile and head along the left-hand edge of
the next field. Cross a wooden stile by a metal gate and keep straight ahead.
After 30 yards and just beyond some bushes on the left, take the stile over the
wire fence on the left and head along the field, the fence now on your right.
Cross a short bridge over a stream and a wooden stile and continue along the
left-hand edge of the next field. Cross another wooden stile by a metal gate,
keeping straight ahead. Cross a wooden stile now heading towards some ruined
buildings. The path goes very close to the ruined house on your right, through a
wet, stony area to reach a wooden stile, a few yards beyond the house. Cross the
stile to reach a track. Turn right for 10 yards and then left, following a path
which heads up towards the crest of the hill between bracken. Cross a track as
our path continues uphill, curving left as you approach the summit and then
right. This is Hardings Down with several ancient features. The path now starts
to descend towards a white house with farm buildings. Our grassy path meets a
stony track – head right along this to the white house, which you pass on the
right. (If you are doing the short walk, see below). The track becomes a metalled road which then meets a main road. Head
right along this road, walking on the right. When the hedge on the left-hand
side of the road ends, cross the road and pass through a gap in a fence to
follow a wide stony track heading towards the hill. ( 1 hr 15 mins, SS
43537/91568, 4.16
miles)
From Llanmadoc Hill,
Llanmadoc village below, Whiteford point in the distance
This area is known as Tankeylake
Moor. Pass under one electricity cable and just before you pass under a second
one, take the rough stony track to the left which heads directly uphill. When
the path forks, take the left fork. At the next fork, alongside a copse of trees
and ruined building on the right, take the left fork which curves left at first
then right as it ascends. You meet another track - turn right along this
continuing uphill. As the path levels look out for a pile of stones just to the
left and cross some tussocky ground to reach this point with
magnificent views over the Loughor estuary - this is Llanmadoc
Hill. If the tides are right you might be
able to make out the Cockle-gatherers up the estuary to the right. The spit of
land with pine trees heading out into the estuary marks our route and you might
be able to make out the lighthouse on the end and slightly left which is where
we turn round to head back along the beach on the long walk. ( 1 hr 35 mins, SS
43996/92714, 4.93 miles).
Cockle-gatherers
Now head downhill towards the village of Llanmadoc below. After 40 yards
turn right along a grassy path, downhill. At a junction of paths take the left
fork, downhill towards the 3 houses. The path curves right to join a stony track
between the middle house and the house on the right continuing downhill. The
track becomes a metalled road between houses to emerge in the middle of
Llanmadoc. Head to the left along the main road, passing a telephone box and a
Post Office and village shop. You come to a road junction to the left signposted
Broughton Beach – only if you are doing the middle distance walk take this and
see route below. For the long walk stay on the road as it curves right,
signposted Cwm Ivy, passing the church of St Madoc on the left. Stay on the road
through Cwm Ivy to reach a wooden gate and pass through the kissing gate on the
right, continuing along the road, downhill to enter a Site of Special Scientific
Interest (SSSI). The road becomes a stony track and turns right into an area
planted with conifers via a small wooden gate. Pass a white building on your
left going along the clear track. Go through a wooden gate to enter a more open
area, Whiteford National Nature Reserve. The track later re-enters a conifer
plantation and then emerges to run between dunes on the left and conifers to the
right, before re-entering the trees for a third time. The track emerges from the
trees and peters out. Head into the open area to pick up a path heading left
with the trees now on your left and aiming for the dunes to emerge on the beach.
(2 hrs 45 mins, SS 45063/96339, 8.39 miles).
From Whiteford point - a
wreck in the foreground, the lighthouse just visible in the distance.
With one short interlude our return route is now on the beach all the way to Rhossili.
Head left along the beach in the direction of the Victorian Lighthouse which is
accessible but only at low tide. The beach gradually curves left to head towards
Broughton Beach in the far distance. You can take any route depending on the
tides but beware of ending up on a spit of land just heading out to sea - this
section is a little under 3.5 miles. After a while you pass a rocky outcrop on
the left and then a stretch of rocky cliff. At the highest tide point you might
have to scramble over the rocks at the foot of this cliff or just wait for the
tide to retreat (or see Variation below). Head towards the middle of the
caravan site ahead – the beach is split by a stream which is usually very
shallow and easy to cross although you will find a crossing if you follow it
inland. Just below the caravans at the right-hand end of the beach head up a
concrete slipway. ( 3 hrs 50 mins, SS 41835/92976, 11.7 miles).
Left, view back along
Broughton beach with Whiteford beyond. Right, Blue Pool, the pool itself visible
front left of photo.
At the end of the concrete turn right marked by a footpath post, passing the
caravans on your left. Turn right by a large boulder to follow a path along the
edge of the cliff. When you get to a broad grassy area, keep to the right,
taking the slightly stony track which descends but after 20 yards take a narrow
path which forks sharp left, initially heading back towards the caravans before curving
right to head steeply uphill to meet a boardwalk path. Head right along this as
it skirts the cliff edge with fine views back over Broughton Bay. The boards end
by a footpath sign – continue along the clear path. Side paths will take you
to the cliff edge but stay on the main path. When you reach two grey metal posts
on the right, our path curves to the left but you can, from this point, take a
steep and somewhat precarious descent down to Bluepool. Another way of reaching
this secluded beach is via the arch visible at the far end which can be
approached at low tide only from Burry Holms. Continue along the cliff-top path
which later becomes sandy as views open up back to Worms Head. When the path
forks take the right fork heading towards the promontory of Burry Holms, the
path then dropping more steeply to a rocky area, Spaniard rocks. (4 hrs 20 mins,
SS 40281/92632, 13.2 miles).
