Tying it in with a visit to my youngest Sister, who has been ill recently, I worked out a plan for a day out yesterday.
She lives within easy reach of the Gower Peninsula and I have never visited that area, but was excited by the prospect having viewed some of the images of popular spots online.
Having collected Ross (my Nephew) from Swansea, it was a steady drive out to Rhossili to start our day out. I had consulted the tide times for when to expect low tide, as the first part of the plan was to venture out onto Worm's Head at Rhossili Bay. Access to the Head is only possible for a couple of hours either side of low tide, so that plan was essential.
The first view that I was confronted by having parked at the National Trust car park at the top of the cliffs overlooking the Bay, was a wonderful view out over the Bay and the beach. That view was to our right as we headed off for the walk to Worm's Head.
After a while, we reached the edge of these cliffs and were able to start the descent to the low level start of the walk out to the Head.
I will be honest and say I had expected an easier path to get out to and across the Head as, although some parts are grassy and well worn paths, some parts require quite a physical scramble over rough rocky outcrops.
The first part of our walk was a scramble of varied and uneven rocks but remaining at a sea level, with large expanses of mussels (mainly small to medium sized) lying there on the rocks.
Reaching the other end of this sea level part brought us to the climb up to the first Head, with a relatively easy scramble up over some rocks we were able to look back across the Bay and to frame the view with foreground rocks.
A bit further onwards and upwards, we were onto the grassy upper reaches of that first Head and were able to look down to the rocks below to see 3 grey seals basking there while another just chilled in the sea a short distance away.
Following that, we continued the walk, choosing to skirt around the side of that first Head as my plan involved hopefully reaching the Devil's Bridge at the midpoint of the middle Head. We were able to follow a well worn path to reach the rocky section that divides the inner Head from the middle one and, as we came up over a crest in the path we were confronted with another spectacular view - this one looking out to the remainder of Worm's Head across some interesting rock formations and with the waves breaking onto those rocks as creating white water patterns.
We could then see the 'hole' that is actually a collapsed cave that is under the Devil's Bridge, where the footpath crosses that 'hole' to enable walkers to reach the outer Head. To our right we could also see that to reach the Devil's Bridge was going to require some fairly serious scrambling over quite a stretch of rough rocks with quite a fall if you slipped or lost balance. The rocks were dry and not slippery, but many gaps exist and it's quite a feat to pick a route across and quite time consuming for a relatively short distance covered.
We reckoned we would have sufficient time to make it there and take some photos before needing to head back to the mainland ahead of the time that the tide would cut us off, particularly as we had stopped a fair bit on the outward trek to take photos and would not need to on the return.
Scrambling over the rocks was quite a challenge, more so to me than to my younger and fitter Nephew, but we made it to that midpoint as hoped and got the photos before successfully returning to the mainland ahead of the necessary time.
After quite a strenuous but exciting and rewarding morning, it was definitely time for the lunch we had packed.
Following the much needed rest and lunch break, we drove on to our next port of call a bit further around the coast as we headed for Port Eynon. Judging by the number of caravan parks visible on the surrounding hills, this turned out to be a justifiably popular spot.
More walking, easier this time, afforded us spectacular views out over the Bay as we sat atop the cliffs that overlook the old Salthouse. The tide was at around the midpoint of an incoming tide and it wouldn't have been wise to venture out to some rocks that are already calling for me to return at a suitable time for some different viewpoints and hopefully great photos. If the tide was nearer to low tide, I would have ventured out to the rocks that form the curve mid frame in photo below to get the view looking inland with the old Salthouse in shot.
Following that, our last stopping point was at Southgate as we parked ahead of a cliff top walk to Three Cliffs Bay.
This was also spectacular but also another that required me to return at a more suitable time of day as for this one I was looking into the strong sunlight, so I was too late in the day to achieve decent photos from the cliff top. I could probably have got to a good viewpoint where the sun would have been illuminating the sides of the cliffs, but that required a further walk that involved quite a descent of sandy footpaths but and equally steep climb at the other end of it and the prospect of the same descent and climb to return to the car after - too much a prospect at the end of a long and arduous day. Definitely another to return for, I saw enough to know I want to go back. The view earlier in the day, with sunlight on it would be great and if I got to beach level there is a river flowing through to the sea.
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