I walked Llangennith Burrows and Rhossili Bay on a bright summer’s day, when the sky was cloudless and the tide had pulled far out, leaving a huge sweep of sand exposed. The drive into Llangennith is always slow, the lanes narrowing the closer you get, but the reward is arriving at one of Gower’s most open stretches of coastline. I parked in the large field near the beach, paid the fee, and laced my boots in the warmth of the morning sun.
The walk began across Llangennith Burrows, a patchwork of sand dunes and marram grass. The paths were sandy and uneven, the kind that drag at the boots and test the legs even before you reach the bay. Navigation here is simple enough, though the dunes can look similar after a while. I followed the well-trodden lines, climbing one or two ridges to get bearings before pressing on.
The air was full of the sound of skylarks, their calls rising high above the dunes. The sun carried heat, but the steady breeze kept it from feeling uncomfortable.
Breaking out of the dunes, the scale of Rhossili Bay hit immediately. The sand stretched unbroken for miles, from the headland of Worm’s Head at one end to Burry Holms at the other. With the tide out, the beach was vast, firm underfoot, and easy to walk. I set a steady pace southward, the wind at my back and the sea rolling in gentle waves beside me.
A few kite surfers were out, their sails cutting sharp lines against the blue sky. Families were spread thinly across the sand, so wide was the bay that even in summer it felt uncrowded.
After a couple of miles, I paused to drink water and take in the view back along the bay. The cliffs behind Llangennith were already distant, the dunes a thin line against the horizon. The openness of the walk was striking — nothing to break the line of sight but sea, sky, and sand.
Rather than return entirely along the beach, I cut back into the dunes for the final stretch. This was heavier going, each step sinking into soft sand, but the marram grass offered some shelter from the breeze. The winding tracks eventually brought me back to the field car park, where cars were now packed tightly together and surfers were pulling on wetsuits for the afternoon swell.
I sat on the tailgate with a sandwich, sand still clinging to my boots, watching the line of boards heading down toward the sea.
The Llangennith Burrows and Rhossili Bay walk is all about scale. The dunes sap energy, the bay stretches endlessly, and the sky seems bigger here than anywhere else on Gower. It’s not a difficult walk, but the distance and the sand make it more of a workout than expected. The combination of dunes, surf, and horizon views make it one of the most memorable coastal routes in South Wales.
– **Distance**: Around 5–6 miles (out and back, with dune variation).
– **Weather**: Bright, hot sun with steady breeze.
– **Terrain**: Sand dunes, firm beach, soft sand on return.
– **Parking**: Large pay-and-display field at Llangennith.
– **Gear**: Lightweight boots or sturdy shoes, sun protection, plenty of water.
