Swansea Bay.pdf

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Happy Birthday Dylan Thomas Its the centenary year of Swanseas most famous son.No wonder were pushing the boat out to celebrate.

Throughout 2014 were remembering Dylans life and work. Its onemore reason to visit our bright, buzzy city and rather lovely coast andcountryside, an area brimming with sandy bays and wild woodlandseemingly designed for hikers and bikers.

Swansea has changed a lot since Dylans time. We wonder whathed make of the surfers on his boyhood beaches, the Citys PremierLeague football team and our glittering Waterfront.

Some things havent changed though. Green Gower is sti ll theunspoilt paradise that inspired the artist as a young dog (to borrowfrom his Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog). And you can still counton a hearty Swansea welcome wherever you go. While the City mighthave had a cosmopolitan makeover since Dylans day, its still burstingwith the warm, vibrant personality that informed his writing.

Swansea Bay, Mumbles and Gow


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Inside the guide 02 Dylan: A local legend, 100 years in the making

Help us celebrate a very special birthday

04 Sea hereDive into an ocean of possibilities in WalesWaterfront City

10 Attraction stations Theres so much to do in our city by the sea

14 Sights, camera, action!Gorgeous Gower is picture-perfect, but its morethan just a pretty face

20 Making waves The Gower Peninsula is home to a raft of chart-topping beaches

24 Listen upCool, cosmopolitan Mumbles has plenty to shout about

30 Mawr than meets the eye The Mawr moors, a walkers green, great escape

32 Green giants The Afan Valley and Vale of Neath are lush and leafy,lined with woods and waterfalls

36 2014 Events Theres a lot going on this year

39 Useful InfoGetting here and making plans

40 MapsFind your bearings


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A Swans e a b o y wit h a way wit h wo r d s D ylan Thomas con jured up a whole ne w world , writing in English

bu t with a lyricism th a ts u tt erly, u nmis ta k abl y Welsh . His obse r va tions ,

on s ome occas ions through the pu zzled , innoc en t e yes o f a c hild, on

o thers through a weary nos talgia, are mos tly e voca tive, a lwa ys unique.

A S wansea b o y, born in 1914. So 2014 is a ver y special year for us . One hundred years on, his s ta ture gro ws and gro ws. Well be

ce lebra ting his li fe and times in a b ig wa y. We hope youll be able to

share them here in D ylans home, where were s taging a year long

Fes ti val based on his life and work , with all k inds o f inno va tive,

engaging and fun e ven ts .

W e lco me t o t h e p ar t y Were pulling ou t a ll the s tops to mark D ylans cen te nar y.

Theres the world premiere o f a ne w opera based on UnderMilk Wood, a D ylan them ed walk ing fes tival, a special exhibi tion

o f the writers poe tr y no tebook s and, o f c ourse , our annual D ylan

Thomas Fes ti va l which will be b igger and be t te r th an e ver.

Tha ts jus t s cra tching the surface. For full de tails o f wha ts

on, s ee oppos ite or visit w w w.d ylan thomas.com

Dy lan s t o wn Whene ver you come, youll find tha t D ylan is an e ver yda y experienc

e

in our c it y. Hes e ver y where. Youll s ee him s it ting on his b ronze cha ir

o verlook ing our s wank y modern marina ( wha t would he ha ve though to f th a t? ). A nd sense his sp irit in p laces lik e C wmdonk in Park , the

young D ylans wo rld w i t h in th e w o rld o f t h e s e a t o w n . Go there

no w. Close your e yes a nd youll hear the same sounds D ylan heard,

children p la ying, dogs bark ing.

Mind you, yo u ve g o t t o b e a S h e rp a t o g e t t h e re . He li ved ,

up, up and a wa y a t 5 C wmdonk in Drive. Tak e a peek ins ide , o r

e ven be t te r s ta y. The Ed wardian villa , fi tt ed ou t in period s t yle , is

open for to urs and o vernigh t s ta ys .

Drop in to th e D ylan Thomas Cen tre to ge te ven closer to the man. Youll see him th ere

and hear h im speak in tha t rich, rolling voice

o f his. Youll a lso se e a fascinat ing collec tion of

ar te fac ts , from old schoo l pho to s to the blue

pain ted door o f his wri ting shed.

Dylan Thomas:A local legend, 100 years in the making


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Dy la n T h o m a s C e n t r eSomer set Place, Sw ansea S A1 1RR( 0 17 9 2 4639 80 w w w .dy lant homas.comDy la n T h o m a s Bir t h p la c eDy lan T homas House,5 Cw mdonk in Dr iv e, Uplands,

Sw ansea S A2 0R A( 0 17 9 2 47 2555inf o@dy lant homasbir t hplace.comC w m d o n k in P a r k Sw ansea S A2 0R A( 0 17 9 2 20 5327 w w w .cw mdonk inpar k .co.uk

D y l a n T h o m a s A t t r a c t i o n s & A c t i v i t i e s 12th Feb On The Edge: Number 5 Cwmdonkin Drive ,

by Liz Wride, performance18th 22nd Mar Under Milk Wood, performance directedby Terry Hands3rd 5th Apr Under Milk Wood: an opera , in association withWelsh National Opera10th May Under the Cranes , film & Q&A, with poet Michael Rosen26th May Reminiscences of Childhood , solo performance31st May 31st Aug Dylan Thomas Notebooks Exhibition7th Jun Dylan Thomas War: the Pacifist, the Propagandistand the Swansea Blitz , tour, talk and film screening13th Jun Dylan Thomas Walk , with the Gower Walking Festival10th Jul Under Milk Wood Jazz Suite , with the Gower Festival12th Jul Dylan Thomas Swansea Uplands: the Boy andthe Young Dog , tour and lecture, featuring Hannah Ellis, Dylansgranddaughter19th Jul Dylan Thomas Swansea Hollywood: the Mummyand the Old Dark House , tour, talk and film screening featuringscriptwriter Andrew Davies5th Sep 24th Dec Dylan Thomas Manuscripts Exhibition

6th Sep Dylan Thomas, the Kardomah Gang, the Actor andthe Comedian , tour and talk featuring Jeff Towns, Chairmanof the Dylan Thomas Society3rd 4th Oct Time Let Me Play , Dylan Thomas poetryset to music, featuring concert artist Keith James11th Oct Feb 2015 Dylan Thomas by Alfred Janes,art exhibition

Dylans Swansea ,performance based guidedtours, with Fluellen TheatreCompany: various dates

Apr to Nov.

