Whiteford Sands is a two-mile expanse of beach on the northern side of the

Gower Peninsula Gower ( cy, Gŵyr) or the Gower Peninsula () in southwest Wales, projects towards the Bristol Channel. It is the most westerly part of the historic county of Glamorgan. In 1956, the majority of Gower became the first area in the United Kingdom ...

, south

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...

. It is the most northerly beach on Gower and sits on the edge of the

Loughor estuary The River Loughor () ( cy, Afon Llwchwr) is a river in Wales which marks the border between Carmarthenshire and Swansea. The river is sourced from an underground lake at the Black Mountain emerging at the surface from Llygad Llwchwr which tran ...

. The beach has no direct access by car. Visitors have to park near the village of Llanmadoc, and make their way on foot via country paths. Its relative inaccessibility compared to many other beaches in the Gower makes it a very quiet beach. The beach is popular amongst

naturists Naturism is a lifestyle of practising non-sexual social nudity in private and in public; the word also refers to the cultural movement which advocates and defends that lifestyle. Both may alternatively be called nudism. Though the two terms a ...

The cast iron Whiteford Lighthouse is situated in the bay at Whiteford Sands. Whiteford Sands / Whitford Sands is a stretch of coastline which includes Llanmadoc Beach, the local beach to the village of Llanmadoc and which is separated from Broughton Beach at high tide by Prissens, Hill, and Cwm Ivy Tors. This area includes some of the most beautiful woodland in Gower. Whiteford Burrows is the dune system backing Whiteford Sands further inland. Whiteford Burrows is a

National Trust The National Trust, formally the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, is a charity and membership organisation for heritage conservation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, there is a separate and ...

property containing a dune and pine plantation and is classified as a national nature reserve.

Notes and references

External links

Whiteford Burrows/Sands, GowerWhiteford and North Gower National Trust
{{Gower Peninsula Gower Peninsula Bays of Swansea Nude beaches