Gower Peninsula, City & County of Swansea

The Gower Peninsula was, quite rightly, designated as 'An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty' in 1956; the first area in Britain to be awarded this coveted title.

Stunning 3 Cliffs Bay


St. Illtyd's Church Oxwich Bay

Known by the locals simply as 'Gower', the peninsula starts at Mumbles Head, juts out 19 miles into the Bristol Channel at its furthest point - Worms Head and comes back to the mainland at Penclawdd, (famous for cockles) on North Gower, over-looking the Loughor Estuary.

Gower is almost in a time warp - relaxing and peaceful so a visit to this lovely area should not be missed. There are a number of places worthy of note: the bays of Langland and Caswell, the village of Parkmill, Three Cliffs Bay, Oxwich, Port-Eynon, Rhossili & Worms Head and Langenydd.

Oxwich has a particular appeal to me, as I have spent many sun-drenched, glorious holidays here with my family. My Great Grandmother, Eliza Knudsen, lived in a cottage on Oxwich Green where she brought up a family of 5 children. She was married to a Norwegian shipwright; Conrad August Knudsen. (Click on 'Aspects of Wales - 'A Diamond Wedding in Gower and a Shipwreck'. This gives an insight into life, in the early 1900s, in this part of Wales).

Rhossili and the eerie Worms Head, dominate a spectacular, three-mile beach running from Rhossili Head to Burry Holms, via Llangenith (Llangenydd). Surfers, sand yachts, hang-gliders and fisherman frequent this area of the coast. Hundreds of people can be on this beach in the summer and yet one can still feel pleasantly isolated if peace and quiet is what you seek. From Rhossili, on a clear day, one can see across Carmarthen Bay to Tenby.

2006 marked the 50th anniversary of Gower being designated as an 'Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty'.

Directions

From Swansea: A4118 towards Mumbles. From the M4 Jctn 45, follow signs to South Gower or North Gower.