Return Journey , promenadeperformance, with LighthouseTheatre: various dates Mayto Sept.

This is just a selection ofevents, for more information onthese and many more go towww.dylanthomas.com .

11th Oct Wales Premiere of A Dylan ThomasTrilogy, with Swansea Festival of Music & the

Arts, featuring the BBC National Orchestra18th Oct Russian State PhilharmonicOrchestra play Karl Jenkins Llareggub,

with Swansea Festival of Music & the Arts19th 28th Oct The Beginning , ten days ofcelebration leading up to the 100th anniversary!24th 26th Oct Do Not Go Gentle Festival ,featuring music, literature, comedy and film27th Oct 9th Nov Dylan Thomas Festival ,events and special guests as our annual Festivalcelebrates Dylans centenary4th 8th Nov A Childs Christmas in Wales ,Michael Bogdanovs production of Dylansclassic story


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Sea here Marinas, museums, markets and more.

Theres an ocean of possibilities in WalesWaterfront City.


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H is t o r y b u o y s W e tak e our her itage ser ious ly , but tha tdoesnt mean it cant be f un. T he hi-techNationa l W a te r f r ont Museum lets y ou ge thands on w ith his tory , te lling the ta le o f W ales indus tr y and people thr oughinnov ativ e inte r activ e e xhibits . Its cer ta inly made quite a sp lash. Opened in 2005,it has alr eady w elcomed mor e thantw o million v isitor s .

J us t ac r os s the r oad fr om W a les new es tmuseum is W ales oldest. Sw ansea Museummay b e mor e tr ad itiona l than its ne ighbour,but its jus t as enter ta ining. Home to a quir k y cor nucop ia of exhibits , it th r ow s up f r e s hs ur pr

ises a r ound ev e r y c or ner . Meet themummy , the golden 2,000-y ear old a r tef actf r om Egy pt, or r e liv e the times w hen Sw anseaw as an equally golden Copper opolis.

D o c k s t a r Blue F lags a r ent jus t f or beaches .Our boat f illed mar ina has also snappedup one of these pr ized seas ide a ccolades .

Its easy to see w hy . Ev en if y our e aconf ir med landlubber , its ha r d to r es ist thenautica l r omance of spar k ling w ater andcolour f ul s ails snapping in the br eeze.

L o c a lfla v o u r s Y our e nev er far f r om the w a te r in our compact, v is itor f r iendly city centre. Jus tacr oss the r oad fr om the seaf r ont y oull f indy our self in s hopping s tr eets w her e b ig-names tor es r ub shoulder s w ith inv iting independentspec iality shops .

A t the hear t of it a ll is Sw anseas f amouscov er ed mar k et. Its a liv ely place, a bustlingmaze of s talls w her e y ou can b uy almostany th ing, f rom light bulbs to linen. But itsf abulous food thats the big dr aw . T r y somelav er bread our tas ty seaw eed-based localdelicacy or pick up pepper y cock les f r omPenc law dd, Gow er s altmarsh lamb andunbeliev ably f r esh seaf ood tha ts made theshor t tr ip f r om the w ater s of Sw ansea Bay .Its the p lace to go if y ou w ant a tr ue ta s teof the sea a n d th a t t r a d it io n a l,w a r m h e a r te d S w a n s e a w e lc o m e .

S w a n s e a s r e la tio n s h ip w ith a ll th ing sm a r it im e g o e s b a c k c e n tu r ie s . A f te r a ll,the sea is r ight ther e in our name. Our his tor icdock lands hav e b een r eimagined andr einv ented into a s tate-of -the-ar t, aw ar dw inning Mar itime Quarter . Div e in and y oullfind a buzzing complex pack ed w ith things to

see and do, f r om f ascinating museums to coolw ater f r ont caf s . Its the per fect location f or a seas ide s tr oll w ith a dif f erence.


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Beachcomber364 Oystermouth Road,

Swansea SA1 3UL( 01792 651380www.beachcomberguesthouse.com GH

The Dragon HotelThe Kingsway, Swansea SA1 5LS( 01792 657100www.dragon-hotel.co.uk / H

The Bayswater322 Oystermouth Road,Swansea SA1 3UJ( 01792 [email protected]

AG

Morgans HotelSomerset Place, Swansea SA1 1RR( 01792 484848www.morganshotel.co.uk HSwansea Marriott HotelMaritime Quarter, Swansea SA1 3SS( 01792 642020www.swanseamarriott.co.uk H

Chatcoombe B & B20 Rhyd-Y-Defaid Drive, Derwen Fawr,

Sketty, Swansea SA2 8AH( 01792 207100www.chatcoombe.co.uk BB

Premier Inn Swansea NorthUpper Forest Way, Morriston,Swansea SA6 8WB( 0871 527 9062www.premierinn.com/swanseanorthBH

Premier InnSwansea WaterfrontWaterfront Development, Langdon Road,Swansea SA1 8PL( 0871 527 9212www.premierinn.com/swanseawaterfrontBH

Premier InnSwansea City CentreSalubrious Place, Wind Street,Swansea SA1 1EE( 0871 527 9060www.premierinn.com/swanseacitycentreBH

Accommodation in the Swansea Ar


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Village Urban ResortLangdon Road, SA1 Waterfront,Swansea SA1 8QY( 0871 222 4608www.village-hotels.comL

Mercure SwanseaPhoenix Way, Swansea SA6 8LW( 01792 310330sales.mercureswansea@

jupiterhotels.co.uk H

Campus Accommodation,Swansea University Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP( 01792 295665

www.swansea.ac.uk/conferences CA

Somerfield Lodge B & BClyne Golf Club,118-120 Owls Lodge Lane,Mayals, Swansea SA3 5DP( 01792 401989www.clynegolfclub.com GA

