Monday, 18 June 2012

Island 168 - Middle Head, Mumbles, Swansea, Wales

Middle Head is a grass covered rocky tidal island located 100 metres to south east of Mumbles Pierhead.  It is separated from the mainland by a tidal channel called Inner Sound.  It is accessible for just over 2.5 hours either side of low tide.  I found the easiest access on to it to be on the Mumbles Lighthouse side, although you do have to scramble over a few large boulders to access it whichever route you choose.  The tide clears from Middle Head about an hour before it clears from Mumbles Head.  The island had a geocache at the time of my visit in 2012 and is covered in wildflowers e.g. thrift, birds foot trefoil, kidney vetch, thrift, buttercups and salad burnet.   There are a few scrubby trees on the more sheltered eastern side.

There is a notice at the pier telling you not to walk out to the islands because of the tidal currents, which I could see were very strong, as I arrived 2 hours early and had to wait for the tide to recede.

 Highest point on Middle Head

 Mainland from Middle Head

 Middle Head and Mumbles Head

Mumbles Pier from Middle Head

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