Gower/Gŵyr

Head west out of Swansea and the city falls away fast, into lanes that dead-end at limestone headlands and sand that seems to go on for miles. Gower was named Britain’s first protected landscape back in 1956, and it still makes sense why: a compact 187 square kilometres holding cliffs, dunes, salt marsh and common land, all within easy reach of a big city, which makes it a forgiving place to start if coastal walking is new to you.

Most people’s first stop is the western end, where Rhossili Down rises behind one of the best beaches in Wales and the ground drops away toward Worm’s Head, a tidal spit that turns into an island twice a day. It’s a lovely spot for a family scramble out along the causeway, just build in time either side of low tide and check the times before you set off — the tide has stranded plenty of people who cut the crossing too fine.

Inland, Cefn Bryn is the peninsula’s backbone, a long ridge of common grazing with sweeping views for very little effort, good for a short leg-stretcher with children or a first taste of open moorland. The Wales Coast Path threads the whole southern edge, so you can link beaches like Oxwich and Port Eynon into as long or short a day as suits, with plenty of places to bail out to a road if the weather turns.

None of it needs specialist kit. Sturdy shoes, a tide table if the coast is on the plan, and a look at the forecast before leaving covers most days here comfortably.