Victoria Quay Victoria Quay, Maritime Quarter,Swansea SA1 3XG( 01269 595640www.canolcottages.com SC

Bay Apartments29 Camona Drive, Maritime Quarter,Swansea SA1 1YJ( 01792 645566www.bayapartments.co.uk

AG SC

Clyne Farm CottagesWestport Avenue, Mayals,Swansea SA3 5AR( 01792 403333

[email protected] SC

Gower Edge Holidays52A Killan Road, Dunvant,Swansea SA2 7TH( 01608 674467www.gower-edge-holidays.co.uk SC



Wa le s Na t ion a l P o ol S w a nse aSketty Lane, Swansea S A2 8QG

( 01792 513513www.wa lesna tionalpoolswan sea. co.uk

Wes t Gl a mo rga n A rch ive S erv iceCivic Centre, Swansea S A1 3SN( 01792 636589www.sw ans ea.go v.uk /wes tglam organar chives

S w a ns e a Gran d Th e at re

Singleton Street, Swansea SA13QJ( 01792 475715www.s wan seag rand .co.u k

LCOystermouth Road, Swansea SA13ST( 01792 466500www.the lcsw anse a.co m

S w a nse a P romMumbles Road, Swansea( 01792 468321www.s wan seap rom.com

P la nt a siaParc Tawe, Swansea SA1 2AL( 01792 474555www.plantasi a.org

Sw an s ea P ar ksa n d G a rd e ns

Swanseawww.brea thes wansea.c om

Glyn n Vivia n A rt G a ller y Of fs ite Activitiesat YMCA,Swansea.Events at various venues.( 01792 516900www.glynnvivianga llery.org

194 0s S wa n se a

Ba y M u se u mBaldwins Crescent, CrymlynBurrows,Swansea SA1 8PT( 01792 458864www.1940ssw anse abay .co.uk

360 Be a ch a nd Wa ters p or tsMumbles Road, Swansea SA2 0AY( 01792 655844www.360sw ans ea.c o.uk

S kid z Ka rtin g Ltd .Unit 1 Rear of Queensway,Swansea West Business Park,Swansea S A5 4DJ( 01792 580927info@sk idzk arti ng.co.uk

Nat io na l Wa ter fr on t M u seu mOystermouth Road, Swansea SA1 3RD( (029) 2057 3600www.m use umw ales .ac. uk

Do w n to Ear th72a Manselfield Road, Murton,Swansea SA3 3AP( 01792 232439www.downto eart hpro ject. org.u k

An n ie fr om Wa lesTour Guide & Dylan Thomas Specialist( 07817 753376www.ann iefromwales.c om

Tea m fo rc e P ain tba ll& Ac t ivity C e ntr eLlangyfelach Road, Llangyfelach,Swansea SA5 7PE( 01792 772311www.te amfo rceu k.co m

Dy n am ic Roc k Ad ven ture s Lt d .16-18 Hebron Road, Clydach,Swansea S A6 5EJ( 01792 845655info@dynamicrock .co.u k

Clyn e F a rm R id in ga n d A cti vity C en treWestport Avenue, Mayals,Swansea SA3 5AR( 01792 403333muddy@clynefar m.co m

S w an s ea Mu s eu m Victoria Road, Maritime Quarter,Swansea SA1 1SN( 01792 653763www.swa nse amus eum .co.u k

Sw a ns e a C om m u n ity

Bo a t Trus tSwansea Museum Pontoon,Museum Square, Maritime Quarter,Swansea SA1 3XA( 07785 347549www.scbt .org. uk

S wa n se a M a rk e tOxford Street, Swansea SA1 3PQ( 01792 654296www.sw anse aind oorm ark et.co .uk

Sw an s ea Tou ristIn form ati o n C e nt rePlymouth Street, Swansea S A1 3QG( 01792 468321www.visits wan seab ay.c om

Att ra c tio ns &Ac tivit ies in th e Swa ns ea Ar ea



Attraction stations Indoors or outdoors, wet or dry - theres so

much to do in our city by the sea.

Wale s W ate rfro n t C ity c ome s w ith s om e bi ga dv a nta ges . There a ren t ma ny p lace s w here youcan hit the s hop s in the m orn ing and hit the s urf inthe afte rnoo n. In pre tty, beac hy S wa nsea , we vego t the bes t of both wo rlds .

O n e fin e Bay Thrill se eker s will ma k e a bee line to 3 60 Beac hand Wa ters port s, S wan s eas ne w C entre of Excellence for all things watersp orty ( the c lue isin the nam e). F or re al s ea d ogs the cent re o f fersac tivities like s ea k aya k ing and kite sur fing, wh ilethose wh o do nt f anc y ge tting the ir fee t we t ca nenjoy sa ndy beac h vo lleyball, socc er a nd p owe rkiting. T he 3 60 c ome s co mplete w ith a welcom ing

caf -ba r se rving up delicious loc ally sour ced f ood .Ju s t th e th ing f or when you ve b uilt up a big,Sw ans ea B ay s ized ap petite .

T he a ction con tinues in doo rs a t the sta te-o f -the-a rt LC Leisure Com plex. Ride th e slides at thepop ular wate rpar k or s cale the four sto rey climbingwall pr ovided y ou h ave a he ad f or h eights.

You can eve n ca tch waves o n Boardrider, the firstindoor surfing e xper ienc e of its k ind a nywhere inthe wo rld.



Su rf a nd tu r fSea a nd s and are just par t of t he b ig S wan sea pict ure.T his is a gree n city, do tted thr ough out with lush pa rks andgard ens m o re than 50 in to tal .

We re w ell k nown for our Blue Flag be ach es, b ut o ur green s pa cesare star per formers too. Brynmill Park, Clyne G arde ns, C wmdonk inPa rk, S ingle ton Bota nica l Ga rden s an d Victoria Pa rk are all proudholders of a pre stig ious Green Flag A ward .

