Secluded coves, sandy beaches, surfing heaven and ruined castles – that is visitors to the Gower will find. In addition to the many picture postcard sights to take in there is an excellent choice of places to stay from dune-side camp sites to an array of charming Gower holiday cottages.
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.
Directions to the Gower from our Holiday Cottages
To reach the Gower from your holiday cottage, drive down the Swansea Valley to the city of Swansea, then follow the beachside road until you see the brown information signs for the Gower. Turning inland to the right you will drive through the gently rolling countryside, past Swansea airfield until you reach the bays and beaches of the Gower. Alternatively you can hop onto the M4 and exit at J47 for north Gower.
