I am lucky that my parents live on the beautiful Gower Peninsula in South Wales. It’s a stunning part of the coast with small coves, breathtaking cliffs and sprawling sand dunes. However, when I visit, it’s often easy to get caught up in other things that are happening without finding the time to stop and take in the wonder of the cliffs and beaches quite literally five minutes away. On a recent long weekend, I finally found time to explore part of the coastline that I had neglected for too long.

We joined the Wales Coastal Path at Overton Mere, a quiet inlet on the south side of the peninsula and walked a few miles in the direction of Worm’s Head, a rocky outpost next to the vast Rhossili Bay, one of my favourite beaches. The 870 mile-long Wales Coastal Path officially opened in 2012. The path takes in rural cliffs, seaside proms, industrial docks and lots more in-between.

Our walk was on one of the more remote parts of the route meaning that we had most of the path to ourselves. With the sea breeze blowing salty spray through our hair, we felt miles away from the hustle and bustle that always descends on the area during holiday season. Many parts of the path are right next to the cliff edge and if you’re a sea lover (like me), there’s a certain excitement when being next to the waves crashing over the rocks. You couldn’t get much closer without jumping in!

After climbing up a short incline, we came to a collection of sheer faced rocks where some skilled climbers were scaling the face. Straight ahead of us Worm’s Head came into view in the distance, the sea glistening around it. Although tempted to continue our walk out to Rhossili Bay, particularly with the promise of more hidden coves and rocky paths, we weren’t feeling particularly energetic. So, we headed back home for some tea and homemade cake, saving our longer coastal adventure for another day!

Images by Rachel Baker