Attractions & activities in and around Gower

Arthur’s Stone is a Neolithic tomb. There are many legends and tales associated with it. One in particular speaks of a local miller, who cut a piece off the stone to use as a millstone, but once it was apart, was too heavy to move.

Situated in Swansea’s maritime quarter, Attic Gallery is one of Wales’ leading privately run galleries. Established in 1962, the gallery represents some of Wales leading artists. There is a lively and continuing exhibition programme with both single artist and group shows.

Blue Pool Bay (Bluepool Corner as it is marked on OS map) can only be reached on foot and it lays 1Km West of Broughton.

Bracelet is the first small bay that you reach as you start to travel around the coast from Swansea Bay and Limeslade is a short distance away.

Brandy Cove is set just to the West of Caswell Bay and being surrounded by rising land on three sides, would have been perfect for smugglers bringing in illicit contraband.

Broughton is another enormous sandy beach in North Gower, on the end of the Loughor Estuary. A great place for the dogs to have a long run.

Butterslade is a small, rocky inlet to the East of Thurba Head.

Caswell is another very popular bay, with plenty of sand to sit on, waves to surf and rockpools to explore. Life guards patrol the beach during high season.

Explore the colliery buildings and learn what it was like for miners working underground. Free parking.

Open 10am – 4.30pm, seven days a week, the Dylan Thomas Centre celebrates the life and work of Swansea’s world-famous poet with audio recordings, manuscripts, photos and year round events.

Fall bay is one of the hardest to reach bays on Gower, however the walk is well worth it and the beach is never crowded due to its remoteness.

Glynn Vivian Art Gallery reopened in October 2016 following a major redevelopment to transform and conserve the 1911 Grade II* listed building. New galleries have been added alongside expert conservation studios and collection store, providing a fully accessible, welco

Horton Methodist Chapel is situated at the top of the hill in Horton, next to the village hall, only a minutes’ drive from the beach. Everyone is welcome.

The Old Lifeboat Station and Mumbles Pier are situated here.

The beach itself lies at the Western end of Rhossili Bay and is a sandy, sprawling beach backing onto sand dunes. Very popular with surfers.

Llanrhidian Sands is the Gower side of the Loughor Estuary.

Only the tower remains of this 12th Century castle, yet Loughor Castle has much history in its stone walls and has a big story to tell.

Mewslade bay is one of the prettiest bays on Gower. The short walk to the beach, leads down a wooded path and then through the valley which is owned by the National Trust.

Mission Gallery has developed a reputation for dynamic and distinctive programming, to present excellence across the visual arts, applied arts and craft, from across Wales and beyond.

The church is situated at the heart of the Mumbles community at the gateway to the beautiful Gower Peninsula and five miles west of the city of Swansea. A warm welcome awaits.

Open Fridays and Saturdays 8am- 5pm. Fresh vegetables, local produce, honey. Plenty of parking.

Please allow us to introduce our Chapel on the Green, in the lovely setting of Murton. We are situated within the Gower area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, just a short hop from Swansea

The National Waterfront Museum tells the story of industry and innovation in Wales, now and over the last 300 years. Using a mix of interactive technology and real objects, the Museum shows Wales at work from the Industrial Revolution onward.

Nicholaston Burrows is much quieter than the Western end of Oxwich Bay because of its relative isolation.

Overton Mere is a rocky plateau surrounded with hills rising high on three sides. The mere is filled with rock pools and a wide variety of birds can be seen swooping from the cliffs to the waters edge.

Plenty of sand, sea and space for everyone, even on the hottest Summer day.

Despite its name, Oxwich Castle is actually a fortified Tudor manor house. Built upon and inspired by an existing 13th and 14th century ruin, Sir Rice Mansel constructed his impressive mansion in the early 16th century.

Whether you’re looking for a quiet family day out, or exciting water activities we have something for you. Ideally located on the Gower Peninsula, Oxwich Watersports offers a range of activities to cater for the easy going all the way through to the thrill seeking adventurer.

This partly restored Neolithic burial chamber is located seven miles south-west of Swansea in what now is known as Coed y Parc Cwm on the Gower Peninsula. The 6,000-year-old cromlech was found to have been in use for between 300 and 800 years.

Paviland Cave – whose real name is “Goat’s Hole” is one of the most famous archaeological sites in Britain.  It is best known for the “Red Lady of Paviland” (a headless skeleton of a man, mistakenly identified as a woman, stained red with ochre) who lived 18000 years ago.

This is where it gets really exciting. A wooded valley with a fresh water river (Pennard Pill) meandering through a vast open space surrounded by sand dunes and limestone features before flowing into the sea. Great.

Pitton Methodist Chapel is situated half way between the Pitton crossroads and the village of Middleton, on the B4247, only a minutes’ drive from Rhossili. A warm welcome awaits.

Pobbles Bay is another popular but more secluded beach. Surrounded by limestone cliffs and sand dunes you can see right to the end of Oxwich Bay on a clear day.

Port Eynon Bay is one of the most popular beaches on Gower. It is easily accessible, no long walks. The car park is situated about a minute from the beach.

Pwlldu is a very secluded bay. Very pebbly, picturesque and romantic.

Ramsgrove is a very rocky little cove. Approached through a steep high sided, limestone valley.

Reynoldston is a lively fellowship, the chapel is prominently located opposite the village Post Office.

