Gower Unearthed
Our guests here at Bayview, Oxwich are often asking us to point them in the direction of Gower’s hidden face – the wealth of history and culture that exists in the peninsula alongside the miles of sandy beaches and dramatic limestone cliffs that it is famed for. They tell us this makes for a more enriching holiday and that it is so satisfying to be privy to special information and Gower’s secrets.
We’ve recently started to point them in the direction of the aptly named, Gower Unearthed, based at Parkmill, just a 5-minute drive from us here in Oxwich. This company offers workshops and guided walks which provide a unique and exciting educational experience based on the myths, legends and natural history of Gower. Led by experts in their fields, Gower Unearthed does what it says on the tin – brings the natural environment and its inhabitants, past and present, alive by delving into the realm of fairy, myth and magic.
What we like about Gower Unearthed is that the normal seasons associated with tourism do not apply. There is no high or low season or shoulder season and definitely no out-of-season. The company invites its participants to forget for a few hours our contemporary seasons, Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter with their modern festivals like May Day and Hallowe’en, and turn instead to the Celtic Calendar and focus on the natural cycle of the seasons and significant events. In view of this, sessions run all year.
IMBOLC
The 1st February traditionally marked the starting of spring and walks and workshops focus on the stories and Gower’s trees and the connection of Gower’s farmers with the land.
BELTANE
Activities explore the traditions behind what is now contemporary May Day known for its maypole. Walks invite guests to explore what the hedgerows reveal in early summer.
LAMMAS
A time to explore the first fruits if the harvest, perhaps forage, learn more about the medicinal properties of Gower’s plants.
SAMHAIN
A time to celebrate those who have passed on. Learn about the traditions behind what we now call Hallowe’en and discover Gower’s own fairy spirits – ‘The Verry Volk’.
If you want to learn more of Gower through stories, legend, folklore, or immerse yourself in the drama and mysticism of its castles at Pennard and Weobley; or perhaps discover the lost village at Llanelen, and get up to speed on the bounty of Gower’s hedgerows, Gower Unearthed is for you.
www.gowerunearthed.com
And of course, whatever the season, make Bayview, Oxwich your base. Please contact Wanda or Michael to discuss which of our holiday rental properties (houses, flats or chalets) is best for you and your family.