Swansea and Neath
Clyne Gardens
Rhododendron garden above Swansea Bay, spectacular in May and worth walking at any time of year for the trees alone.
- Distance
- 2.5 mi / 4 km
- Time
- 1 hr 25
- Ascent
- 70 m
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Shape
- Circular
Where it is
The circle shows the general area, not the exact start. Use the directions link below to get to the car park itself. Contours and paths shown are OpenTopoMap, drawn from OpenStreetMap data.
The route
Waymarked paths loop through the gardens from the entrance, with the option of dropping to the bay or up the Clyne valley. Mostly gentle.
Worth knowing
- Clyne in Bloom in May is the peak; the rhododendron and azalea collection is nationally important.
- The bog garden and the Japanese bridge are the set pieces.
- Links directly to the Clyne Valley cycle route and the bay promenade.
What you’ll see
Rhododendrons and azaleas, mature specimen trees, the bog garden, and the bay below.
Background
The gardens were developed by the Vivian family, Swansea copper smelters, who funded plant-hunting expeditions to stock them.