How to spend a weekend in Mumbles, Wales
A couple of weeks ago, I was kindly invited by Visit Swansea Bay to explore a corner of Wales called Mumbles (adorable name, right?) for the first time. I’ve only been to Wales twice and I don’t know how that’s happened because the coastline is SO beautiful. My weekend was a combination of coastal walks and exploring the small seaside town close to Swansea so here are my tips on how to make the most of a weekend getaway to Wales.
How to get to Mumbles by public transport
My friend and I travelled from London and completed the whole trip via public transport — which I initially thought was going to be tricky but we were pleasantly surprised to learn that you don’t need a car to get around (even to the most stunning coastal photo spots). We took a direct train to Swansea from London Paddington, which took just under 3 hours. Book via Trainline.
To make the most of our day, our first stop was the Three Cliffs Bay so we walked approx. 15 mins to Swansea Bus Station to jump straight on the no. 14 bus towards Pennard Cliffs. But you can also get the bus directly to Mumbles if you’d prefer to do that.
Note - remember to check the bus times before you travel as they’re not very frequent in areas like this. A day pass will cost you £4.50.
Stop for lunch at The Lookout
The no.14 bus conveniently drops you off right outside The Lookout, a small local cafe serving comfort food like sandwiches and paninis. We stopped for a bite before setting off on our coastal walk. They also kindly stored our luggage for us whilst we wandered - something you’ll need to arrange if you’re not travelling by car.
Walk along Pennard Cliffs towards Pobbles Beach
This was definitely the highlight of the trip and the part I was looking forward to the most. And I feel VERY excited to tell you that it was so easily accessible via bus! We started the walk from The Lookout and headed towards Pobbles Beach. The walk took us approximately 30 mins (with photo stops) and was quite literally a breath of fresh air. The beach at low tide was genuinely the most stunning I’ve seen in the UK. You could definitely spend a good few hours wandering the coastline here but we headed back towards The Lookout to jump on a bus to Mumbles.
Things to note: I’d recommend taking a solid pair of walking shoes - some parts of the walk were boggy at this time of year but my Hunter boots got me through. And remember to check the tide times before you visit and the bus times!
Check-in to The Oysterhouse Hotel
After an early start on Saturday and about 15k steps later, we were thrilled to head to Mumbles to check in to the seafront boutique hotel that takes interior inspiration from its surroundings, The Oysterhouse. We were surprised with a sea view room that was so peaceful to wake up to. The hotel’s bar is directly outside the sea-facing rooms so this might not be the best option in warmer months as I imagine it would be noisy in the evenings.
I’m sure I say this A LOT but the bed was truly one of the comfiest I’ve slept in. The next morning, we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast at the hotel before heading out for the day.
Visit Oystermouth Castle and walk to Mumbles Pier
After breakfast, we wandered around Mumbles. It’s pocket-sized so you can easily walk from one part to another. We first spent some time at Oystermouth Castle - this is worth visiting even if it’s just to head to the top for the sea view! Then we went on the hunt for some local shops but a lot of them were closed on Sundays (unsurprising for this time of year). We did manage to squeeze in to Gower Gallery though and were in awe of some of the art pieces. But it also doubles up as a gift shop so you don’t need to spend a fortune to take away a Welsh souvenir.
Lunch at Dark Horse
I had already glanced at Dark Horse’s Instagram page before we visited and I was very quickly enticed. The scrambled tofu was surprisingly tasty (coming from someone who is not a tofu fan) but the it was the toastie really hit the spot for me. I’d save this for a weekend brunch as a treat.
Walk to Bracelet Bay
After lunch, we walked along the seafront and eventually ended up at Bracelet Bay. We got caught in some rain here but luckily the clouds cleared a little so we could take in the views.
Dinner at Verdi’s
We ended the day by sheltering from the rain with a comfort meal at Verdi’s aka a huge bowl of pasta followed by honeycomb ice-cream. The portions were generous and delicious. Overall, the restaurant is casual dining and the space accommodates a large number of people but this meant that it felt a little bit like a canteen.
*This whole trip was sponsored by Visit Swansea Bay but all opinions are my own.
Some other spots suggested by the VSB team that I didn’t get to visit include: National Waterfront Museum, Swansea Marina and Swansea Market.
Things you might need for your trip to Wales
Thanks for reading,
T.
