Wreck of the Helvetia

Beach was extremely quiet, and so clean. No bins so ensure u take your rubbish home with you. Did see some pop up tents being used. Toilets available at the top heavily sign posted to use at own risk, was able to wash hands but not dry. Whole area was very clean and not that busy so was a pleasant visit.

A stunning part of South Wales and a must visit. The car park is a National Trust site and only takes cash or you can pay by phone but signal is poor to connect to the website to pay. The climb down to the beach and back up to the village is not for the faint hearted. It is a quite a steep climb and although paved and with steps, it is not suitable for wheelchair users or those that find walking difficult. I recommend walking sticks and take it slow. Photos by Ryan Skilton Photography. All rights reserved.

This place is hard to reach due to poor development of Wales public transport and its unpredictability so expect some inconvenience. I also had poor weather , very murky and foggy to the point that I could not see anything over a distance of 20 m on the top of the cliff . When I got down to the beach it was a little better . The wreck makes an impression even though there is not much left of it and it looks really great in composition with the long sandy beach . It is definitely worth all the transport trouble to see it so don't hesitate .

It was low tide when we were there so the wreck was “high and dry”. Fortunately it was a glorious day - quintessential British summer day that added to our enjoyment of Rhossili Bay. Unfortunately what made the experience of seeing the wreck and the beach was the trash left behind by people.
That apart, you can trace the history of the wreck on Wikipedia so I’m not getting into that.
If you visit this bay, you cannot but see the Wreck.
Go for it.

A photogenic landmark.

Located fairly close to the main way down onto the southern most end of the beach is the wreck of the Helvetia.

I was a little shocked to see how much of the wreck had ‘disappeared’ under the sand since we last visited 6 years ago.

Nevertheless it’s still worth spending a few minutes here and taking a few pictures.

We came across these bits of old wood sticking out of the sand during our beach walk and didn't pay too much attention until I Googled it and read up on the history of the Helvetia. Very interesting!

The wreck of the Helvetia, a wooden cargo vessel that ran aground here in 1887. Now all that is left are timbers sticking out of the sand like the bones of a dinosaur. It’ll probably be gone in a decade so enjoy it while it lasts. It’s a popular spot with photographers given the majestic backdrop of Rhossilli Bay. Best time to visit is low tide.

Lovely beach with miles of sand, the wreck of the Helvetia, rock pools and streams to dam.