What does day 65 of a long-distance walk actually look like? For one trekker working their way along the Wales Coast Path, it meant a wind-battered night in the tent with gusts hitting 30mph, barely an hour of proper sleep, and an early morning tide puzzle at one of the Gower Peninsula's most famous beaches.
The day started at Three Cliffs Bay, where the route crosses a tidal creek via stepping stones — only passable at low tide. The writer had clocked this the evening before and, thanks to some helpful advice from a local shop, took a prettier inland diversion that shaved off half a mile while the tide did its thing. Back on the coast, the next challenge was navigation through the dunes above the bay, where a tangle of sandy paths and few signs made for some confusing walking.
Then came a bit of homegrown weather forecasting drama. With a rain blip predicted for 10am, the writer got the waterproofs on at 9:59 — seconds before a short, sharp burst of wind and rain blew through. Too gusty for an umbrella, as is often the case on this coast.
The morning also delivered a classic trail encounter: a chat with another long-distance walker named Tom, who'd started weeks earlier in Plymouth on the Southwest Coast Path and was heading north, with plans to continue through Ireland and Scotland. There was even gear talk and a test-fit of his Atom pack — the kind of spontaneous trail conversation that keeps multi-week walkers going.
The afternoon was easier going. Lunch at Caswell Bay, then a surprise for anyone used to rough coastal trails: the clifftop path from Caswell to Mumbles Head is largely paved. Beyond Mumbles, a shared pedestrian and cycle path leads into a two-mile beach walk all the way to Swansea. The writer's verdict? Grateful to have seen at least part of the Gower Peninsula in sunshine, even with plenty of pavement and rain still to come before the finish line.
For holidaymakers, this stretch is a useful window into what walking the Wales Coast Path around Gower is really like: dramatic tidal crossings that demand timing, dunes that test your map-reading, and then surprisingly accessible, paved sections that suit casual day walkers as much as through-hikers. You could easily sample this exact route as a day walk from Swansea — Three Cliffs Bay, Caswell Bay and Mumbles are all linked and reachable without committing to a 65-day expedition. Just check tide times before attempting the creek crossing at Three Cliffs, and pack a waterproof shell no matter what the forecast says.
