The Gower Peninsula - An "Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty"

The Gower Peninsula is a beautiful and sacred place - a truly magical land which can inspire, comfort and exhilarate the hearts and minds of those who walk its ancient paths and take in its breath-taking scenery. Come and explore the area's beaches, countryside, history and legends with local writer and photographer Chris Elphick.

Gower Surfers

Welcome to Gower is a truly interactive guide with daily comment-enabled blog posts, FREE downloadable .pdf guides, videos, photos and truly independant reviews and opinion. Welcome to Gower also has a live Twitter feed and a Facebook presence. Please enjoy this website and don't be shy - make your presence known. Your comments and interaction are important features of Welcome to Gower. 

If you would like to read a brief, general guide to Gower before you get stuck into the posts below, you can find one here and if you want to learn more about your guide on the rambles and sorjourns that follow, here's a brief biography.

Swansea Vale Nature Reserve, June 2009

Entry Posted July 05, 2009

I am currently working on the next issue of the Welcome to Gower ezine, which will feature the first part of my Swansea Vale Nature Reserve diaries (featuring entries dating from 2005-2006). In the meantime, I think I'll post a few pics that will be showing up in the ezine to hopefully whet your appetite. Before I start posting these older (2006) photos though, here is a video of the Reserve I took just a few days ago. I hope you enjoy it :o)

Oxwich Lane

Entry Posted July 04, 2009

Oxwich - from the Three Bears Cottage to the Oxwich Towers folly :o)

Oxwich Bay

Entry Posted July 03, 2009

Tractors and 4x4's Crowd the Western Fringe of Oxwich Bay

Pics Taken June 14, 2009.

Oxwich Green To Oxwich Car Park

Entry Posted July 02, 2009

Heading inland from the coast after Oxwich Point, past the ugly water treatment works and down the right hand side of the equally none-too-pleasant-looking trailer park, leads the walker to a strangely exotic portal path which eventually opens out onto the serene Oxwich Green.

The Portal Path to Oxwich Green

Some Strangely Exotic Plants Edging the Path

Oxwich Green

The Wesleyan Chapel, Now Converted into a Home

Oxwich Green

Wood Pigeon, Oxwich

From Oxwich Green, a more than pleasant lane sinks down along a tree-lined route to the Oxwich Bay car park and offers some tantalising glimpses of Oxwich Castle as well as distant views over Penrice Castle.

Oxwich Castlle Lying Beyond an Attractively Rustic Stone Style

Oxwich Castle, A Fortified Medieval Mansion

Shed Door, Oxwich

Penrice Castle

The Lane Leading Down from Oxwich Green to Oxwich Bay Car Park

The Remains of a Limestone Kiln, Oxwich

Trees at Oxwich Bay Car Park

Tractors Find a Non-Agrictural Use at Oxwich

A Small Vintage Nuffield Tractor, Oxwich Bay

Oxwich Bay Car Park

I'll close this current run of posts on Oxwich with two more blog entries, featuring Oxwich Bay itself and a short video showing the drive up the ancient lane which climbs up to the Oxwich Towers folly...