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Hard Hiking Trails near Swansea

12 routes near Swansea qualify, ranked below by how much walkers rate them. They average 77.8 km and 1,711 m (5,614 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 201 km.

That is 24 percent of the 49 routes we map near Swansea. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 77.8 km against 22.3 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 1,711 m (5,614 ft) on average versus 491 m (1,611 ft) across the wider area.

Hard routes mean sustained ascent, long descents and a real need to watch the clock and the forecast. These lean toward the demanding end, so plan for a full day and check the forecast before you commit.

Trails

Expert

Wales Coast Path (South Wales)

Wales · United Kingdom

Distance
182 km
/ 113 mi
Elevation gain
4,010 m
Typical duration
49 hr
  • Coastal
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Beacons Way

England · United Kingdom

Distance
155 km
/ 96.3 mi
Elevation gain
3,410 m
Typical duration
41 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Taff Trail

Wales · United Kingdom

Distance
101 km
/ 62.9 mi
Elevation gain
2,227 m
Typical duration
27 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

St Illtyd's Walk

Wales · United Kingdom

Distance
47.2 km
/ 29.3 mi
Elevation gain
1,038 m
Typical duration
12 hr
  • Mountain
Expert

The Gower Way

Wales · United Kingdom

Distance
56.1 km
/ 34.9 mi
Elevation gain
1,235 m
Typical duration
14 hr
  • Mountain
Expert

Penrhys Pilgrimage

Wales · United Kingdom

Distance
32.9 km
/ 20.4 mi
Elevation gain
723 m
Typical duration
8 hr 28 min
  • Pilgrimage route
Expert

South Wales Traverse

Wales · United Kingdom

Distance
36.3 km
/ 22.6 mi
Elevation gain
799 m
Typical duration
9 hr 24 min
  • Long-distance path

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Wales Coast Path (Carmartenshire and Gower)Wales201 km4,415 m54 hrExpertApril to October
Wales Coast Path (South Wales)Wales182 km4,010 m49 hrExpertApril to October
King Charles III England Coast Path: Minehead to Combe MartinEngland57.3 km1,260 m15 hrExpertApril to October
South West Coast Path (Section 2: Porlock Weir to Lynmouth / Lynton)England19.4 km426 m4 hr 48 minHardApril to October
South West Coast Path (Section 3: Lynmouth to Combe Martin)England22.0 km483 m5 hr 31 minHardApril to October
South West Coast Path (Section 4: Combe Martin to Woolacombe)England22.9 km503 m5 hr 45 minHardApril to October
Beacons WayEngland155 km3,410 m41 hrExpertApril to October
Taff TrailWales101 km2,227 m27 hrExpertApril to October
St Illtyd's WalkWales47.2 km1,038 m12 hrExpertApril to October
The Gower WayWales56.1 km1,235 m14 hrExpertApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Wales Coast Path (Carmartenshire and Gower), Wales Coast Path (South Wales), King Charles III England Coast Path: Minehead to Combe Martin. Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

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