Weve eve n go t ou r ow n m iniature rainf ores t, sm ack in the c itycentre. House d in a hu ge g lass pyramid, Pla ntas ia is bur s tingwith e xotic ve get ation, along w ith a co lourf ul co llection of animals inclu ding mo nke ys, s nak es a nd lizard s .



Our b e a u ti fu l p e n ins u la is a p la c e w he re

ins p ira t io na l vie w s g o ha n d in h a nd w i th

o u t d o o r a d ve n t u re . Gowe rs p a nora m a s

wouldnt look o ut of p lace in a n a rt g a lle r y,

but its rugged land s ca pe d e mands to beexperienced hands on. Its the c omplete

oppos ite of look, b ut d ont to uc h.

He y , g o o d lo o king Go wers been wo wing visi tors for

years . Bu t d ont ta k e our word for it th e P eninsula was des igna ted the UK s firs t A rea o f Ou ts ta nding Na tura l Beau t y wa y back in 1956. I t hasn t changedmuch s ince then.

Though its les s than 20 miles long a ndco vers jus t 7 0 s quare miles , Go werslands cape pack s in oceans o f va rie ty.

Youll find cragg y limes tone c lif fs in the sou th,

long s and y beaches in th e wes t and e therea l

s a l t m ars he s in th e north. In be tw een theres

a g reen p at ch work o f rolling common land,

s trung wi th dr ys to ne walls an d ancien thedgero ws .

Thrus ting in to the wa ves lik e s ome g ian tsea s erpen t, mile long Worms Head a t th eedge o f Rhoss ili Ba y is one o f Go wers m os t

iconic s igh ts . Its the ultima te shop windo w for th e P eninsulas s tu nning s cener y. With its

rugged cli ffs a nd gras s y s pine, its a lm o s ta m in ia t u re ve rs io n o f Go w e r it s e lf.

Sights, camera, action!Gorgeous Gower might be picture-perfect.

But its more than just a pretty face.



Make a splash Stay on dry land in Gower and youre only getting half the story.

The warm waters and superior swell of sandy Llangennith havebeen a surfers paradise for decades. In that time weve added kitesurfing, sea kayaking and paddle boarding to our watery repertoire.

The truly adventurous can even combine land and sea with aspot of coasteering climbing on our rugged cliffs to leap intothe waves below.

Feet first Its no surprise to learn that Gower has some of most beautifulstretches of the 870 mile Wales Coast Path. Strap on those bootsand youre in for some spectacular waterfront walks. And, as a

bonus, theres usually more to see than sand and sea. The short4 mile coast walk between Port Eynon and Oxwich, for example,also takes in lush woodland and some of Gowers prettiestman made landmarks in the form of Tudor Oxwich Castle and13th century St Illtyds Church.



The Wo rms h ea d Ho telRhossili, Gower, Swansea S A3 1PP( 01792 390512www.thewo rms head .co.u k SH

Ta lliz m an d G u es t Ho useTallizmand, Llanmadoc, Gower,Swansea S A3 1DE( 01792 386373www.ta llizmand.co.uk GH

Fa iryh illReynoldston, Gower, Swansea SA3 1BS( 01792 390139www.fairyhill.net / RR

Par c -le -Bre os Hou s ePark mill, Gower, Swansea SA3 2HA( 01792 371636www.p arcl ebre os.co .uk / F

Fairw ays B & B110 Owls Lodge Lane, Clyne Common,Swansea S A3 5DP( 01792 401080www.fa irwa ysw eb.com BB

Gow er G olf ClubCefn Goleu, Three Crosses,Swansea S A4 3HS( 01792 [email protected] L

S e ren Re trea tBryncoch Farm, Gower, Swansea SA2 7LB( 01792 371421www.se renre trea t.com BB

We stw ind s B & BWestwinds, Blackhills Lane,Fairwood, Swansea SA2 7JN( 01792 281573www.westwindsb andb .co.u k BB

Kin g s H ead InnLlangennith, Gower, Swansea S A3 1HX( 01792 386212www.k ingshea dgower.c o.uk INNOldw alls Go w erOldwalls, Nr Llanrhidian, Gower S A3 1HA( 01792 391468www.oldwa llsgo wer.com GA

The K ing Ar thur Hot elHigher Green, Reynoldston,Swansea SA3 1AD( 01792 390775www.k inga rthu rhote l.co.uk INN

Wy n dg a rthReynoldston, Swansea SA3 1AD( 01792 390140www.wyndga rthg owe rbeda ndbreakfast.c o.uk BB

Ba yh o lm e Co ttag e& Hol iday Bu n ga lowBayholme, Oxwich, Gower,Swansea S A3 1LS( 01792 390785 / 874www.ba yholmegower.co.u k SC

C as w ell Ho liday Ch alet s& Go we r Co ast LtdSummercliffe Chalet Park, Gower,Swansea SA3 3BR( 01792 233599www.gowe rcoa st.co m

SCWe ster nsid e B ung alo w sHorton, Gower, Swansea SA3 1LL( 01792 511734gowergir l@sk y.co m SC

Ce d i C otta gesBlaen Cedi Farm, Blue Anchor,Penclawdd, Swansea SA4 3L X( 01792 851448www.wale sgowerc ottag es.c o.uk SC

High me a dOverton, Port Eynon, Swansea SA3 1NR( 01792 390300www.highmea dgower.c o.uk SC

A sh Cot tageOxwich, Gower, Swansea SA3 1LS( 01792 391207www.gower-c ottag es.c o.uk

SCThe C ro s sLlangennith, Gower, Swansea S A3 1HU( 01792 390000www.thec ross gower.co .uk L

