ales 04 Whiteford Burrows, Ramblers Gower Peninsula Routes DISTANCE 9.75KM/6 MILES ASCENT 85M/279FT TIME 4 HOURS TYPE COAST
To download this route NAVIGATION FITNESS PERFECT NUMBER and hundreds of others, visit LEVEL LEVEL FOR OF STILES ramblers.org.uk/routes EASY LEISURELY FAMILIES NONE
This circular walk explores the quiet north-western tip of the beautiful Gower Peninsula, where the 4 extensive dunes at Whiteford Burrows meet salt St Davids marshes, tidal creeks, forestry plantations and a great sweep of unspoilt sand. The area is a WHITEFORD BURROWS National Nature Reserve and the high dunes provide shelter for rare fl owers and insects
Plan your walk ROUTE BY ROGER BUTLER WHERE Circular walk from START Fork R at the junction Llanmadoc, exploring the 1 north-west tip of the Gower. by St Madoc’s Church and walk downhill to the hamlet of Cwm Ivy. START/END Llanmadoc (SS439933). Car park by the Fork L at the fi rst houses and pass lane leading to Cwm Ivy. through a gate (with National Trust sign) next to the last house. 3 TERRAIN Tracks, paths and 5 sandy beaches. 2 Continue downhill on a MAPS OS Explorer 164; surfaced track and after 2 Landranger 159. 250m turn R through a gate by the GETTING THERE Nearest train edge of a pine plantation, with small 6 stations: Swansea and Llanelli. cottage beyond. Follow the sandy 1 Bus numbers 115 and 116 (not track along the edge of the trees for START Sundays or most bank holidays) 800m to the next gate at the end of & FINISH are helpful (baytrans.org.uk). the forestry plantation. The land on EATING & DRINKING Cafés at the R was an extensive freshwater Cwm Ivy (closed in winter) and marsh until 2014, when an old dyke Llanmadoc; Britannia Inn was breached after heavy rain. between Llanmadoc and Tides now fl ood the area, and Cheriton (01792 386624). conservationists are monitoring the marram grass. O cially, the Wales a gate onto the cli s and turns R SLEEPING Forge Cottage B&B, revival of the original salt marsh. Coast Path runs along the rear of to the top of Hills Tor, with good Llanmadoc (01792 386302, the beach but when the tide is out, views over the sands to distant forgecottagegower.co.uk); Keep ahead on the track for the sands are more than 500m wide. Pembrokeshire. Turn L to meet 3 Middle Cottage, Llanmadoc, 2km, with dunes and then Continue ahead for 2.5km (with a walled bank and then veer R self-catering (01792 386668, further pine plantations on the L, the opportunity to explore some downhill, to the dunes at the rear cottages-gower.co.uk); NT until the edge of the fl at salt marsh of the dunes) and then veer L over of Broughton Bay. Cwm Ivy Lodge Bunkhouse, bends L. Follow the sandy path sandy grassland. Head towards the Whiteford Burrows NNR beyond the last trees and walk far R of the forestry plantation. Turn L alongside the caravan (gowernt.wordpress.com). 6 alongside the dunes to the tip site for 300m, go through a gate VISITOR INFORMATION of the peninsula. The cast-iron 5 A sandy track cuts inland, with and turn R on the track, with caravans Tourism Swansea Bay (01792 lighthouse beyond Whiteford the limestone rocks of Cwm Ivy on R. Walk to a cattle grid and turn 371441, tourismswanseabay.co.uk). Point, built in 1865, is no longer Tor ahead. Go through a gate at the L on the lane to return to Llanmadoc GUIDEBOOK Walking on the in service but still acts as a end of the plantation and turn R by in 800m. Gower by Andy Davies (£12.95, navigational landmark. the western end of the tor. Pass Cicerone, ISBN 9781852848217). through a kissing gate and follow the e ort a ath ro em NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES. MAP: CROWN COPYRIGHT 2018 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA LICENCE 049/18. CREATED WITH MEMORY-MAP WITH MEMORY-MAP CREATED MEDIA LICENCE 049/18. ORDNANCE SURVEY. 2018 COPYRIGHT MAP: CROWN IMAGES. TRUST NATIONAL Now turn south along the great path ahead through a wide sandy ia t e at atc a or at LOCAL RAMBLERS GROUP 4 Swansea (01792 547439, sweep of Whiteford Sands, basin called The Conygaer. The path ramblers.org.uk/ at atc
PHOTO: PHOTO: ramblers.org.uk/swansea). backed by huge dunes topped with climbs through a small wood, passes
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Walk58_53_RR04_WALES_final.indd 53 30/01/2018 16:03