The Gower Peninsula
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)
It’s hardly surprising that the Gower peninsula was the UK’s first designated area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB) conferred in 1956. Sixty years later its natural beauty has hardly changed at all.
In just 80 very compact square miles, it packs everything you might need for a beautiful holiday by the sea: sandy beaches, rugged coastline, marshes and moorlands, a surfer’s paradise, a children’s playground, a birdwatcher’s dream, a retreat for writers, artists and photographers.
For walkers there’s the Gower coastal path which forms part of the links with the Wales Coast Path, unique in covering the whole of Wales’ 870 miles of coast. For historians there are castles, churches, megaliths (such as King Arthur’s Stone) and ancient caves carrying ancient memories (such as the famous Red Lady of Paviland).
But there’s all the best of modern too: a Michelin-listed restaurant, gastro pubs and local produce such as cockles, laverbread and saltmarsh lamb, organic vegetables and even an artisan bakery, that make it a real foodie experience.
There’s also a wonderful public transport system so that if you want to leave the car behind and explore on foot, the Gower Explorer can pick you up and drop you off wherever you fancy.
Useful Gower links
Eat and Drink
– The Ship Inn, Port Eynon
– The Lookout
– Parc-le-Broes
– The King Arthur Hotel
– The Plough & Harrow
– The Cliff
– Beach House Restaurant
Suppliers
– Little Valley Bakery
– Olives & Oils
– Tuckers Butchers
– Selwyn’s Seafoods
– Swansea Indoor Market
– Gower Farmers’ Market
– Gower PYO
Things to do
– Dryad Bush Craft
– Gower Coast Adventures
– Oxwich Water Sports
– PJ’s Surf Shop
– Gower Surf School
– Progress Surf School
– Llangennith Surf School
– Clyne Farm Centre – Horse Riding
The area
– Visit Wales
– Visit Swansea Bay
Please visit our blog for more suggestions on what Gower can offer you on your holiday.