A c c o mmo d a ti o nin th e G o we r A re a


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Whi t e s he ll Cha le t s

Summercli ffe Chale t Park , Cas well,

S wansea S A3 3BP( 01 7 9 2 4 24186 w w w.cas well-chale t.co.uk

SCGre e n Me a d o w s A nne xe

Green Meado ws, 23 Tirm yn ydd Rd,

Three Crosses, S wansea S A4 3PP

( 01 7 9 2 8 73 781b.morris 781@b tin terne t.com

SC

The P e n t ho us e24 Woodridge Cour t, Langland,

S wansea S A3 4 TH( 01 7 9 2 53530 9 w w w.go werbreak s.com SC

The Ha ve nRec tor y Meado ws, Re ynolds ton,

S wansea S A3 1 AD( 01 7 9 2 53530 9 w w w.go werbreak s .com SC

Go w e r A c t i vi t y Ce n t re sGro up A c c o m m o d a t io n

( YH A P a r t ne r )Por t E ynon, Rhossili & Wes t Cross

( 01 7 9 2 401548 w w w.go werac ti vit ycen tres.org.uk

Ac A / B / G A

31 Go w e r Ho lid a y Villa g e

Scurlage, Nr Por t E ynon, Go wer,

S wansea S A3 1 A Y( 0143 2 760 963 w w w.31go werholida y village.co.uk

SC

The S t a b le Ash Tree Co t tage, Penmaen, Go wer,

S wansea S A3 2HQ( 01 7 9 2 3 7145 9 w w w. thes tableash treeco t tage.

talk talk .ne t SC

Ha e l Fa rm Co t t a g e s

Hael Farm, Hael Lane, Sou thga te,

S wansea S A3 2 AP( 01 7 9 2 23 2 7 9 7 w w w.hael farmco t tages.co.uk

L SC

Ho r t o n Fa rm ho us e

Hor ton Farm, Horton, Go wer,

S wansea S A3 1LB( 01 7 9 2 3 90 256 w w w.hor ton farmgo wer.co.uk

SC

S la d e Ba rnBe ttis Meado w, Slade, Go wer,

S wansea S A3 1N A( 01 7 9 2 3 91551 w w w.sladebarngo wer.co.uk

SC

Thre e Cli f fs Ba yHo lid a y Co t t a g e s

Nor th Hills Farm, Penmaen,

S wansea S A3 2HB( 01 7 9 2 3 71 218 w w w. threecli f fsba y.com

AG SC

P i t t o n Cro s s Fa rm

Pit ton Cross, Rhossili, Go wer,

S wansea S A3 1PH( 01 7 9 2 3 911 75 w w w.pi t toncross farmhouse.co.uk

SC

Tir-Ce t h in Fa rmLu xu r y Ba rn Ho lid a ys

Tir-Ce thin Farm, Three Crosses,

Go wer, S wansea S A4 3N A( 0 78 76 030 985 w w w. tirce thin farm.co.uk

SC

Fro g s Ho p Co t t a g e

O x wich, Sou th Go wer, S wansea S A3 1LS

( 0 7 968 4 94440 frogshopco t [email protected]

SC

Ba nk Fa rm Bu ng a lo w sBank Farm Leisure Park , Hor ton,

Go wer, S wansea S A3 1LL( 01 7 9 2 3 90 2 28 w w w.bank farmleisure.co.uk

SC

Go w e r Ho lid a y Villa g e

Scurlage, Nr Por t E ynon, Go wer,

S wansea S A3 1 A Y( 01 7 9 2 3 90431 w w w.go werholida y village.co.uk

SC

Ba nk Fa rm Le is u re P a rk

Hor ton, Go wer, S wansea S A3 1LL( 01 7 9 2 3 90 2 28 w w w.bank farmleisure.co.uk

H TC

Gre e n w a ys o f Go w e r

O x wich Green, Sou th Go wer,

S wansea S A3 1L Y( 01 7 9 2 3 91 203 w w w.green wa ysleisure.co.uk

HCSc a m p e rho lid a ys

North Hills Farm, North Hills Lane,

Penmaen, Go wer, S wansea S A3 2HB

( 01 7 9 2 20 23 25 w w w.scamperholida ys.co.uk

SP APP A A

P i t t o n Cro s s Ca ra va n

a nd Ca m p ing P a rk

Rhossili, S wansea S A3 1P T( 01 7 9 2 3 905 93 w w w.pi t toncross.co.uk


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Wales Coast Pathwww.walescoastpath.gov.uk

Rhossili National TrustShop & Visitor Centre3 Coastguard Cottages, Rhossili,Gower, Swansea SA3 1PR( 01792 390707www.nationaltrust.org.uk/rhossili-shop-and-visitor-centre

Gower Activity CentresPort Eynon, Rhossili & West Cross

( 01792 401548www.goweractivitycentres.org.uk

Parc-le-BreosPony TrekkingParc-le-Breos House, Parkmill,Gower, Swansea SA3 2HA( 01792 371636www.parclebreos.co.uk

Pennard Golf Club

2 Southgate Road, Southgate,Swansea SA3 2BT( 01792 233131www.pennardgolfclub.com

Dryad BushcraftGower, Swansea( 01792 547213www.dryadbushcraft.co.uk

Gower Heritage Centre

Parkmill, Gower Peninsula,Swansea SA3 2EH( 01792 371206www.gowerheritagecentre.co.uk

Surf GSD Gower SurfingPO Box 83, Swansea SA3 4XX( 07739 536122www.gowersurfing.com

Welsh Surfing FederationSurf School

Llangennith, Swansea SA3 1JD( 01792 386426www.wsfsurfschool.co.uk

Oxwich WatersportsThe Beach Hut, Oxwich Beach,Oxwich, Swansea SA3 1LS( 07740 284079www.oxwichwatersports.co.uk

Gower Coast Adventures

Boat TripsGower, Swansea( 01792 348229www.gowercoastadventures.co.uk

Attractions & Activities in the Gower Area



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Rid i ng h ig h a t R h o ssi li We ve a l wa ys k no

wn t ha t our beac hes

were wor ld- bea ters , bu t i ts n ice to

ha ve

some fur t her proo f. B ig, beau t i fu l R h

oss i l i

was vo ted t he bes t beac h in t he U

K and t he

t h ird bes t in Europe b y Tr ip A d v is

or users in

2013. No t on l y t ha t, bu t t he Rad io T imes

a lso ga ve i t a s te l lar m u s t - v is i

t ra t ing,

descr i b ing i t as a pr is t ine ba y t he

p lace

to come for wa terspor ts . Sea k a ya

k ers ,

sur fers and k i te boarders don t nee

d to

jos t le for space a long t he t hree m i l

e

s tre tc h o f wa ter.

