Gower Peninsula

Understand

This article covers the rural areas of Swansea. It has been given the title 'Gower' as the Gower Peninsula constitutes the largest portion of Swansea's rural area and is the district of most interest to tourists. However, the article also includes the highland areas of Pontarddulais and Mawr. On the peninsula itself, the article covers all points west of Bishopston, Pwll Du Bay, Fairwood Common and Upper Killay. Detailed information of the urban area east of this line is documented in the Swansea article. The Gower Peninsula is about 29 km long by 8 km wide and, in many ways, represents a microcosm of the very best of British countryside. There are wide sandy beaches, dramatic cliffs, historic woodlands, salt marshes and open moors, all of which are interspersed with picturesque villages, country inns, castles, ancient churches and neolithic burial chambers. It is a land immersed in the mists of Celtic legends and secrets of smugglers tales. The peninsula is also home to an abundance of wildlife, with perhaps the wild Gower ponies that roam the moors being the most famous and well-loved. For recreation, Oxwich is the most popular bay for swimming and boating, while Llangennith is a surfers paradise and attracts boarders from all over the UK. Rhossili is a dramatic bay, and the sunset over the headland is one of the most photographed evening scenes in Europe. The districts of Mawr and Pontarddulais are sparsely populated areas of Swansea's hinterland and offer wonderful opportunities for hillside walking and river-side recreation activities.

History Historically, Gower covered an area of land under the jurisdiction of the Lords of Gower. It extended as far east as the River Tawe, and so it included what is now Swansea City Centre. This area corresponds very closely to the modern boundaries of the City and County of Swansea. However, nowadays "Gower" would be mostly understood to referring to the peninsula only. The Gower "Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty" (AON

Getting there

By plane The nearest airport is Cardiff Airport (CWL IATA), which is near Barry in the Vale of Glamorgan. It is a small international airport with routes from a series of domestic and European destinations, including Amsterdam, Dublin and Edinburgh. There are limited public transport connections between Cardiff Airport and The Gower. There are FlixBus coaches from Bristol Airport (BRS IATA) to Swansea, a larger international airport with flights from destinations throughout Europe and North Africa. There are National Express coaches from London Gatwick Airport (LGW IATA) and London Heathrow Airport (LHR IATA) to Swansea, with flights from destinations throughout Europe, Africa, Asia and North and South America.

By train 1 Swansea railway station is served by Great Western Railway fast trains from London Paddington, Reading, Swindon, Bristol Parkway, Newport, Cardiff Central, Bridgend, Port Talbot Parkway, Neath, Llanelli and Carmarthen. It is also served by Transport for Wales trains from destinations throughout Wales, including Newport, Cardiff Central, Bridgend, Port Talbot Parkway, Neath, Llanelli, Carmarthen, Tenby, Pembroke, Haverfordwest, Milford Haven and Fishguard and Goodwick. Transport for Wales services from Manchester Piccadilly, Crewe, Shrewsbury and Hereford also call at Swansea. 2 Gowerton railway station is served by Transport for Wales stopping services between Swansea and Llanelli.

By bus From Swansea city centre, bus routes into the Gower include 1 to Caswell Bay via Mumbles, 2/2A to Picketts Mead via Mumbles and Bracelet Bay), 3A to Bracelet Bay, 14 to Pennard via Bishopston, 16 to Gowerton, Pen-y-Lan and Gorseinon, 21 to Three Crosses, 111 to Gorseinon, 116 to Llangennith via Gowerton and Pen-clawdd, 118 to Rhossili via Parkmill and Port Eynon, and 119 to Rhossili via Llanrhidian. Routes 111 also links Llanelli with Loughor and Gorseinon. Intercity coaches by FlixBus, Megabus and National Express serve Swansea, including coaches from Lon

Getting around

By bus Most of the villages and popular bays are connected by public transport. The Gower peninsula is served by the Gower Explorer branded bus services from the Quadrant Bus Station in Swansea city centre. The Lliw uplands to the north of the county of Swansea are served by Lliw Link branded bus services from the Quadrant Bus Station. (The Quadrant bus station is a good 10- to 15-minute walk from Swansea railway station, but there are frequent buses to the Quadrant Bus Station from the bus stop outside the railway station.)

On foot There are some very well-established hiking routes on the Gower. The tourist office in Swansea city center offers good information.

See

Places of natural beauty

1 Rhossili Bay and 2 Worm's Head. Famous for its breathtaking view at sunset, and the vista is widely considered to be one of Europe's most spectacular coastal scenes. An excellent National Trust gift shop marks the beginning of the cliff-top path, while the picturesque village of Rhossili provides an ideal setting for enjoying cream teas in the summer or for relaxing and taking a contemplative stroll at any time of the year. In addition, the conditions at Rhossili are excellent for hand-gliding and surfing; historians may also be interested to note that there is evidence of a stone-age settlement here. Visitors may also note a distinct lack of trees. The last real tree was at Ash Tree Farm, though this disappeared sometime during the early 1970s. The fierce westerly gales and trees are not a good match. The nearest trees to Rhossili are Middleton, the village just prior to Rhossili. 3 Three Cliffs Bay. A great place to take a stroll through the woods and watch the wild ponies galloping on the beach. The ruins of Pennard Castle guard the area from a hill to the left (when facing the sea). Note, however, that the strong undercurrent at this bay makes it unsuitable for swimming. The beach is entered from a path across from Shepard's village store and cafe. 4 Oxwich Bay. Overlooked by Penrice Castle, the pristine waters of the bay are surrounded by extensive dunes and woodlands and protected by a small Saxon church on the headland. Oxwich was named the most beautiful beach in the UK and one of the most beautiful in the world by The Travel Magazine in 2007. 5 Caswell Bay. The sandy beach is popular with families, holidaymakers and surfers. Has Blue Flag status. 6 Langland Bay. A beach on the south Gower costed distinctive for the beach huts behind the sandy beach. 7 Blue Pool Bay. A small bay with a natural rock pool, near the village of Llangennith. (updated May 2024)

Castles and other antiquities

8 (King) Arthur's Stone (Maen Ceti),

Do

Golf 1 Gower Golf Club, Cefn Goleu, Gowerton, Three Crosses, SA4 3HS, ☏ +44 1792 872480. 18-hole course set on the rolling countryside. 2 Langland Bay Golf Club, Langland Bay Rd, The Mumbles, SA3 4QR, ☏ +44 1792 361721. Mumbles. 18-hole links course set on moorland overlooking Caswell Bay and Langland Bay.

Surfing