Port Eynon Salt House - Walk Around Wales

PORT EYNON SALT HOUSE

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A short flat walk visiting the remaining structure of the Port Eynon Salt House. The salt house once belonged to the infamous John Lucas, who legend holds fortified the building to further his controversial and unlawful smuggling activities. The salt house’s legitimate purpose was to extract salt from the sea, the salinity of the Bristol Channel is noted as being particularly high at Port Eynon at a time when salt was particularly expensive.

Port Eynon Bay is one of the most picturesque sports on the famed Gower peninsula. In 2011 Port Eynon Beach was voted the best beach in Britain, the return leg of the walk takes in part of the beach (tide permitting) with views along the beach towards Oxwich Point.

	Start - The walk begins at the pay and display machine for the main Port Eynon car park. The car park is simple to find. Follow the A4118 to it's very end turn right and the car park is on the right with the pay and display machine directly opposite the car park entrance.
1 - Head down the side of the track to the right of the p&d machine - beware of traffic travelling to and from the beach boat ramp access and youth hostel.
	2 - At the end of the track, keep heading straight on through through the kissing gates into a field / campsite and keep the fence and the sea to your left, follow the coast path signs. The building in the distance is the youth hostel.
3 - Take the set of steps at the youth hostel, turn right, still following the coast path signs.
	4 - After about 25 metres you will come to a tarmac road cutting across the coast path, turn left here onto a permissive path (this means that you are on private land but the people that own the land, (the campsite) allow you to walk on it).
5 - Keep the fence to your left, there are sweeping views across the bay to Oxwich Point, at the far left hand corner of the field is the salt house.
	6 - Retrace your steps as far as the youth hostel. When you reach the steps here you have a choice, either retrace your steps to the start or carry straight on to the beach. (Please check the tide times before using this part of the walk). If the tide is in you will need to retrace back to the start.
7 - if the tide is out you can follow the tide line along the beach to the beach exit ramp. Aim for the letter O in the photo. At this point you have the option of extending the walk by joining other walks that use the beach or turning left and finishing the walk.
	8 - Exit the beach, head to the left hand hand side of the ramp.
9. Turn left at the end of the ramp and you will arrive back at the start.