Gower
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Arthur's Stone
There are several legends connected with Arthur's Stone, one being that it was a pebble found in King Arthur's shoe. However, the capstone, in excess of 25 tonnes, is an erratic (a rock different in size and type to the local area) deposited by a glacier in the Ice Age. The tomb was dug under it and propped up with slabs to form the burial chamber.
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Bluepool Corner
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Bracelet Bay
Bracelet Bay, nestled between Mumbles Head and Limeslade Bay, is a small stony beach offering great views of Mumbles Lighthouse. At the opposite end to the lighthouse is the coastguard station, shown in this photo at the back of the hill.
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Brandy Cove
Brandy Cove, a short distance from Caswell Bay, is a small inlet with links to smuggling. A raised beach can be seen, proof that the sea level was once a lot higher than it is today. At the back of the beach is an old mine adit of Bishopstone Silver/Lead mine.
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Broad Pool
Broad Pool is a natural shallow basin which is filled with water due to glacial boulder clay, which subsided into a sinkhole in the limestone below, causing it to be sealed. It is known to have been in existence since 1645 and has only dried out a few times, despite being just around a metre deep.
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Broughton Bay
Broughton Bay, backed by sand dunes, is a remarkably quiet beach, despite being close to two campsites. Bathing is dangerous due to strong rip tides caused by the Loughor Estuary (also know as Burry Estuary), although it is rated by surfers for longboard rides, as the waves are long and slow.
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Caswell Bay
Caswell Bay, one of the few beaches on Gower with lifeguard support during summer, is very popular with both locals and tourists. Like Langland Bay, it is a popular haunt for surfers and is also regularly awarded the European Blue Flag. Directly behind the beach is Bishop's Wood Local Nature Reserve, with 46 acres of woodland and grassland.
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Culver Hole
A short distance from Port Eynon is the Culver Hole, which probably started life as a stronghold for the long since gone Port Eynon Castle. It was rumoured the owner of the Salt House was involved in smuggling which has led to further rumours of a tunnel leading from Culver Hole to the Salt House, although no trace of a tunnel has ever been found.
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Fall Bay
Between Worms Head and Mewslade Bay is Fall Bay, a small beach popular for boat owners. During low spring tides, it is possible to walk from Fall Bay to Mewslade Bay.
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Great Tor
Great Tor is the most southerly point of Penmaen Burrows and separates Three Cliffs Bay from Tor Bay and Oxwich Bay. At low tide it is possible to walk around the base of Great Tor to Tor Bay.
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Horton
Horton is a small village at the west of Port Eynon Bay. It is home to the Lifeboat Station, which was moved there from Port Eynon in the last century.
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Langland Bay
Langland Bay is very popular and extremely busy, especially during summer and is also frequented by surfers. The beach is regularly awarded the prestigious Blue Flag for cleanliness, safety, facilities, etc. If there is one thing synonymous with Langland Bay, it's the beach huts. They were originally built in the 1920s and are managed by the City and County of Swansea.
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Limeslade Bay
Limeslade Bay is a small beach just to the west of Bracelet Bay comprised of mainly rocks with some sand. Near the head of the bay there is an iron mine, probably from Roman times, although it has now been sealed off. The coast path from here to Langland Bay a highly recommended walk.
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Llangennith
Llangennith is at the north end of Rhossili Bay and is very popular with surfers. Behind the beach is a large area of sand dunes and to the north is Burry Holms, an island at high tide.
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Mewslade Bay
Mewslade Bay, owned by the National Trust, is a beautiful sandy beach with some very interesting rock formations caused by erosion of the Carboniferous Limestone. It is accessed by an enjoyable walk, partly through woodland, from Pitton. Its position on the coast makes it perfect for surfing, although the beach is completely covered at high tide.
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Mumbles
Mumbles, south of Swansea, is the gateway to Gower. Slightly further south east is Mumbles Lighthouse, Pier and Lifeboat Station. The lighthouse can be seen as you drive along Oystermouth Road and even from many places in Swansea.
