Visit the Gower Wales
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7 reasons to visit the Gower Wales

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The Gower is one of Wales’s coastal gems, with dramatic coastlines, breathtaking scenery and fresh seafood. It’s also home to some of the best surfing spots in the UK.

There are many reasons to visit the Gower area. Here, you’ll beautiful sandy beaches, coastal walks, piers, castles and more in this gorgeous part of Wales. It’s a perfect seaside staycation spot in the UK.

The Gower is one of Wales’s coastal gems, with dramatic coastlines, breathtaking scenery, fresh seafood and it’s also home to some of the best surfing in the UK.

Why visit the Gower?

The Gower Peninsula is a short drive from the Welsh city of Swansea and is one of the most scenic parts of Wales.

It was actually designated as the UK’s first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1956. To this day it still remains as beautiful as ever.

Here you’ll find Gastropubs, sandy beaches, Victorian Piers, seafood and some incredible hikes.

Check out these 7 reasons to visit the Gower Wales to get inspired today.

7 reasons to visit the Gower

Discover sandy beaches

The dramatic coastline of Gower is full of stunning limestone cliffs, award-winning beaches and surfing spots.

There are over 6 miles of award-winning Blue Flag Beaches in the Gower. You can also enjoy coastal walks and stunning cliff top views in this rather splendid part of Wales.

Even if the weather is unkind [which it often is in Wales], you can still take a stroll in the bracing sea air, stop in a traditional pub or take seaside snaps if you are a keen photographer.

Rhossili Bay has also been enjoying some limelight on the world stage too. It has been voted in the top four beaches in Britain for the last four years

Best beaches in the Gower Wales

Some of the best beaches in the Gower include:

  • Llangennith
  • Oxwich Bay,
  • Three Cliffs Bay beach
  • Rhosilli beach.

They all have their unique set of characteristics, features and facilities. Several Gower beaches are also dog-friendly if you are looking to take your doggo for a gorgeous seaside stroll.

Beautiful beaches in the Gower Wales

Stroll along Mumbles Mile

Take a trip over to the western edge of Swansea Bay to explore a headlands area known as ‘the Mumbles’. Only in Wales right?

When I was growing up, the Mumbles was most famous for the ‘Mumbles Mile’. This was a seafront pub crawl, consisting of 26 pubs, [that was around a mile-ish], that was a rite of passage for the young people of Wales.

You would stumble from one traditional pub to the next supping cheap larger and hope you had enough money for a bag of chips at the end of the night to sober up.

Many of those pubs have now sadly closed. These days Mumbles has moved away from being a rampant drinking spot, to a more cultured seaside strip.

The Mumbles seafront, the Gower wales

Now there are art galleries, a Mumbles brewery, boutique shops and high-end cafes. You can take a stroll along the seafront, visit the Victorian Pier or have a delicious cream tea.

If you are looking for art or unique gifts, then make sure to call into the Gower Gallery. Or why not purchase a traditional Lovespoon from the Lovespoon Gallery?

The Mumbles pier Swansea Bay wales

Try traditional Welsh dishes

The Gower and the Swansea Bay area has a growing reputation for culinary excellence. Some local Welsh dishes and specialities you can try include cockles, lamb, cawl and laverbread and freshly caught seafood.

If you are wondering where to eat in the Gower, there is a great range of restaurants, pubs and cafes in the area. Many of them will also have outdoor dining and drinking areas with beautiful ocean views.

Oxwich bay the Gower

Microbreweries are also popping up in the Gower area as they catch up with the growing real ale trend in the UK.

One of the most well know is Mumbles Brewery who brew ales with local flavours including ‘Mumbles Mile’ and ‘Mumbles Gold’.

Some of the best places to eat in the Gower include:

  • Oxwich bay Hotel
  • Verdi’s
  • King Arther Hotel
  • Gower Seafood Hut
  • Beach House Restaurant
Gowe wales restaurants

Explore the Wales Coast Path

In the scenic Gower area, you can join the Wales coastal path following the stunning coastline of the Gower Peninsula.

There’s the popular three cliff bay circular walk,  Oxwich point walk, or the Pennard Castle walk.

Some of my favourite walking routes include many Rhossili walks, including the route to Worm’s Head in Rhosilli.

The Worm’s Head is 2 small and pretty islands off the headland of Rhossili. They are joined to the coast at low tide by a causeway. Walking out to Worms Head will give you incredible coastal views.

Make sure you have proper walking attire for this hike. This strenuous walk involves a bit of scrambling and is rocky in parts.

Wales Cost Path Gower

Camp next to the beach at Llangennith

One of the best places for camping in the Gower is near Llangennith beach. This beautiful Welsh beach is a popular spot for both surfing and camping.

The Hill End campsite is located just behind the dunes of Llangennith beach. It consists of several flat meadows next to sand dunes.

The campsite is an ideal overnight spot for keen surfers. The sandy beach is only a short walk away and has pretty consistent waves.

Camping in the Gower Wales

The campsite is well equipped with hot showers, toilets, shop and coffee shop and bistro.

The guys who run the site are fairly laid back but won’t tolerate large groups making a racket throughout the night.

So be warned, if you are looking for all night camping rave, this isn’t the place for you.

Beach camping the Gower Wales

If you want to have a drink and watch a stunning sunset, head up to the sand dunes. You can have a campfire and some beers with your buddies without disturbing other campers.

Sunset beach the Gower Wales

Learn how to surf in the Gower

One of the best places for surfing in Wales is the Gower. One of my favourite surfing spots in the Gower is Llangennith. It’s a picturesque spot to surf in with consistent waves that rival Newquay in Cornwall.

There are several breaks around the area to explore with wind swells and groundswells in equal measure.

Be aware that it can get quite crowded in the surf, so pay extra attention and care. Especially if you are a beginner surfer.

Surfing in the Gower Wales

If you are new to wave riding why not book a surf-lesson with Big Blue Adventures?

These guys are the outdoor adventure specialists in Wales and offer a range of surf lesson options.

Learn to surf in Wales

The surf lessons take place at either Rhossili Bay or Llangennith Beach and are around 2 hours long.

The lessons include all equipment, experienced instructor and training on the beach.

Photograph amazing sunsets

The Gower offers amazing opportunities for landscape photographers and sunset chasers.

There are many places you can set up your tripod and capture the sky blazing with colour as the sun sets into the ocean.

Some of my favourite places for sunset photography in the Gower include

  • Pennard Castle
  • Three Cliffs Bay beach
  • Worm’s Head
  • Swansea Bay
  • Rhossili Bay

Oxwich Bay is my favourite beach for an evening stroll and for sunset photography.

You can pop in for a cheeky glass of wine at Oxwich bay hotel and take advantage of their seaside views. Order a few drinks, sit outside and watch the sun go down.

Oxwich Bay the Gower

Day tour Gower Peninsular

If you are short on time when travelling around Wales, why not book a full-day tour of the Gower Peninsular?

You can let an expert guide show you around this incredible area and learn more about this gorgeous part of Wales.

Hike along the coastal path, visit a National Trust visitor centre and have lunch at Rhossili.

Would you visit the Gower in Wales? Let me know in the comments below if it;s on your Wales bucket list?

Why you need to visit the Gower in Wales

Wales Travel Planning

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