Caswell Bay beach is nestled in along the Gower coastline a few kilometres east of the Mumbles, Swansea. The beach itself is enclosed by gorgeous, rugged cliffs that form the bay. Atop these cliffs you’ll find the Wales Coast Path, which makes Caswell Bay a popular destination with weekend beach goers and trekkers alike.
However, if your trip to the Gower doesn’t include walking along the coast path, don’t worry. Caswell Bay beach is one of the most accessible beaches on the Gower peninsula and can just as easily be accessed by vehicle as it can by foot.
Table of contents
- How to get to Caswell Bay beach
- Car parking at Caswell Bay beach
- Things to do at Caswell Bay beach
- Where to stay at Caswell Bay
- Caswell Bay beach FAQs
- Find more travel content on A World Over
How to get to Caswell Bay beach
You’ve got three options to get to Caswell Bay beach. You can walk to it, take public transport or drive to it.
Walking
Walking to Caswell Bay beach is best done via the Wales Coast Path. This is by far the most scenic route to get to the bay and well worth including in your trip. The distance you have to walk will, of course, depend on where you are coming from. But as long as you are within a few kilometres of the bay, your walking time shouldn’t be more than a few hours.
If you’re coming from the mumbles, then expect to walk around 6km east to get to Caswell Bay. If coming to Caswell Bay beach from the opposite direction, the nearest sizable beach and likely your starting point is Pwlldu beach. This beach is roughly 3km west of Caswell Bay.
Although these are not very long walks, they do require at least a good level of walking stamina—especially as the coast path can be tiring when going uphill. If you want to find out exactly how long it’s going to take you to walk to Caswell Bay along the Wales Coast Path, then you can use this interactive map.
How to get to Caswell Bay by train and bus
Most journeys to the Gower peninsula by public transport begin with a train ride. So, if you need to take a train, then get one to Swansea. The train station is right in the middle of the town and from just outside the main entrance you’ll find High Street bus station.
Get the number 24 bus from High Street station to Swansea bus station. Alternatively, you could walk this leg, which should take roughly 15 minutes. At Swansea bus station you’ll want to get on the 2C bus service to Caswell Bay. The 2C bus is the longest leg of the journey. It takes you along Swansea seafront and before eventually bringing you all the way to Caswell Bay beach. The bus stop where you’ll get off is just behind the beach edge.
If you want to mix things up, then you can get off the bus early at Groves Avenue and walk the remainder of the journey via the Wales Coast Path.
From Groves Avenue it’s a 2.7km walk. You begin by heading down Caswell Road until you come to Brynfield Road. Turn left onto Brynfield Road and follow it all the way to the coast path. Turn right once you get to the coast path and continue until you arrive at Caswell Bay beach.
How to drive to Caswell Bay
The exact route you take will obviously depend on your start point. However, if you plan to come via Swansea, then Mumbles Road (the A4067) takes you along Swansea seafront and away from the city. Once you get to the roundabout with Newton Road, come off the roundabout onto Newton Road (the B4593).
Newton Road takes you away from the Mumbles deeper into the Gower peninsula. So head up Newton Road before turning left onto Langland Road. Continue down Langland Road which then becomes Southward Lane. Southward Lane will become Caswell Road after a few minutes and you’ll just need to continue on Caswell Road right down to the beach.
Car parking at Caswell Bay beach
Once you’re down at the beach level, you’ll have the option to turn right off Caswell Road straight into a car park. This is Caswell Bay car park, a pay-and-display car park run by Swansea council. From the car park it’s under a minute to get to the beach walking.
Things to do at Caswell Bay beach
There’s a range of activities you can do at Caswell Bay.
Caswell Bay beach
The beach is the main attraction for most and it’s a beauty. It’s a fairly large beach when the tide is out and the surrounding nature is fantastic. The serrated, triangular limestone cliffs on the right-hand side give it a wild, unkept look. And to the left, the coast path winds up the cliffs to heights from which you get the best viewpoint.
Being so accessible means that Caswell Bay is one of the most popular beaches on the Gower. However, this doesn’t take away from its beauty. But it does mean that I’d strongly recommend planning your trip to avoid the busiest periods, such as bank holidays and school breaks.
Surfing
‘Is Caswell Bay good for surfing?’ I hear you ask. Well, the answer is that it can be, but it depends on the time of year that you go. February is usually the best time to catch some waves at Caswell Bay, but check out this surf report for detailed info.
If you’re looking for surf lessons, then Caswell Bay beach is a great option as there are two surf schools operating out of it. These are Progress Surf School and Gower Surf Academy. And with the car park so close to the beach, you won’t have far to carry your board.
Walk in the cliffs
Don’t fancy a surf, then why not a hike? Well, it’s more of a walk depending on the direction in which you go, but the coast path along Caswell Bay is a highlight of any trip here.
If you head west and take the low tide trail, then the coast path is a hike, and a steep one too. The initial ascent from Caswell Bay beach up into the cliffs starts with steep steps and then a challenging trail. However, this flattens out as you begin the walk away from Caswell Bay. At this point, you’ll have an amazing view onto the beach and the coastline cliffs.
But if you head in the direction of the Mumbles from the beach, then the coast path is concrete and an easy walk. Just as you get up from the beach, you have the option of leaving the path and heading up the steeper bank trail which brings you to a golfing green. There’s a public right of way here which goes along the edge of the green. You can walk via this public right of way and get the best views of the surroundings on offer from this side of Caswell Bay.
You could avoid the golf green and continue on the coast path instead. A few minutes walking past the turn off up to the golf green and the coast path bends left. Around the bend the views open up onto the Mumbles and Swansea.
Golf
Perhaps not the most adventurous of activities, and not my cup of tea, but golfing is another option available at Caswell Bay. The course that I mentioned above belongs to Langland Bay Golf Club, which, to its credit, does have unreal views over Caswell Bay and the Mumbles.
Walk the trails in Bishops Wood
If you walk to the back of Caswell Bay car park, you’ll see a path leading off into the woods. This is Bishops Wood nature reserve and it has a circular trail walk roughly 1.3km long. The lush green, thick woods are teaming with wildlife, especially birds and we heard all sorts of beautiful sounds when we were there. In Bishops Wood there is also a mediaeval style wooden roundhouse where gatherings and music sometimes take place.
Where to stay at Caswell Bay
The best areas for finding accommodation close to Caswell Bay are Bishopston, Newton and Langland. All of these areas have accommodation options that are within an hour’s walk to Caswell Bay beach.
We stayed in a yurt called The Fox Den, which we found on Airbnb. It’s an off-grid tent with cooking and showering facilities. The best thing about The Fox Den was that it’s right on the edge of Bishops Wood. It was a peaceful place to stay, perfect for disconnecting from technology for a bit and reconnecting with nature. Another bonus was that it was a short walk through Bishops Wood to get to Caswell Bay beach.
Caswell Bay beach FAQs
Is Caswell Bay dog friendly?
You cannot bring dogs onto Caswell Bay beach between the months of May and September. Outside of these months, dogs are allowed on Caswell Bay beach.
Is it safe to swim at Caswell Bay
It is safe to swim at Caswell Bay beach, but it’s recommended to do so at low tide. There are RNLI lifeguards stationed at the beach.
How far walk is Langland to Caswell Bay?
It’s roughly a 3km walk to Langland from Caswell Bay via the coast path. In Langland you’ll find options to eat.
Find more travel content on A World Over
Did you find this guide to Caswell Bay beach useful? Then why not check out my guide to the best beaches in the Gower to find out where else you should visit in this place of outstanding natural beauty.
And if you want to find other travel content, then head to the A World Over blog!