About Islandeering
Hi and welcome to Islandeering Islandeering is for people who want adventure in Britain’s wild blue spaces – our rivers, coast, lakes, canals and islands. You will find amazing walks, paddles and swims in the UK’s most special places, those recognised for outstanding natural beauty, incredible geology or special and abundant wildlife.
More About UsWe continuously find new islands, rivers, lochs, canals and coast to walk, SUP and swim in and meet plenty of great folks along the way. Join our community to get new routes and adventures, latest blogs and news by using the email box below. Tune in also to our Facebook and Instagram pages to see where we are going next.
Key Fact
- Location: Pembrokeshire
- Size: 4ha
- Access: tidal walk, 2 hours either side of low tide
- Map: OS Explorer OL36
- Starting point: Marloes Sands National Trust carpark (charges non-members), SA62 3DF; What3Words cracker.equal.calibrate; Grid ref. SM 786 078
This dramatic rocky tidal island has a scramble on to the plateau for stunning views and the remains of prehistoric settlements and an Iron Age fort. At the western end of the vast and beautiful expanse of Marloes Sands, Gateholm’s dramatic old red sandstone cliffs rise to a plateau forty metres high. Most of the summit area has evidence of a settlement consisting of over one hundred rectangular hut structures organised into rows with courtyards; there is also a rampart and gate to control access at the island’s north-west tip. Not only has Gateholm appeared on Channel 4’s Time Team but it was used in the filming of the 2011 film, Snow White and the Huntsman, where a computer-generated castle was superimposed on the rugged island in post-production.
Gateholm Walk
Access to this National Trust-owned island is not for the faint-hearted. Leave from the Marloes Sands carpark and follow signs to the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. Close to the island a steep, narrow path first heads down the cliff on to the beach and boulders at low tide. The beach at Albion Sands is a wonderful, secluded swimming spot. Walk past the distinctive Gateholm Stack on the north east tip of the island and continue south along the north-east edge of the island to reach the obvious wide grass and rock gully to climb to the plateau.
