Return to the Gower
The best of the Gower Peninsula weekend featured good company, great weather, stunning walking and a great place to stay. Peter and Marion, who took 15 of us there, had researched every detail and the result was a most memorable few days for everyone.
Staying at Parc le Breos guest house we all had huge comfortable en suite rooms and we were looked after by the obliging and gentle proprietor Olive.
On Saturday morning we simply tipped out of bed and downstairs to a hearty Welsh breakfast before setting off on our day walk from the front door. We were to enjoy a perfect 10-mile circular route to include our own good company with hills, flowers, woods, castles, sun, sea and sand.
The best of the Gower Peninsula weekend featured good company, great weather, stunning walking and a great place to stay. Peter and Marion, who took 15 of us there, had researched every detail and the result was a most memorable few days for everyone.
Staying at Parc le Breos guest house we all had huge comfortable en suite rooms and we were looked after by the obliging and gentle proprietor Olive.
On Saturday morning we simply tipped out of bed and downstairs to a hearty Welsh breakfast before setting off on our day walk from the front door. We were to enjoy a perfect 10-mile circular route to include our own good company with hills, flowers, woods, castles, sun, sea and sand.
Left, Benita and Peter overlooking the sea. Right, Stepping stones on the beach
The sun was burning away the early morning haze as we set off and within minutes we were to be high up on the Cefn Bryn moorland where we were able to glimpse misty views of the sea. A downhill yomp was needed through prickly gorse, Tony bravely in his shorts, to find our our way onto the clear path. We noticed a beautiful lonely old stable block as the mystical ruins of Penrice Castle came into view close by on the hill. You can't walk up to the ruin but our route took us right front of the 18th century stylish replacement and across the parkland. Here we paused for a photo shoot mainly because we were all struck by the banks of daffodils blooming at their best simply everywhere. I didn't realise that the most magnificent daffies do grow in Wales and were quite a feature of our weekend.
Left, Peter and Mike callibrate this GPSs. Right, 'We see no ships!'
We gently descended to Oxwich Bay where Peter had ensured the tide was out, the sun shining and a café was serving coffee for us to enjoy with our lunch. Julian, Benita and Helen picnicked up on the sand dunes and had time for a siesta before we gathered to continue our walk along the golden sandy beach beside the calm sea.
A tiny climb was needed to pass over the cliff at near Great Tor and as we came down to Threecliff Day the rock formations looked like the pyramids coming up out of the sand. We hopped over some large stepping stones and passed a celtic circle (if you walk around these stone circles they are supposed to wind you up like a spring and energise you!). We walked along the oxbow of the Pennard Pill back through the woods and up the road to our hotel.
Tea and Glenis's wonderful cake was set out to greet us on our return.
Peter and Marion had arranged for us all to have dinner at the Oxwich Bay Hotel. We had the luxury of our own dining room overlooking the gardens and by the sea. The food was good and the hotel seemed to feature daily weddings with the guests (in their best Welsh glad rags) passing our window as an added feature.
A tiny climb was needed to pass over the cliff at near Great Tor and as we came down to Threecliff Day the rock formations looked like the pyramids coming up out of the sand. We hopped over some large stepping stones and passed a celtic circle (if you walk around these stone circles they are supposed to wind you up like a spring and energise you!). We walked along the oxbow of the Pennard Pill back through the woods and up the road to our hotel.
Tea and Glenis's wonderful cake was set out to greet us on our return.
Peter and Marion had arranged for us all to have dinner at the Oxwich Bay Hotel. We had the luxury of our own dining room overlooking the gardens and by the sea. The food was good and the hotel seemed to feature daily weddings with the guests (in their best Welsh glad rags) passing our window as an added feature.
Left to right: A bit of a climb. The offending stile. Along the river with Pennard Castle in the background.
On Sunday after breakfast a minibus arrived to take us to Rhossili. Peter was making sure all the best views and walking were included in this weekend. Today was going to be a linear coastal walk, the sun was shining and the tide was out. The first stop was the wonderful café on the cliff top at Rhossili where there was excellent coffee, but also a chance to enjoy the impressive view of the windsurfing beach down below.
We set off along the high coastal path and paused at the National Coast Watch Institution whose keeper explained that Worm's Head in front of us was an 11/2 mile causeway that could be walked at low tide and they were there to look out for people!
We continued along a true coastal path now with the occasional buzzard to notice on our way. There was a little bit of up and down to exercise the legs and we enjoyed lunch on the cliff top before reaching Port-Enyon. Here was another stunning sandy beach with some windsurfers but beware the huge caravan parks. The last stretch of coast the path came even closer to the sea and we soon found ourselves back at the hotel at Oxwich Bay for tea and another wedding.
On Monday we were allowed a lie-in as we were to have a short walk before parting. We parked at a spot called Foxhole near a good café and enjoyed coffee before setting off. The coastal path on National Trust land was so close to the sea and we were looking out for seals and dolphins as we walked towards Deep Slade and High Pennard. There had been many lime kilns in the area in the past. We turned into the valley and along an old path through a delightful wooded valley following a stream. This path had been the old coffin route for taking bodies for burial at Kettle and we passed a large cave where there was an underground river opening. We emerged from the valley and into the village of Kettle where we were able to enjoy a lunch together in the pub before going on our way.
A sincere thank you to Peter and Marion. All the recces and planning you did were truly appreciated. You showed us the very best of the Gower and it was an enjoyable, relaxing and seamless trip. Yvonne
To read some of the participants' 'twitters' on the Gower weekend, click here.
We set off along the high coastal path and paused at the National Coast Watch Institution whose keeper explained that Worm's Head in front of us was an 11/2 mile causeway that could be walked at low tide and they were there to look out for people!
We continued along a true coastal path now with the occasional buzzard to notice on our way. There was a little bit of up and down to exercise the legs and we enjoyed lunch on the cliff top before reaching Port-Enyon. Here was another stunning sandy beach with some windsurfers but beware the huge caravan parks. The last stretch of coast the path came even closer to the sea and we soon found ourselves back at the hotel at Oxwich Bay for tea and another wedding.
On Monday we were allowed a lie-in as we were to have a short walk before parting. We parked at a spot called Foxhole near a good café and enjoyed coffee before setting off. The coastal path on National Trust land was so close to the sea and we were looking out for seals and dolphins as we walked towards Deep Slade and High Pennard. There had been many lime kilns in the area in the past. We turned into the valley and along an old path through a delightful wooded valley following a stream. This path had been the old coffin route for taking bodies for burial at Kettle and we passed a large cave where there was an underground river opening. We emerged from the valley and into the village of Kettle where we were able to enjoy a lunch together in the pub before going on our way.
A sincere thank you to Peter and Marion. All the recces and planning you did were truly appreciated. You showed us the very best of the Gower and it was an enjoyable, relaxing and seamless trip. Yvonne
To read some of the participants' 'twitters' on the Gower weekend, click here.