Rhossili Bay was voted the best beach in the UK in June 2010. Since then it has received accolade upon accolade, including best beach in Europe and within the top 10 best beaches in the world. Why not come and judge for yourself?

Rhossili Gallery offers visitors to Gower a range of original paintings, limited edition prints, ceramics, glassware, sculptures and jewellery, much of which is produced on Gower. Specialists in wedding rings. Open all year round.

Langland Bay is very popular with families and surfers alike as it is largely unspoilt and has easy access from the promenade.

Salt House Mere is just next to the Salt House in Port Eynon.

The church is cruciform in shape, with an embattled western tower, and the nave and chancel date from the early 12th century.

The tiny ‘Cathedral of Gower’ was probably built in the early 14th century to replace the one at Landimore, abandoned due to the encroachment of the sea. The tower, without transepts, is between the nave and chancel, an uncommon design in South Wales.

The church was founded during the 6th century by St. Cattwg’s missionary to Gower, St. Cennydd. The present building dates from the 12th century and was given to the Knights of St. John by Robert de la Mare around 1165.

This 12th century church is on the site of a 6th century llan, or churchyard, which retains the original circular footprint. The floor was raised and the interior subjected to careful Victorian remodelling. In the south wall are the remains of a medieval doorway to the cloisters of the adjoining monastery/priory, and in the rear of the chancel arch is evidence of a rood-stair.

The church is said to have been built by Henry de Gower, a 14th century Bishop of St David’s. The chancel is not in line with the nave but inclined to the south: there is a theory that this is a ‘weeping chancel’, deliberately built as a reminder to worshippers that when Christ was crucified, he leant his head to one side; or may simply mean that the chancel and the sanctuary were built at different times.

This mission chapel was built in 1898 alongside the marsh to serve parishioners when the main road was impassable.

The dedication to St George is a reminder of the Anglo/Norman influence in this part of Gower: the figure of St George slaying the dragon is carved in relief on the stone pulpit.

The church derives from a 6th century monastic cell. The present church was largely built during the 13th century incorporating the cell in the base of a massive embattled tower with a saddleback roof. For the millennium celebrations the tower was re-opened into the church and the area restored as a simple but beautiful chapel.

Legend suggests that St Illtyd himself brought the Sutton Stone font to Oxwich. The decoration of the chancel was instigated by Leslie Young, artistic director of Sadler’s Wells in 1931, who used to holiday nearby.

The original church was probably on the burrows above Three Cliffs Bay. This was besanded in the early 14th century, and probably directly replaced by the present one.

St Madoc is reputed to have founded a church here in the 6th century, and the present building is 13th century.

A church which stood close to Pennard castle and whose remains can still be seen was besanded and finally abandoned in the early 16th century, so that St Mary’s became the parish church.

The church was built by Anglo-Norman settlers around the year 1200, and has a saddleback tower. The doorway surround is a fine example of late Norman work, rare in Wales and unique in Gower.

The earlier church was nearer the sea, and the present one built in the 14th century. A medieval tombstone stands in the porch, and the font is probably the original Norman from the first church.

The original ‘Llan’ probably dates back to the 6th century, as there was once an inscribed stone (now lost) in the area.

Swansea Bay stretches from the Maritime quarter of Swansea to the fishing village of Mumbles.

Sitting at the top of the now bustling Wind Street, it’s hard to imagine Swansea Castle amongst its true historical surroundings. What is visible now is only a glimpse of what it once was as the castle once reached from Caer Street all the way up to Welcome Lane.

Swansea Museum is home to important archaeological collections and very fine ceramics collections not to mention the Egyptian Mummy – Hun.

Swansea Watersports is Wales Premier Watersports Centre. We are based in the heart of Swansea in the Marina and offer a wide variety of Watersports including Powerboating, Sailing and Kayaking. Whether you are looking for Training or a fun day out, we can help.

Horton attracts many visitors each year. The beach is only a minute or so walk from the car park, through the sand dunes.

The Egypt Centre, Museum of Egyptian Antiquities was opened in 1998. It can be found on Swansea University’s Singleton Campus. It contains the largest collection of ancient Egyptian artefacts in Wales, some 5,500 objects. Free Admission.

The Sands is a vast expanse of sand and rock pools surrounded by cliffs, at the Eastern end of Port Eynon Bay. At very low tide it is possible to scramble over the rocks from The Cove into The Sands, but it is advisable to keep a close eye on the tide at all times.

Three Cliff Bay is one of the most photographed areas of Gower and is also commonly known as Three Cliffs.

Tor Bay is a large sandy beach that is shaped like a horseshoe.

A place of safety for homeless and abused animals from across the world. Come and see the work we are doing to help make animal suffering a thing of the past. Make your mate a primate.

Walking is one of the great pastimes for visitors to Gower. Discover a bit more about routes, groups and maps. Swansea and Gower is part of the Wales Coast Path.

Weobley Castle is a castle with a view. Once the proud home of the refined de la Bere family, the fortified manor house is located on the picturesque Gower Peninsula and overlooks the Llanrhidian salt marshes and Loughor Estuary.

Whiteford Burrows is a dune and pine plantation, just North of Llanmadoc. Owned by the National Trust, it is classified as one of the many National Nature Reserves that we have on Gower.

The most photographed part of Gower, Worms Head, stretches out to sea and becomes an island when the tide comes in.