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Overton Mere
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Oxwich Bay
Oxwich Bay, a huge sweeping bay from Great Tor to Oxwich Point, is another of the beaches on Gower to have a lifeguard and is popular with sun bathers, wind surfers, divers and boating sports. At the far west of the bay, partially hidden in the trees, is the tiny, picturesque Church of St. Illtyd.
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Park Wood
Park Wood, or Parc le Breos was once a medieval deer park of the Lords of Gower (de Breos) and is home to Cathole Cave, which used by hunter-gatherers between 10,000 and 20,000 years ago. Bones from mammoths, woolly rhinoceroses, bears and hyenas have been found in the cave.
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Paviland Cave
Paviland Cave (or Goat's Hole Cave) is where the remains of the 'Red Lady of Paviland' were discovered. It was later found that 'she' was a Stone Age male, but the name of Red Lady has stuck. At the time of the ritual burial, about 33,000 years ago, the landscape was very different. Sea level was lower, so the cave would have provided views over grassland rich in game.
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Penclawdd
Penclawdd is best known for its cockles which are collected locally and sold worldwide. It is on the tidal River Loughor which can flood at high tide.
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Pennard
Pennard Burrows, largely a golf course, is well known for Pennard Castle which towers of Pennard Pill. Stunning views of Pobbles Beach and Three Cliffs Bay can be seen from here. Near the castle are the remains of the church of old Pennard. The village accompanying the church was lost when sand covered it, creating the dunes seen today.
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Pobbles Beach
Pobbles Beach is a tiny cove just around the corner from Three Cliffs Bay. At high tide, the beach is completely covered.
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Port Eynon Bay
Port Eynon Bay, another regular Blue Flag recipient, is one of the most popular beaches on Gower thanks to several campsites in the immediate area. It has lifeguard support during summer and is good for bathing and boating activities. In the past, it was a booming oyster fishery and remains of the oyster pools are visible at low tide.
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Pwlldu Bay
Pwlldu Bay (Welsh for black pool) was once an extensive limestone quarry in the 19th century, the remnants of which can be seen in the cliffs and the pebbles on the upper part of the beach. The houses and pubs (now private dwellings) near the beach were once part of the quarrying community.
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Ramsgrove
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Rhossili Bay
Rhossili Bay is a great sweeping bay from Rhossili to Burry Holms. At the top of the cliff is the village of Rhossili, with St Mary's Church. Rhossili as seen today is actually the second incarnation of the village. Centuries ago when the village was nearer the beach, great storms engulfed the village and church in sand, completely burying it.
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Rhossili Down
Rhossili Down is home to the highest point on Gower at 193 metres above sea level. Everybody who walks across Rhossili Down is familiar with the triangulation point and most people with the ruins of a radar station from World War II, which overlooks the bay. Spectacular views of Gower are the reward for anyone who makes the climb up this Old Red Sandstone ridge.
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Slade
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Swansea
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The Knave
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Three Cliffs Bay
Three Cliffs Bay is so named because of its three pointed cliffs, a popular location for rock climbers. Despite its calm appearance, dangerous rip tides are common in the bay. It has won several awards, including in 2002 one of the five Best Views in Britain by Country Life Magazine and in 2006 it was designated Britain's Best Beach as voted by BBC's Holidays Hit Squad.
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Tor Bay
Below and to the west of Great Tor is Tor Bay, a small sandy beach wih some beach left even at high tide. It is popular with bathers because it is so sheltered. At low tide, you can easily walk around Little Tor to Oxwich Bay.
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Whiteford
Whiteford Sands is, perhaps, the most remote beach on Gower. The sand stretches for almost two miles, yet solitude can almost always be found. The beach is backed by the sand dunes of Whiteford Burrows, a National Nature Reserve, while at the northern end stands the disused Whiteford Lighthouse.
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