T he per fec t spo t for seas ide s tro l ls ,

na ture

spo t t ing and pu lse pound ing wa ters

por ts,

R hoss i l i is a rea l cro wd p leaser. No t t h

a t

i t e ver fee ls cro wded on t h is spac ious,

s weep ing e xpanse o f s hore l ine. Wor

ms

Head Go wers o wn lands end

l ies a t

one e x treme, t he lus h t ida l is land o

f Burr y

Ho lms a t t he o t her. In be t ween, you

l l f ind

m i le upon m i le o f immacu la te sand

, t he

u l t ima te b lan k can vas for your o wn

persona l seas ide ad ven ture.

Making waves When it comes to sea and sand,

we haveit in spades( and buckets ) .The gorgeousGower Peninsula is home to a raft of chart-topping beaches.


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Co ast wit h t h e mo st Rhossili is jus t one o f man y ba thing

beau ties

a long i ts sou th and wes t coas ts . There are

no less than 39 miles o f ba ys and beaches

s tudded along the Peninsula. P len t y o f these

are a ward winners too our troph y cabine t

is bulging wi th an impress i ve collec tion o f

Blue Flag, Rural Seas ide, Green Coas t and

Seas ide A wards , plus more b e s t b e a c h

accolades from ne wspapers , magazineand webs i tes . Oh, and three-qua

r ters o f

the coas t is in the care o f the Na tional Trus t.

Isn t i t good to k no w tha t some things will

ne ver change?


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O ff t h e b e a t e n t ra ck The no oks an d c ran nies of Go we rs coa st con cea l a treasu reche s t o f se cre ts. Pe bbly P wll Du Ba y c an only be re ach ed viafootp ath . Be r ead y to walk f or up to an hou r but the reward isto tal sec lusion a nd so me of the Pe ninsulas bes t b ird wat ching.

Prett y Three C liffs Ba y isnt q uite s o remote , bu t itsM ic h e lin - s ta r v ie w s and c ombinat ion of rolling dun es , sa ndy be ach an d c rag gy limest one clif fs add up to on eof Gow ers wildest sea s ide e xpe rience s .

Tales o f sm ug gling a nd the su pe rna tura l loom large in isolatedBrandy Co ves histor y. The pira te s a nd witche s ha ve long g on e ,but the rug ged b a y s tillholds a p owe rful air of m ys te r y.

K id d in g a ro u nd The rockp oo ls a t Brac elet Ba y a nd Limeslade Ba y, the duoof intimate co ves clo se to Mumbles , will en thral explorers o f a ll ages . C rab s , s tar f ish an d s ea ane mo ne s a re just a few of the b ea s ties youll en cou nte r on your ow n m iniature m arinesa fari. Sand y Port E ynon a nd Oxwich are two more f am ilyfa vou rites , pe rfect f or tho se c lass ic, timeles s s eas ide a ctivities.

There are sa ndcas tles to be bu ilt (and a r eal on e to visit a tOxwich ), ice- creams to be ea ten an d wave s t o b e ridde n.Som e things never go out of f as hion.


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T h e b e a u t ifu ls o u t h Langland Ba y a nd Caswe ll Ba y are two moreGo we r g ems s trun g o ut a long the Pe nins ula sso uth c oa st. The yre a pa ir o f sh eltered , p erfectlyf orm ed sa ndy cresc ents Langland e ven comes

with its row o f ch arm ing b eac h h uts , a lovelyperiod tou ch.

Up no rt h What a d if ferenc e fi ve m iles mak es. North Gowermight well be on an other p lanet. Youre no t q uitesure where land meets se a o n th is m ist y, m oo dyexpa nse of low-lying saltings. The sheep see mto kn ow, m ind yo u. You ll see the m grazing on

marshland. Gower sa ltmars h lamb is som e of thebe s t in th e w orld. For se afood f an s , P en clawddco ckles, p ick ed f res h from the be ds and ta k ens tra ight to S wan se a Mark et, are pr e tt ygoo d too.

P a ws fo r t h o u g h t We th ink tha t th e w ho le f amily sho uld b e a bleto enjo y o ur s tunning sea s ide an d that inc ludes

the four-legg ed members . Do gs are welcome all yea r round on m any of Gowers bea che s. Rhoss iliwas even n am ed the UK s top do g f rien dly b eachb y The Times. Ph ew, ye t an oth er acc olade.


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Listen up Its a unique mix of old schoolseaside

and cosmopolitancool. Mumbles has plenty to shout about.


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Mum b le s is t he kind o f n e ighb our w e da ll lik e t o h a ve . J us t fi ve miles fromS wansea , the former fis hing village is a t rueone o f a k ind s eas ide res or t a nd mus t vis it

companion to i ts b ig b ro th er along th e Ba y.

A s hort drive or walk , o r bik e ride along

the Ba y brings you to a p re t t y lit tle s ea fron t,comple te with boa tyard , bus tling promenade ,

p ier and a personalit y all i ts o wn.

De cis io n t ime Do you wan t the class ic seas ide experience

all fro th y milk shak es a nd e nd o f the p ier fun?

Or are you look ing for winding s tree ts pack ed

with a rt galleries , buzz y bou tiques , c las s y

cra ft s hops and tas t y b is tros? In Mumbles ,

you don t ha ve to choose .

A ppearing s ide b y s ide in happ y harmon yon the Mumbles menu a re c raz y golf a ndbuck e ts and spades for th e k ids , p lus c hic

s hopping a nd a c ool, con te mporary fee l for

the gro wn ups . We ve a lso g o t four p roperItalian ice cream p arlours th a t al wa ys g odo wn well with young a nd old a lik e . Youds truggle to find Mumbles quirk y qualities and

perk y personalit y an y where e lse. No wonder were so fond o f i t. Yo u ll like i t t o o .

