| Secluded
coves, sandy beaches, surfing heaven and ruined castles –
that is visitors to the Gower will find.
Britain’s first area of outstanding
natural beauty was designated in 1957. The label of AONB means
it has a similar status to a national park, so the landscape’s
natural beauty is conserved and enhanced.
There are many beautiful beaches in the Gower,
including some of the lesser-known blue flag beaches such
as Bracelet Bay, Langland Bay, Caswell, Port Eynon and Limeslade.
One of these beaches may seem familiar – tall pine trees
framing the entrance to a horseshoe –shaped sandy bay,
leading to an calm sea – does it remind you of Australia?
Caswell Bay has definite antipodean echoes,
or rather the other way round – visitors to Caswell
may recognise why Old South Wales inspired the naming of its
newer counterpart (New South Wales) down under.
Rhossili and Llangennith beaches belong to
the same stretch of sand, joining together to win the title
of the area’s most famous beach. Its long golden sands,
and surfers, are best viewed from Worm’s Head cliffs.
You will often find yourself admiring the view alongside a
casual sheep, oblivious to your presence, and the scenery.
The beach can boast of being one of the most
photographed and iconic images in Britain, especially with
the tiny white fronted cottage nestled in the nothingness
of the surrounding grassy dunes. Rhossili was recently voted
into the top ten of places to photograph the sunset. The beach
is a good place to take a first surfing lesson, there are
surf schools here.
Despite the main beaches filling up on summer
weekends, with the tiny winding roads almost busy, there are
still many lost beaches to be rediscovered. Three Cliffs Bay
can only be reached by a woodland walk, where wild horses
can be spotted. Pwlldu beach (or Black Pool) is also difficult
to reach – so why not visit by boat? Mewslade Bay is
another too-easy to miss small beach, but all of these places
are worth the effort.
Aside from swimming, you could try hang gliding
in Rhossili, windsurfing in Port Eynon, water skiing in Pobbles
Bay or sea kayaking in Bracelet Bay? Catch mackerel in Oxwich
Bay or go to the Gower Heritage Centre or pony trek the hillside
with views of the sea.
There are plenty of Norman castles too, with
partially sand-buried Pennard Castle above Three Cliffs, Weobley
with its Gower history exhibition, 13th Century Penrice Castle,
the largest of the Gower Castles, and Oxwich Castle with its
views over the Bay towards Pwlldu Head.
The Gower celebrates its own mini Royal Welsh
agricultural show with the annual Gower Show, held early every
August on Fairwood Common. There is also the Gower Festival
of Music, in July and August, where churches, chapels and
village halls host live music.
Newport
Pembrokeshire | Stone
Cottage | West
Wales Cottage - Cardigan |
West
Wales Cottage |
Gower
AONB | The
Dylan Thomas Trail | Cottage |