Left, view back along
Rhossili beach, right to Worms Head, both from Burry Holms.
If the tide is out you can cross over to Burry Holms – there is a good
stopping point at the end but remember this area is cut off at low tide. You
could also drop down to the beach and head right to reach Bluepool beach via the
arch, but, again, make sure you have plenty of time between tides or be prepared
to scramble up the cliffs by Bluepool. The return route heads left along a path
just before you reach the beach, dropping down to the beach after 50 yards. Head
back along Rhosilli beach, a little over 3 miles, passing caravans at Hillend
and then the isolated building, the Old
Rectory. At the far end of the beach
take the steps up towards the houses on the top of the cliff, the path bringing
you out opposite the car park. (5 hrs 20 mins, 16.4 miles).
Map of all 3 routes
Medium
Walk
Church of St Madoc
Follow the long route until you get to Llanmadoc and at the road junction
referred to above take the road to the left signposted Broughton Beach, passing
the church on your right. Pass Whiteford Bay caravan park on right and then a
gate alongside a cattle grid with a sign saying 'Welcome to Llanmadoc Camping
Site'. On your left is Lagadranta
Farm where the last fairies were seen on Gower. The white and blue building on your right is the camp shop. Just past
this turn right into the camp, passing a toilet block on your left. Head down
the stony track towards the dunes. Pass a metal gate by a kissing gate and then
follow the track left towards the caravans in the distance. Pass a kissing gate
by a wooden gate and drop down onto the beach. Cross the stream on your left and
head along the beach towards the caravans. Just below the caravans you reach a
concrete slipway - you are now back on the long route all the way to the end. (Total distance 11.7 miles, total time 3hrs 50 mins)
Short
Walk
After passing the white house, proceed along the rough road looking out for a
prominent rusty metal waymark post on the left, signposted 'Llangennith 0.6 Km'
(SS 43586/91226).
Turn left in this direction to a wooden stile 20 yards beyond and go along
left-hand edge of field. At the end of the field take the wooden stile on the
left, immediately turning right to cross another wooden stile 10 yards beyond,
following the yellow arrows, now on right-hand edge of field. Cross a stone
stile, continuing on the right of the field. Cross a wooden stile by a metal
gate and then another, now heading diagonally left to cross another stile. Head
across the field aiming for the church tower to cross a wooden stile in the
hedgerow and then another stile. The next 15 yards can get a bit overgrown but
you will find another stile at the far end which brings you back into the field.
Aim for the church tower again until you get close to the hedge, then look out
for a stone stile in the right-hand corner of the field which brings you into
the middle of Llangennith by the church and opposite the Kings
Head.
The church of St
Cennydd
You now have two choices. To the left of the pub the road forks. You can walk
down the right-hand fork all the way to the Hillend caravan and camp site but
the road can be busy, particularly at weekends and is not ideal walking. A much
safer route is to take the left-hand fork of the road which heads downhill past the church.
The road eventually levels then starts to ascend becoming a stony track. Look
out for a bridleway sign to the left of the track indicating 'Rhossili 4.2 Kms'.
This is before a corrugated-iron barn on the right and cattle grid. Take the
bridleway which runs parallel with the track initially. Pass a wooden gate,
ascending steadily, until you come out onto Rhossili Down. The track soon curves
to the right and the path then splits, (SS 42416/90715). You do not want the left fork unless you
plan to return to Rhossili over the hills. The right fork runs close to a hedge
and wall alongside a white house which should also be avoided unless you enjoy
gorse-wrestling. A third, middle, path runs between these two, heading towards
the sand dunes in the distance and parallel with the right-hand path but 20-30
yards away from the hedge and wall. Take this path, passing first one, then a
second, white house on the right before descending to reach the road opposite
the entrance to the Hillend Caravan and Camping (4.92 miles, 1 hr 37 mins). Go through the wooden gate to
enter the site and walk down the tarmac road following the signs for Beach Car
Park. When you get to the car park take the sandy path through the dunes to
reach the beach. You are now back on the Long Route. Turn left along the beach
to return to Rhossili. Total distance 7.1 miles, total time 2 hrs 25 mins.
Variations
This cuts out the last stretch of beach from Hillend back to Rhossili. If doing
the short walk, instead of going through the gate by the entrance to the Hillend
Caravan and Camping site, head left on a level track passing the caravans on
your right. If doing the medium or long walk, when you get level with the
Hillend caravan site, roughly midway along the final beach and just after a
stream dribbles out along the beach, head through the dunes to the car park and
then up the road towards the entrance to the caravan site. On the far side of
the road by the entrance, go through a wooden gate and turn right to head along
a level track between bracken which passes the caravans on your right. Just stay
on this path, passing the old
Rectory on your right, the path gradually ascending until you reach the
houses of Rhossili. Turn right to enter the village and return to the car park.
This variation can be done on the medium or long routes and is useful on the
long route if the tide is in and you cannot get past the Tors. If doing the
medium walk, follow the long route out of Llanmadoc, through Cwm Ivy and down
into the Nature Reserve but instead of following the road as it turns right into
the conifer plantations, keep ahead along a rough road towards the dunes which skirts
Cwm Ivy Tor on your left. When you reach a gate and stile on your right cross
the stile and follow the track out to the beach. Head left along the beach which
brings you to Broughton beach. On the long walk, you do this in reverse. Heading
back from the Victorian lighthouse, when you get close to the rocky outcrops
look out for a track which is at the right-hand end of the conifer plantation.
The track brings you to a gate and stile - turn left along the road passing
through Cwm Ivy and at the church turn right to follow the medium route to
Broughton beach.