So me t h ing o ld , s o me t h ing ne wMumbles long heritage s tre tc hes back

fur the r than i ts prom and Vic torian p ier. Tak e the deligh t full y named O ys termou thCas tle , a medie val s tronghold perched ona hill a bo ve th e roo ftops wi th b ig ba ys ide

vie ws. A l wa ys a handsome beas t, this fan tas t ic for tres s has recen tl y rece ivedsome thing o f a facelif t. P re vious ly unseenareas o f the c as tle are no w open to thepublic, with vis itors ge tt ing a birds e ye vie w

from a s tunning glas s b ridge. Its a no th er

example o f Mumbles k nack o f blending

yes terda y wi th toda y.


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T h e b e a c h g o e s o n S i t t i ng at t he g at e w ay t o Go w e r , M u m b l e s i s t he i d e a l j u m p i ng o f f p o i nt t o e x p l o r e t he P e ni ns u l as b e au t i f u l b e ac he s . V e nt u r e r o u nd t he he ad l and at t he e nd o f t he P r o m e nad e and y o u l l f i nd r o c k p o o l d o t t e d B r ac e l e t B ay .

W al k a l i t t l e f u r t he r and y o u r e s o o n i n t he t w i n s and y s u r f p ar ad i s e s o f L ang l and B ay

and C as w e l l B ay . K e e n e x p l o r e r s c an s t r i k e f u r t he r i nt o Go w e r w i t h a b o u nc y b o at t r i p t o P o r t E y no n o r t he s p e c t ac u l ar l and s e nd o f W o r m s H e ad .T o p t i p : k e e p y o u r e y e s p e e l e d f o r p o r p o i s e s a nd s e a l s a l o ng t he w a y .


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Mawr than meets the eye Swansea Bay isnt just sand and surf. Mawrs moors

and uplands are a green great escape for walkers.


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J u s t no r t h o f t h e C i t y Ce n t re , Ma w r is a ru ra l a re a o f

ro lling c o un t r ys id e , h id d e n va lle ys a nd s e c lud e d w o o d la nd

o f fe ring a w h o le n e w s id e t o mu l t i fa c e t e d S w a ns e a .

Best fo o t fo r war d E xplore

gen tle trails around the reser voirs o f the Lli w Valle y.

Wa ter is a big fea ture in these par ts , e ven when you aren t on the

coas t. I f youre a f ter some thing more s trenuous , mak e the climb

to Penller Cas tell. I ts S wanseas highes t poin t and the s tar t o f

the Go wer Wa y a 35 mile rou te tra vers ing the Peninsula from

eas t to wes t.

For a trul y unique woodland walk , head to Penllergare.

This des igned landscape was crea ted in the 1800s b y local

lando wner J ohn Dill w yn Lle wel yn and is curren tl y being res tored

to its former glor y.

Ca r t re f Ho lid a ys

Valle y Vie w, Rh yd y G win,

S wansea S A6 5 TE( 01 7 9 2 845040 w w w.car tre fholida ys.co.uk

SC

A cco mmo d at io nin t h e Mawr A r ea

Penllergare Valley WoodsPenllergaer, Swansea SA4 9GS( 01792 344224www.penllergare.org

Attractions & Activities in the Mawr Area


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Green giants The Afan Valley and Vale of Neath, lined with

woods and waterfalls, are lush and leafy.


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Fa l ling st ar s The Vale o f Nea ths wild, wooded

Wa ter fall

Coun tr y cer tainl y li ves up to i ts name. Home to

four ri vers the Heps te, Mellte, Nedd and P yrddin

and more fa lls per square mile than an y where

else in Europe, the Vales s teep gorges con tain

some o f Wales mos t spec tacular cascades .

The deep pool a t the foo t o f Sg w d G wlad ys is

a popular spo t for ad ven turous s wimmers. I f you

don t fanc y ge t ting tha t we t, follo w the pa th

behind the whi te wa ters o f Sg w d yr Eira li terall y

T h e F a ll o f S n o w . You ma y end up a li t tle damp,

bu t i ts a small price to pa y for a real one o f a k ind

behind the scenes wa ter fall vie w.

I ts d i f ficul t to belie ve tha t this green Vale was once a crucible o f the Indus tr

ial Re volu tion.

Na ture is ver y much in charge toda y, bu t you can

see traces o f mechanised heri tage a t A berdulais

Tin Work s and Wa ter fall. Tumbling wa ters tha t once

po wered the bus y work s no w pro vide clean, green

rene wable energ y plus a s tunning back drop

for this unusual Na tional Trus t a t trac tion.

T h e wh ee ld ea lLose yoursel f in the s teep, densel

y wooded landscapes o f the

A fan Valle y and youd be forgi ven for think ing youd wandered

in to the A lps . This former mining cen tre has replaced pi t wheels

wi th bik e wheels to become one o f the UK s top moun ta in bik ing

des tina tions. The purpose buil t trails o f A fan Fores t Park are

an o f f road hea ven for no vices and e xper ts alik e. Tak e a gen tle

woodland ride on the Rook ie Trail or tes t yoursel f on rugged

track s lik e the ep ic Blade Trail A fans ne wes t addi tion.

K eep it g r e en Were big on park li fe. Margam C

oun tr y Park near Por t Talbo t

e x tends to 1,000 rolling acres , each one pack ed wi th things to

see and do. Vis i tors can wa tch herds o f deer, Go A pe on a high

wire climbing ad ven ture, s troll in the ornamen tal gardens or hun t

ghos ts in spook y Margam Cas tle. A t Gnoll Es ta te Coun tr y Park ,

Nea th, the na tural landscape has been augmen ted b y follies ,

ponds and unusual ornamen ta l fea tures . Some times you

can impro ve on per fec tion.


