Gower Day 6

After the most amazing supper last night we had the worst breakfast of our entire trip at our hotel :(  But, the view sure made up for it.  I could definitely have stayed here much longer for the view out of our bedroom window!

Last view from our window this AM

Headed out this morning with our first stop being at Llansteffan Castle.  This is a castle from the 12th century that our hosts at one of our first B&B's recommended.  This is the kind of castle we like to visit.  No charge for parking (I can't even guess what we have spent in park & pay this week), and no charge for entry to the castle.  It was about a mile from the parking lot uphill to the castle.  We were the only ones up there, along with the grass cutters.  Funniest sign ever, you walk a mile uphill and there is a sign telling you that you can buy an information pamphlet on the castle at the post office in town.  Needless to say we did not have an information pamphlet on the castle.

Llansteffan Castle

From the castle we continued on to the Gower Peninsula.   This section of Wales has beautiful beaches.  We first stopped in the town of Mumbles at the information center, and to buy some ice cream at a shop I had read about.  I think Mumbles is one of the bigger towns, it is very low tide, and they have a great walkway along the beach where you can bike and walk.  Lots of people out and about as it is another beautiful day.  We spent about an hour here looking around, and had a little picnic at a bench overlooking the beach.

From here we went to our first stop at a beach that the tourist information told us she recommended.  She did not disappoint.  It was called Three Cliff Bay.  Again about a mile walk from the little store that charges you 3 GBP to park in their lot.  It is low tide when we get there and absolutely fantastic.  We had to take off shoes and socks to get through a little stream but it felt great.  Along the way a man passed us on horseback with 2 dogs.  In total I think we saw 10 people on the walk there, and not many more than that at the beach.  You also pass by some castle ruins on the way to the beach, way up on a hill, so yes Andre decided we needed to go there too.  It was such a steep climb up, in the sand.  Andre went up the rock face, but I walked around to go up the sand.  On the way up the man on horseback came by and asked me if I wanted a lift the rest of the way up, I passed on that and did eventually make it up!  Nice views again from the Castle, but to get back down from where we parked we had to go down a really steep slope.  The first part was a little scary as it was hard packed and you slid until you hit a rock, but most of it was really soft sand which was just like walking in your ski boots in soft snow, so I had no problem with that!

On our walk to the beach this man came by on horseback with his dogs

Amazing beach at the end of our walk!

View of Three Cliff Bay from above, you can see how far the tide comes in

We came across a golf course up by the castle

View of beach from castle ruins

From here we went on to the second spot that was recommended called Rhossili Beach.  wow, this is  a 3 mile beach that was again fantastic.  This time we just walked on the cliffs over the beach.  There is an island at the end of the cliff walk called Worms Head island.  This Island is only accessible 2 hours before and after high tide or you will get stranded.  I was never happier to see that we were outside the time range on the sign, I had visions of Andre wanting to do this walk too!

Rhossili Beach

Walkway to beach views

Worms Head Island

Next off to find our hotel for the night.  Tonight we are staying at a hotel that has been converted from a summer home for hunting.  Beautiful grounds, we just came back from a walk to a spot that actually overlooks the Three Cliff Bay that we hiked out to earlier today. 

Walk to view of Three Cliffs bay that we did earlier today, notice it is now high tide

Sadly tomorrow we leave Wales and head back to England.  Right now it looks like we will spend a few hours in Bath on the way, but no firm plans yet.