Whiteford Point Walk – Gower

Directions:

Parking is in Llanmadoc – to get there, drive through the village and bear right when you see the church. Shortly after, you will see a field gateway and the car park sign on your right – this is the Whiteford Beach car park. There is an honesty box on the right-hand side as you drive in.

Exit the car park and turn right down the lane, after a couple of hundred yards you will pass through the National Trust gate which then takes you steeply downhill towards the beach. When the track flattens out and the tarmac ends take the gate on your right into the pine forest.

All the tracks will take you out to the north into the spit ultimately arriving at the beach and the famous Victorian lighthouse standing at the low water mark.

The lighthouse is the only operational cast iron lighthouse on the British coast that actually stands in the sea. It was built in 1865 to safeguard the increased trade in and out of Llanelli and Burry Port. The 61ft high structure is constructed from heavy cast iron plates bolted together to form seven rings. These in turn are bolted together using internal & external flanges. Further cast iron strengthening bands were added at a later date. The light was extinguished in 1933, and more recently in 1982 a solar powered light was installed. The presence of the lighthouse didn’t put an end to the shipwrecks at the point – in 1868 nineteen sailing vessels were towed out of the estuary by steam tugs to begin their journeys, however soon after they set sail the wind died and 16 of the ships drifted into the point and were wrecked during the night on the sands. The daylight brought scenes of carnage with wrecked boats and bodies littering the coast to Burry Holms. Interestingly, although the folk of the village of Llanmadoc were oblivious to the disaster unfolding on the coast below, there is an account by the reverend J. D. Davies of a ghost which was seen in the church grounds that night, disturbing the evening’s choir practice. Many of the locals believed that it was the soul of one of the unfortunate sailors.

For the return leg of the walk, follow the two miles of sweeping sand back towards the hill above Broughton Bay. When you meet the cliffs of Hills Tor, turn left across the dunes and follow the valley until you find yourself on a track that rises up the hill emerging in the village of Cwm Ivy. You should by now recognise the final leg of the walk taking you up the road past the lovely Cwm Ivy Coffee shop.

If you have time to spare, Llanmadoc church at the top of the hill is worthy of a visit. The building’s origins can be traced back to the 13th century, though much of what meets the eye today dates to a very extensive renovation of the church in 1865. The reverend J. D. Davies was rector of Llanmadoc and Cheriton from 1860 to 1911 and famously wrote a book, “A History of west Gower” referred to by many as “the Gower Bible.” The extensive work documents much of the history, customs and folklore of the area, and may be found for viewing in the reference library in Swansea. The Reverend was also a skilled carpenter – he personally carved the oak altar found within the church and also built the beautiful Swiss-styled rectory across the road, inspired by a holiday to Switzerland.