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Ca s t le Ho t e l The Parade, Nea th S A11 1RB

( 0163 9 64111 9

w w w.cas tleho telnea th.co.uk

/ H

Blue b e ll Ho t e l14-16 The Parade, Nea th S A11 1R A

( 0163 9 644000 w w w. thebluebellnea th.co.uk

H

Be s t We s t e rn A b e ra vo n Be a c h Ho t e l

Princess Margare t Wa y, S wansea Ba y,

Port Talbo t S A12 6QP( 0163 9 884 94 9 w w w.abera vonbeach.com

/ H

C w m b a c h Gue s t Ho us e

C wmbach Co t tages,C wmbach Road, Cado x ton,

Nea th S A10 8 AH( 0163 9 63 98 25

w w w.c wmbachgues thouse.co.uk

GH

C w m b a c h Lo d g e s

C wmbach Co ttages,C wmbach Road, Cado x ton,

Nea th S A10 8 AH( 0163 9 63 98 25 w w w.c wmbachgues thouse.co.uk

SC

C w m s ho n Co t t a g e s

Brook Co t tage, Llanguick e Road,

Yn ysmeud w y, Pon tarda we,

S wansea S A8 4PL( 01 7 9 2 865 23 7 w w w.c wmshonco t tages wales.co.u

k

SC

S w a ns e a Va lle yHo lid a y Co t t a g e s

Plas Farm, Cilybeb yll, Pon tarda we,

S wansea S A8 3JQ( 01 7 9 2 864611 w w w. walesco t tages.com

SC

1 & 2 Ta n Yr Eg l w ys

Cil ybeb yll, Pon tarda we,

S wansea S A8 3JR( 01 7 9 2 86336 7rees.llo yd@b tin terne t.com

SC

Gl ync o rr w g P o nd s Ca m p s i t e

Glyncorrwg Ponds Co-opera tive,

Yn yscorr wg Park , Gl yncorr wg,

Port Talbo t S A13 3E A( 0163 9 851 900 w w w.gl yncorr wgponds

visi torcen tre.co.uk TC

A cco mmo d at io n in t h eA fan & V a le o f Neat h A r ea

Aberdulais Tinworks& Waterfall

National Trust, Aberdulais,Neath SA10 8EU( 01639 [email protected]

South WalesMiners Museum

Afan Forest Park, Cynonville,Port Talbot SA13 3HG( 01639 851833www.swmm.co.uk

Margam Country ParkMargam, Port Talbot SA13 2TJ( 01639 881635www.margamcountrypark.co.uk

Adventure BritainCall of the Wild Ltd,

83 Church Road, Seven Sisters,Neath SA10 9DT( 01639 700388www.adventurebritain.com

Go Ape MargamMargam Country Park,Port Talbot SA13 2TJ( 0845 094 9639www.goape.co.uk/margam

Dulais Valley QuadsNant y Cafn Isaf Farm, Seven Sisters,Neath SA10 9EU( 07854 864724www.dulaisvalley-quads.co.uk

Attractions & Activities in the Afan & Vale of Neath Area


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2014 Events

F eb r ua r y 22nd 2nd Mar Pirate Week , Gower Heritage Centre

Ma r ch From 1st St Davids Week Celebratio ns

8th & 9th Celtic Craf t Fayre , Gower Heritage Centre

A p ril12th 27th Eas ter Fun , Gower Heritage Centre

19th Dunge ons & Drag ons Day, Oystermouth Castle

21st Marg am Park Easte r Fun Day

26th Gorseinon Food Festival

27th Welsh Mams Day, Cwmdonkin Park

Ma y 1st 31st Clyne in Bloom

5th Marga m Park Bank Holiday Family Fun Day10th & 11th Cheese & Cider Weeke nd,Gower Heritage Centre23rd 26th Mumbles Marvellous Weeken d,Oystermouth Castle23rd 26th Margam K ite Fest ival, Margam Park

25th & 26th Good Food Festi val,Gower Heritage Centre26th Marga m Park Bank Holiday Family Fun Day(incorporating K ite Festival)

Ju n e 7th 22nd Gower Walking Festival

14th Festival of Trans port, City Centre15th Festival of Trans port Under Milk WoodRoad Run, Bracelet Bay to Laugharne

J u ly (Date TBC ) Mumbles Raft Race

1st 12th Gower Festival, Various Churches, Gower

12th & 13th Vinta ge Tractor Display, Margam Park

12th & 13th Gower Danc e Festival,

Gower Heritage Centre13th 3rd Aug Swansea Bowls Festival, Victoria Park

26th 10th Aug Pirate Weeks , GowerHeritage Centre

A ug ust 1st 31st Bota nics in Bloom, Botanical Gardensat Singleton Park 3rd Gower Show9th 16th Gower Cycling Festival

16th 22nd Dart 18 Catama ran EuropeanCha mpions hips (Racing 18th 22nd Aug TBC),Knab Rock , Mumbles18th 23rd IPC Athletic s European Championships

21st 23rd Swanse a Bay Beer & Cider Festival

25th Margam Park Family Fun Day

Se p te mb e r (Date TBC) Wales Valleys Walking Festival

5th 7th Gower Blueg ras s Music Festival,Gower Heritage Centre

10th 13th Neat h Fair

21st Admiral Swa nse a 10K

Oct ob e r 3rd & 4th Neath Food & Drink Festival

18th & 19th Autumn Fayre & Cider Making,Gower Heritage Centre

19th South Wales Boat J umble, Margam Park

23rd 26th Mumbles Oyster & Good Food Fest ival

27th 9th Nov Dylan Thoma s Festival

29th 31s t Hallowee n Parties ,


No ve mb e r 5th Swans ea Fireworks Disp lay

14th 4th Jan Water front Winte rlan d

15th & 16th Viking re-enactm ent,Gower Heritage Centre

16th Christm as Parade

22nd & 23rd Christm as Craft Fayre ,


D ecemb er Christmas in Swansea continues with Waterfront

Winterland an d Snow White an d th e Seven

Dwarfs Pant omime at t he Gran d Thea tre.

For more events go to www. visitswanse aba y.com and

dont forget our Dylan Thomas centenary celebrations

the highlights are featured on pages 2 &3.


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Documents

Swansea Bay.pdf