A Guide to Tor Bay on the Gower Peninsula
Sunset behind Tor Bay
Another gem on the Gower coastline. Tor bay is a sheltered sandy beach at the eastern end of Oxwich Bay.
Reachable via a 15 minute walk, It’s one of my favourite beaches on the Gower, and one I’d recommend visiting if you want spend a day lounging on the coast.
Key information
Parking? Penmaen
Distance to beach? 1km
Food? No
Toilets? no
Lifeguards? No
Dog Friendly? Yes, year round
Where is Tor Bay?
Located on the Southern coastline of the Gower Peninsula, Tor Bay is sandwiched between the iconic Three Cliffs and Oxwich bays. It is separated From both by two rocky headlands named Great and little Tor.
At low tide it becomes part of the huge stretch of sand that connects, Pobbles, Three Cliffs, Tor bay, Crawley and Oxwich bay. At high tide it becomes a cut off cove and a sheltered sun trap perfect for spending a few hours lounging on.
The great Tor and Three Cliffs
Where to Park for Tor Bay?
The nearest parking for Tor Bay is it at Penmaen. Here you will find a free small car park on the south side of the A4118.
Alternatively another free car park located behind AMR Bridal Shop, which is located on the opposite of the A4118 from Three cliffs holiday Home. There’s room for around 20 cars on the right hand side as you pass over the cattle grid.
Both spots fill up extremely quickly, especially on a sunny summer weekend, so you will have to arrive early (or late) to secure a space.
How to reach Tor Bay?
From the small concrete car park on the south side of the A4118, pass through the metal swing gate and follow the rocky bridleway down the hill. After around 500m you pass by abandoned stone, continue to follow the path as it becomes narrower and heads downhill towards a wooden wooden gate.
After passing through this gate, take the first right and follow the sandy path for 150m until you reach a wooden bench.
Once at the bench you have several options.
If you want to head to beach follow the path straight ahead that leads down to the shoreline. This is narrow path which is made up of sand and rock, its not tricky or technical but can make getting a pushchair down slightly difficult.
If you head right you will follow the cliff path around to Little Tor viewpoint and then onto Nicholston Woods.
If you head left the cliff path takes you up to the Great to Viewpoint, which is a great place for sunset, then around towards Three cliffs bay.
The walk to the beach should take around 10-20 minutes depending on your ability and what you are carrying
What facilities are there at Tor bay?
Due to its secluded nature, there are no toilets or facilities at Tor Bay. The nearest toilets and shop are located in Parkmill.
There are also no rubbish bins, so please use those arms of yours to carry back every thing you took to the beach.
What to do at Tor Bay?
Take a coastal walk or spend the afternoon relaxing at the beach.
Like Pwll-Du the secluded nature of this beach makes it great for escaping the crowds, unlike Pwll-Du its sandy nature makes it perfect for an afternoon spent lounging on the beach.
If you’re looking to stretch your legs, the cliff path that links Tor Bar to Three Cliffs gives you beautiful views across the south of the Gower Peninsula.
Alternatively you can complete this five mile loop from Penmaen which takes in some of the best views on the Peninsula.
The view from Cefn Bryn
Finally the the iconic Tor & the cliffs above the beach are also a great spot to watch the sunset.
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