Rhosili & Worms Head

Visiting Rhosili and Worms Head

Plan your visit to Rhosili (also spelt Rhossili) and Worms Head (also written Worm's Head; Pen Pyrod in Welsh), at the western tip of Gower: causeway tide timing, first aid, the countryside code, travel routes, parking, and village amenities.

Worms Head stretching out to sea, seen across the grassy sand dunes of Rhosili Bay, with the NCI lookout marked on the headland to the left

The lookout is on the headland to the left.

Plan Your Visit

Getting to Rhosili & Parking

Rhosili is located approximately 19 miles (a 45-minute drive) southwest of Swansea at the far western tip of Gower — designated in 1956 as the UK's first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), and now branded the Gower National Landscape.

The gates at the end of Rhosili village where the coast path to Worms Head begins, beside the village's white-painted cottages

By Car

From Swansea, follow the A4118 (South Gower Road) through Killay, Parkmill, and Scurlage. At Scurlage, turn onto the B4247 directly into Rhosili village (Sat Nav: SA3 1PR).

Note: Roads narrow significantly past Scurlage. Please watch for passing places and free-roaming livestock on the commons.

By Bus

The 118 / 119 bus service (Adventure Travel) operates regular routes directly from Swansea Quadrant Bus Station to the Rhosili village terminus next to the main car park.

Always check the return timetable before walking down to the coast, as late-evening services are limited.

National Trust Clifftop Car Park

All visitor parking is located in the main National Trust car park at the end of the B4247 (What3Words: ///snitch.shredder.remembers).

National Trust Members: Free (scan your physical membership card or app barcode at the machines).
Non-Members: Pay & Display machines accept card/contactless, cash, or the PayByPhone mobile app.
Accessible Bays: Dedicated blue badge bays are located on level tarmac ground beside the Visitor Centre.
Peak Notice: The car park fills very quickly on sunny summer weekends and bank holidays. Arrive early or later in the afternoon. Overnight camping is strictly prohibited.

Overflow parking: there's also a smaller car park by St Mary’s Church in the village (What3Words: ///above.ironic.hype), which can be useful if the main National Trust car park is full.

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No Facilities Down by the Worm

Crucial Visitor Information

Once you leave Rhosili village and walk down toward the lookout station and causeway, there are zero public facilities:

NO Toilets

The last public toilets are located in Rhosili village near the bus stop and car park.

NO Drinking Water / Taps

Always carry plenty of fresh drinking water with you. There are no public refill points on the headland. While the Lookout station occasionally has small bottled water available for purchase, supplies are limited and cannot be guaranteed—please come prepared.

NO Rubbish / Waste Disposal

Strictly leave no trace. Every piece of litter must be carried back up the hill.

Off-Grid NCI Station

NCI Worms Head Lookout operates entirely off-grid (solar/battery powered). It has no public electricity, water, or toilets.

Rhosili Village Businesses & Amenities

Please note that all cafes, restaurants, shops, and public conveniences are located up in Rhosili village. Make sure to use these amenities before heading down the cliff paths:

The Worm’s Head Hotel

Restaurant & Clifftop Bar

Hearty hot meals, local Welsh ales, and a cliff-edge beer garden boasting panoramic views across Rhosili Bay and the Worm.

Visit website →

The View Rhossili Kitchen, Cafe and Bar

Café, Kitchen & Bar

Fresh homemade soups, local Welsh seafood, artisan cakes, barista coffee, and vegan/gluten-free options with bay views.

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The LookOut Rhossili

Café & Gift Shop

Artisan coffee, hot pastries, fresh dairy ice cream, cold drinks, and locally crafted Welsh gifts and souvenirs.

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National Trust Visitor Centre

Information & Shop

Staffed information desk, local tide timetables, regional walking trail maps, books, outdoor gear, and gifts.

Visit website →

Rhossili Sunflowers

Seasonal Pick-Your-Own

Around 8 acres of sunflowers, dahlias, and cosmos on the clifftop fields at the Vile, open daily through summer (mid-July to late August, weather permitting).

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Rhossili Gallery

Jeweller, Fine Art & Giftware

Local artwork, handmade jewellery, and giftware in the heart of the village — worth a browse before or after your walk.

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The Causeway

Café & Ice Cream Kiosk

Pizzas, sandwiches, paninis, and chips, alongside a wide range of ice cream flavours, coffee, and tea — a handy stop before or after the walk down to the Worm.

Visit Facebook page →

Safety, Tides & Countryside Code

Causeway Access & Tide Timing

The Worms Head Tidal Causeway crossing times board on the clifftop, showing that day's opening and closing times

Worms Head is only accessible on foot for roughly 2.5 hours either side of low tide — outside that window the causeway is completely submerged. Always check the current crossing times before you set off, and never start across once the causeway has begun to cover.

This board, on the clifftop near the Lookout Station, is updated daily with that day’s opening and closing times — a good place to double-check before you head down.

Full causeway rules & route guide →

First Aid & Defibrillators

A watchkeeper opening the defibrillator (AED) cabinet mounted on the outside wall of NCI Worms Head Lookout Station

There’s a first aid kit at NCI Worms Head Lookout Station. The nearest defibrillators (AEDs) are located at:

Rhossili Village Hall
Rhossili Gallery
National Trust Shop
NCI Worms Head
Pitton Cross Caravan Park Information Room (next to the shop)

See the defibrillator location map, or use DefibFinder UK to find your nearest defibrillator anywhere in the UK.

There are no public telephone kiosks in the area, and mobile signal can be variable — always know your exact location before you need to call for help.

Countryside Code & Wildlife Protection

Rhosili Cliffs and the surrounding commons are working agricultural grazing lands, supporting free-roaming Gower ponies, semi-wild horses, and resident sheep flocks.

Do NOT Feed the Horses or Ponies

Feeding horses human food (bread, carrots, snacks) causes severe, potentially fatal colic and digestive blockages. It also encourages aggressive begging behavior around children.

Keep Dogs on a Short Lead

Ewes and vulnerable young lambs graze freely along the cliff paths. Even the friendliest pet dog can trigger sheep to panic and fall over sheer cliff edges. Always keep dogs on a secure lead.

Leave Gates as You Find Them

Always close field gates securely behind you to prevent stock from wandering onto roads or down onto dangerous tidal rocks.

A grey seal resting on seaweed-covered rocks

Give Seals Space

Grey seals regularly haul out on the rocks around Worms Head, especially in autumn pupping season. Keep well back and keep dogs on a lead — a disturbed seal will abandon its pup and may not return. Never leave flying rings, frisbees, or similar plastic toys on the beach — seals investigate them and can get them stuck around their necks, which tightens as they grow and can be fatal. Report a sick, injured, or stranded seal to Gower Seals rather than approaching it yourself.

Explore & Discover

Curious About the Island's Stories?

Worms Head has its own Viking legend, a Dylan Thomas misadventure, an ancient cave, grey seals, centuries of shipwrecks, ghost stories and a medieval field system — all gathered on their own pages so this one stays focused on getting you here safely.

History & Legends →Nature & Wildlife →