The Best Hiking Destinations In and Around Swansea
Swansea is well known as a vibrant city full of possibilities for anyone who is into sports events, concerts, clubbing or culture. However, if you ever feel like having a little break from city life and getting the most from the beautiful surroundings of Swansea Bay - we have something for you! From a romantic walk to Mumbles pier to a proper hike on Pen Y fan - you will certainly find something for you on our list! So put your boots on and get ready to experience stunning views of Swansea and the local area!
1) MUMBLES PIER
Starting with the easiest one - Mumbles Pier is probably the most known landmark in Swansea and there is a reason for it. You can start your trek from anywhere in the city centre and walk a lovely promenade along the Swansea Bay beach or the beach itself.
Depending on the time of the day you can witness how tides reshape the coast. You can treasure hunt on the beach or collect seashells as souvenirs. Once you reach the Mumbles - there is a little prize for you! You can taste Verdi’s famous ice creams and have your say in the eternal discussion - whose ice creams are better? Verdi’s or Joe’s? From there it’s only a short walk to the famous pier where you can either enjoy a fish from Copperfish restaurant, play some games or enjoy the views of Swansea and Mumbles lighthouse.
2) LANGLAND - MUMBLES
If a walk to Mumbles was not enough for you, you can extend it by hiking along the cliffs all the way to Langland. Or you can do this the other way around. Start by taking bus no.2 from the Main Bus Station (next to Quadrant Centre) and go to Langland Corner. You can either relax there on a cosy little beach, have a snack or hit the trail along the cliffs to experience the wilder coast of Swansea. There are several nice viewpoints but the main prize is (again!) Mumbles pier and lighthouse.
3) RHOSSILI
Probably the most picturesque from the whole list. Get on bus no. 118 or 119 from the Main Bus Station to Rhossili. Prepare for approximately a one hour trip, your final stop will be called Terminus. You can also get there by car, but be aware that you will have to pay for parking there. From there you can go 2 ways:
1) Worm’s Head - start with going left towards cliffs, pass the Mermaid’s Wall and enjoy the view on the beach. If you’re taking pictures - watch out for the sheep and horses! They are everywhere and sometimes they can play as gatekeepers and block your path but you can easily bribe them with a carrot or an apple. They can also either improve or spoil your photo - just remember they’re not born instagram models :)
Once you manage to cross the horse/sheep-infested path it’s time to check the time.
You may (or not) be able to cross the causeway to Worms Head island. Just double check the crossing times and don’t underestimate tides otherwise you will get stranded on the island!
2) Rhossili Bay - the other option is to turn right and head straight towards the beach.
You can either rest and test your swimming costume also at certain times of the season you can join surfers as well. What makes Rhossili unique is the fact you can find a shipwreck of Helvetia - an old wooden cargo ship from the end of the 19th century
4) STACKPOLE COAST
This one is a great idea for a whole day of hiking with a lovely sunbathing break in the middle. First You will need to take a train from Swansea to Pembroke Dock. Then change for a bus 387 (to Bosherston) or 388 (to Angle) in both cases you will need to get out of the Car Park stop. From there you can start with hitting the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. At the very start of the trip you will find scenic Barafundle Bay (pic right). From there continue with a path on the top of the cliffs where you can enjoy the views. Be mindful however - you’re in Wales which means anytime you can meet a certain fluffy, wooly ‘locals’.
After some time you will notice a lone rock standing in the sea. Because of its shape it was named Church Rock and it stands just in front of another hidden beach. If you are a swimmer you will certainly have a lot of fun there. If not then you will definitely enjoy the bay beach which is hidden from the winds from both sides. After you rest a bit you can decide where to go next first:
1) The first option is to continue along the coast to St Govan's Head and soon after you pass it you will see something you probably haven’t expected to find. Built into a cliff there lies a tiny Saint Govan’s Chapel. The oldest parts of the building date back to the 6th century when a monk called Govan chose this place as his hermitage. Judging by the scenic location - we can fully understand why he chose this spot.
2) The second option is definitely for nature and bird enthusiasts. Instead of continuing along the coast you can turn towards Lily Ponds. Peaceful area with shadowy paths and climatic causeways is a great choice from spring to autumn as you can either bird watch or observe the most colourful flowers and plants.
Of course you can join both destinations and you can either end up the whole trip in the same location you started (Stackpole Car Park) or if the last destination was St Govan’s Chapel - Bosherston. From there you can take a bus back to Pembroke Dock and then train back to Swansea.
5) OXWICH CASTLE, THREE CLIFFS BAY
Next one is a bit historical but as usual in Wales it’s not short on beautiful landscapes. Firstly you’ll have to take a bus from Swansea Bus Station. Take bus no. 118 (Rhossili) or 20A (Dunvant) after approx. 20mins change at Square stop to bus 117 (Scurlage) after another 25mins you will reach Oxwich Cross.
You can start by visiting Oxwich Castle which was largely created in the 16th century but its history starts in the 13th century.
Next go down to the Oxwich Bay Beach where you can enjoy the sun or wander around the dunes. Continue, pass the Tor Bay until you reach Three Cliffs Bay.
There you can cross the estuary of the Pennard Pill using the Stepping Stones. After that you may notice a local curiosity - Stone Spiral. Originally built in 1974 by Ali from Morocco it was destroyed several times by storms and horses but every time it was rebuilt afterwards.
The last point of this trip will be a visit to Pennard Castle after which you can take bus 117 or 118 from Sandy Lane stop or no.14 from Three Cliffs Drive.
6) PEN Y FAN
Finally last but not least - Pen Y Fan. The highest peak in South Wales (886m) and the most demanding hiking trail from our list. This time forget about the swimwear and prepare your hiking boots, breathable base layer, windproof raincoat - in this case weather will be the bigger challenge than altitude! No matter what trail you choose - Pen Y Fan is an activity for the whole day. If you are not certain about your fitness level, want to enjoy a gentle hike with your kids or dog - we have prepared a couple of routes you can take to climb the highest peak in Southern Britain.
1. Storey Arms Start (Easy) - this route is the gentlest one and starts in the activity centre Storey Arms (pic on the right) or nearby car park Pont ar Daf. In order to get there you will need to depart from Swansea Bus Station by taking a bus T6 (Brecon) and get out on St David stop there you will change to T4 (Merthyr Tydfil) and get out on Storey Arms stop.
2. Pont ar Daf (Easy) - Probably the most popular route to Pen Y Fan starts barely a kilometer south of Storey Arms on the A470 and you can easily walk between the start of each route. It’s also slightly easier than a direct climb from Storey Arms but offers even better views and on your way you can summit Corn Du.
3. Beacon’s Horseshoe from Taf Fechan (Medium) - the previous 2 routes were quite easy; both Storey Arms and Pont ar Daf don’t take more than 2.5h and are only 3-4km. Beacon’s Horseshoe is definitely more challenging. Be ready for at least a 12km trek which will most likely take you at least 6 hours. During this time you will not only summit Pen Y Fan but Corn Du (873m), Cribyn (795m) and Fan Y Big (719m) as well. It’s the most versatile and scenic of the routes.
If you ever climbed Trolltunga (Troll’s Tongue) in Norway you may have a small deja vu after reaching Fan Y Big.
Fan Y Big (below left) and her bigger sibling Trolltunga (below right)
Happy trails!
Adrian Kieronczyk
