Location
|
|
|
The Gower Peninsula is famed for its succession of golden beaches, unspoiled countryside and plethora of ancient, mystical sites. Within Gower's coastline lies no less than twenty five beaches, ranging from stunning vistas of sand such as Oxwich Bay, Rhossili Bay and Whiteford Sands which stretch for almost as far as the eye can see, to secluded coves 'secreted' away amongst Gower's fascinating limestone cliffs.
Unsuprisingly, given that Gower was chosen as Britain's first 'Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty' - affording it protection by the National Trust since 1956, it is not only Gower's beaches or its historical monuments or folklore which draw visitors to the peninsula each year. Within its boundary lies an almost infinite variety of wildlife habitats. These include woodland - both indiginous and pine, dune, salt marsh, rivers, caves, commons and agricultural fields. So important are some of the species of flora and fauna found in these habitats that large areas of Gower have been protected in order that they are not faced with the modern-day pressures that threaten to destroy so much of the rest of the UK countryside.
SUNDAY TIMES: KATHERINE JENKINS:
Three Cliffs Bay, Gower Peninsula“I grew up on the edge of the Gower, but it was still a holiday place for our family. We’d go on weekend breaks to Three Cliffs Bay – six miles down the road! That’s how gorgeous it is.....“My auntie kept a little caravan on the cliff tops, and I spent long summer days there with my dog, digging out boats in the sand and sitting in them, waiting for the tide to come in. .... “I’m biased, I know, but my view is not just about sentimentality: the bay really is beautiful, with three curious crags of triangular limestone jutting out into the waves, like pyramids. You can walk right underneath them, through a rocky archway to the shore. “There’s a bit of everything: the sea, the cliffs, the salt marshes, a meandering stream curling down to the sea – and Pennard Castle, an 800-year-old fort tucked behind the beach. It’s in picturesque ruins, perfect for mooning about in. Sometimes you even see wild horses cantering along the sands. Talk about romantic. ..... “It may seem a strange thing to say about a beach, but to me Three Cliffs always feels so intimate and cosy. It gives me the feeling of being hugged. I take friends there whenever I’m home, and every time I’m struck by the magic of it again. It still takes my breath away.”