Oxwich Castle and Oxwich Point

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A must-see in this part of South Wales, Port Enyan Bay and beach are natural wonders that you simply mustn’t miss if you’re passing through. The Long Hole Cliff Nature Reserve to the west is also one of the region’s outstanding sites for walkers.

Details

n°103780283
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 12.47 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 961 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 968 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 361 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 20 ft
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Photos

Viewpoint shortly after Long Hole Cliff

Description of the walk

(S/E) Setting off from Oxwich Green (be careful to park so as not to obstruct the bus turning round there), the walk heads towards Oxwich Castle (1) – also known as Penrice – which is more of a Tudor-style manor house than a castle, but with the distinctive feature of being attached to the ruins of a medieval castle, before heading out into the countryside to the coastal path.
Continue on to Oxwich Point (2), where a small gap in the bushes allows you to slip through onto the rocky headland, from where you can enjoy a fine view of Oxwich Beach.
Turn back along the coastal path heading west towards Port Eynon, a former haunt of bandits, pirates and even shipwreckers.
(3) The route suggested here bypasses the pretty beach in favour of an easier walk along a path behind the first line of dunes.
There’s a beautiful 270° panoramic view from the cliff overlooking the village.
The walk continues along the coastal path beyond the Long Hole Cave & Cliff nature reserve (4), where it makes a short detour to the top of the next cliffs (km 13) before turning inland.
(5) Return to base by following a number of paths signposted ‘Footpath’ but which are poorly marked, sometimes overgrown with scrub (brambles, stinging nettles, hemlock, blackthorn or other thorny shrubs, etc.), sometimes ploughed and sown by farmers, but always with stiles, gates or fences to cross between each agricultural plot. This is Wales, thankfully still entirely devoted to nature and agriculture…

No farmer, no food! Please ensure you always close the gates properly to enclosures where sheep, cows or ponies graze in semi-freedom.

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 279 ft - Oxwich Green
  2. 1 : mi 0.29 - alt. 223 ft - Oxwich Castle
  3. 2 : mi 1.94 - alt. 20 ft - Oxwich Point
  4. 3 : mi 5.46 - alt. 46 ft - Port Eynon
  5. 4 : mi 7.71 - alt. 207 ft - Long Hole Cliff Nature Reserve
  6. 5 : mi 8.04 - alt. 115 ft - Viewpoint
  7. 6 : mi 11.06 - alt. 177 ft - Horton
  8. S/E : mi 12.47 - alt. 279 ft - Oxwich Green

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