Things to see and do Peninsula Of Gower (Penrhyn Gwyr)

In this store and visitor center, you can obtain information about the Gower Peninsula and even buy a few souvenirs. The National Trust rents out the Old Rectory, the peninsula's former priest's house, by the week, overlooking the beach, which is in great demand. If you need any advice, don't hesitate to ask the staff, who will be happy to help you. Please note: closed from Christmas to the second week in January.

It is a church whose foundations date from the 13th century, and rebuilt in the 1860s, forming a fine example of Victorian Gothic architecture. The dedication to St George is reminiscent of the Anglo-Norman influence in this part of Gower. He has been the patron saint of Christian chivalry in Britain since the year 800. Beautiful stained glass windows, including one in the west designed by Nathaniel Westlake in 1905. Next to the choir is a cross probably dating from the 9th century - considered to be one of the oldest Christian objects on the peninsula.

A major permanent exhibition centre on the life and work of Dylan Thomas, considered in the United Kingdom to be one of the greatest poets of the 20th century, particularly in Anglo-Saxon literature. Letters, films, explanatory panels provide more information about the famous Welsh writer. Dylan Thomas was born in Swansea in 1914 and died in New York in 1953. His best-known poem is And Death Shall Have no Dominion. It is even said that Bob Dylan changed his name (born Robert Zimmerman) in homage to this poet!

The Egypt Center boasts a fascinating collection of jewelry, statues and pottery from the age of the Pharaohs. The collection is complemented by a team of friendly volunteers who will let you touch some of the museum's pieces or show you how to make a mummy... Exciting! On Saturdays, the museum is run by young volunteers aged between 10 and 18. They're the ones who run the whole museum, from the cash desk to the gift store, and give you explanations about the display cases... Amazing!

A centre entirely dedicated to environmental issues with an organic garden, temporary exhibitions, a cafeteria using fair trade products and a 100% ecological shop. In short, a mine of information and products to test! It is recommended for young and old alike. The centre really deserves a detour as it is so necessary, exciting and informative. They also organize work-shops and events to learn and develop skills and knowledge. Their philosophy: small action, big change!

The building was built as an extension of a former warehouse. Interactive audiovisual devices attractively present archives on the city's maritime past. Its large industrial port attracted a number of talents from fields as varied as crafts, engineering, medicine and the arts. We discover optical and navigational instruments, as well as old cameras and medical tools.

The oldest museum in Wales. A fascinating walk through the ages in six galleries, from geological to historical. Among the highlights are a fine collection of ^18th- and ^19th-century ceramics, objects from the Welsh countryside, paintings of the town and surrounding area, fish skeletons and an Egyptian mummy! There are also workshops (usually free of charge), film screenings, guided tours and temporary exhibitions. Check their website for all the latest news.

For a stroll among the tropical flora, welcome to the Plantasia canopy. A pyramid-shaped greenhouse that includes 5,000 different plants, mini waterfalls, all of which are also frequented by small friendly animals. For example, there are Argentine parakeets: larger and more colourful than standard parakeets, they make huge nests with several entrances! Caimans, snakes, as well as various insects and spiders. New inhabitants have recently joined the greenhouse: Tamarin monkeys from Colombia!

In a majestic building with a magnificent glass roof, there is a collection of paintings and sculptures, including a selection of 20th century works, porcelain from Swansea and China... The gallery is a partner of the Tate of London and a section of the building is dedicated to temporary exhibitions of contemporary art. The museum sometimes brings in works by major masters. The gallery also has an excellent bookstore where you can find art books, recent publications and journals of architecture, fashion or design.

It is an amazing landscape that forms the national nature reserve of Oxwich Burrows, a large expanse of salt marshes near Penrice Castle, a th century castle where you can stroll through the gardens and around the lake.

The center is home to a mill dating back to the ^12th century and a weaving loom still in operation! There's also a store selling handcrafted woodwork and pottery, a puppet theater, a wildlife park, Wales' smallest cinema and a tearoom. The Gower Heritage Centre organizes numerous events for the whole family throughout the year, so take a look at the calendar of events on their website. Futé: you can try your hand at pottery, bake your own bread, try your hand at blacksmithing...

Walking leads to bois and leads to an exceptional point of view on Three Cliffs Bay, Bristol Channel and the north coast of Devon, the English district.

This museum provides information on the activities of a former coal mine that closed in 1970. It is plunged into near darkness that we discover photographs and documents of the period, tools and objects related to the daily life of the mine staged in an original way. A tunnel has been built, in which one gets an idea of the working environment of the miners. From the visitor centre, circular walks through the forest start.

Celtic and old stone lovers cannot miss this museum, which is exclusively dedicated to them. It is located in a wing of the Cistercian abbey of Margam, built in 1147. There are engraved stones from the 6th century, pre-Christian sculptures and ornate crosses from the 10th and 11th centuries. There are also pieces from the medieval period, including the carved effigy of a knight. Attention, for visits from October to March, it is only on reservation on Wednesdays and Fridays.

A first breathtaking hike to Mumbles, for a glimpse of the beauty of the Gower cliffs. The circuit takes us on a coastal path, whose climbs are in some places a little steep. The gradual ascent, above the sea, causes an intoxicating sensation. We climb up the hillside, with the sea as far as the eye can see and the quiet spectacle of white sailboats splitting the waters. It is then possible to reach Swansea by bus (^nos. 2A and 2B). The stop is at the corner of Plunch Lane and Mumbles Road.

Overlooking the marshes, Weobley Castle (pronounced "web-lee") offers superb views: the Llanrhid salt flats and the Loughor estuary. Before accessing it, don't forget to pay for your ticket in the house opposite. Contrary to its name, Weobley Castle was a fortified mansion, a residence of the De La Bere family, built in the 14th century (1304-1327), and not a castle with a defensive purpose. It was attacked and severely damaged at the beginning of the 15th century by Owain's forces at Glyndŵr (be careful, last access 30 minutes before closing).

From the small village of Penmaen, reported from the parking lot, a circuit lets you browse a set of archaeological sites between Three Cliffs Bay Bay and Oxwich Bay: medieval church, iron age burial rooms, and ruins of a late th century Norman castle, Pennard Castle. The location of this castle perched on the edge of a cliff overlooking the beach of Three Cliffs Bay is impressive and the panorama deserves the ascent!

The medieval castle offers a splendid view of the bay. It was built in the 12th century by Henri de Beaumont, Duke of Gower. As his main residence was built on the current Swansea site, Oystermouth Castle was in fact primarily intended to expand the northwestern surveillance field. The strange appearance of the main façade comes from the absence of the two towers that should have flanked its entrance; they were never built. Even when closed, the castle and park are still worth a look.

Built in 1897, the pretty Pier was a place of relaxation for Victorian and Edwardian society. You can walk on the footbridge above the sea or stop in the café of the kiosk at the summer tone. Behind the Pier is a tiny little beach that overlooks two small islets of rock, the famous "Mumbles". The lighthouse is on one of them and the other rocky promontory, accessible at low tide, is a delight for fishermen and the curious..

The site is dated around 2500 BC. Arthur's Stone, a former burial chamber, is a fifteen-ton stone that rests on six others. However, before 1693, this rock was much larger, until an incident broke it and dropped more than ten tons. Mystery still reigns around this event. Countless legends exist, including that of King Arthur, who, embarrassed by a stone in his shoe, threw it away with force. He fell eleven kilometres further on, on Cefn Bryn, having accumulated magical powers during his flight.