I walked the Port Eynon to Overton route on a cool spring morning, when the air was fresh and the sky carried a mix of sun and fast-moving clouds. The drive down was steady, though the final stretch into the village was slow behind holiday traffic. Parking in the pay-and-display near the beach was easy enough at that time of day, though I knew it would be full later.
With boots laced, jacket zipped, and a bottle of water in my pack, I set out from the seafront. The smell of salt and chips lingered from the cafés nearby, but within minutes the path climbed gently onto the cliffs.
The first section rose steadily, the ground a mix of stone and grass with patches of mud left over from recent showers. The incline wasn’t long, but it woke up the legs quickly. Looking back, the view across Port Eynon Bay was already worth the effort — the curve of sand, the boats pulled up on the shore, and the tide pushing slowly in.
The higher I climbed, the stronger the breeze became. The jacket was needed here, zipped up against the gusts that came in off the sea. The footing was straightforward, though in wetter weather these tracks would be slippery.
Once up on the cliffs, the walk opened into wide views. To one side stretched the sea, restless but bright under the changing light; to the other, fields and farmsteads edged with stone walls. The path itself narrowed in places, hugging the edge enough to demand attention. A misstep here would have consequences, so I kept my pace steady and eyes fixed ahead.
As the track turned westward, Overton Mere came into sight — a rocky cove framed by jagged cliffs. The tide was halfway out, revealing dark rocks slick with seaweed and dotted with shallow pools.
I paused at a grassy patch above the cove to take a drink and watch the sea. The wind pressed harder here, carrying the sound of waves against the rocks below. A couple of other walkers passed by with dogs, but otherwise the headland felt quiet and remote. It was the kind of place where you notice the weather more than the people.
The return loop cut inland, swapping the clifftop exposure for tracks through open fields. The ground was firm, though gates and stiles broke up the rhythm. Eventually, the route rejoined the road into Port Eynon, dropping me back into the bustle of the village. By then the car park was nearly full, and the cafés were busy with lunchtime crowds.
I grabbed a pasty from the shop before heading home, eating it on the tailgate of the car with the salt wind still in the air.
The Port Eynon to Overton walk isn’t long, but it packs in variety. The steady climb, the exposed clifftops, and the rocky cove at Overton make it more than a casual stroll. It’s a route where the sea and the weather set the tone, and where the effort is balanced by views that feel both open and wild.
– **Distance**: About 3 miles (circular).
– **Weather**: Cool spring morning, breezy on the cliffs.
– **Terrain**: Grassy tracks, rocky sections, narrow clifftop paths.
– **Parking**: Pay-and-display in Port Eynon, fills by midday.
– **Gear**: Boots with grip, light jacket, water bottle.
