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05 | Mumbles

swansea bayMumbles, Gower, Afan and The Vale of Neath

Inside:

Swansea48 hours in swansea

Beaches, parks and gardensoutdoor oscars

Adrenalin sportson the waterfront

For familieslive life

2009

01 | visitswanseabay.com

You mightn’t have visited us before. But you probablyhave an image of Swansea Bay and its surroundings. It may include a bit of water, a grain or two of sand, the usual cityscape and not much else.

Here’s the real picture. Wales’swaterfront city has a modernmaritime spirit and buzzy arts,foodie and shopping scene.It’s next door to big (andsmall) sandy bays andbeaches. And it all comesneatly packaged. FromSwansea’s sophisticatedMaritime Quarter it’s just a shorthop to Gower’s inspirational ‘land’send’. Go the other way and you’ll soonget lost amongst woods, waterfalls, hills and valleys.

Just imagine that.

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16 20It’s not that far from Swansea Bay toHollywood. Locals Catherine Zeta Jones, Sir Anthony Hopkins and Richard Burton all made the big time there. And nowthey’re laying out the red carpet for ourmost recent superstar, Michael Sheen,photographed above at Margam Park.

He hasn’t forgotten his roots. He regularlyreturns to Port Talbot, where his motherand father live. ‘It was a good place to growup and although nowadays I have SantaMonica beach and the Pacific on my“doorstep”, my first love is the sea I grewup with,’ says Michael. ‘During my returnvisits home, I enjoy walking along AberavonBeach with its wonderful views, especiallythe setting of the sun in the west acrossSwansea Bay.’

Look out for Michael starring as David Frostin the new Frost/Nixon movie during 2009,based on the award-winning London andBroadway stage play. His other starringroles due for cinema release are Lucian inUnderworld – The Rise of The Lycans andBrian Clough in The Damned United.

welcome/croeso

Inside information:02 Swansea 06 Going green 08 Beaches, parks and gardens 10 Waterfront activities 12 Adrenalin sports 13 Real food 14 Walking and golf 16 Arts and culture 18 For families 20 Hidden secrets 22 Festivals and events23 Making plans 24 Travel information 26 Maps 28 Accommodation 40 Attractions and activities44 Accommodation listing 48 More holiday areas

03 | Swansea visitswanseabay.com02 | Swansea visitswanseabay.com

We’re not about to give you a strict hour-by-hour diary of things tosee and do. Our freewheeling city is not that kind of place. It’s a mixof city and seaside, a touch traditional in some parts, forward lookingin others. Not the kind of place you can pin down easily, then. Invarious guises it has cropped up in books and poems by DylanThomas and Kingsley Amis, and TV series by its current ‘mostfamous son’, writer-of-the-moment Russell T Davies.

So, during your 48 hours, what can you pack in? In no particularorder, we’d recommend the following. But if you asked us tomorrow,we’d probably come up with a completely different list…

48 hours in swansea

Welsh Italian ice cream. We’re theexperts. You can follow an ice creameating trail around the Bay fromAberavon to Mumbles. But maybenot all in a day

05 | Swansea visitswanseabay.com04 | Swansea

Follow in Dylan’s footstepsThey’re mighty big boots to fill.What’s more, he’s back in the newsthanks to The Edge of Love, therecent biopic starring KeiraKnightley, Sienna Miller andMatthew Rhys. So start at thewaterfront Dylan Thomas Centre.And end up at the ‘miles of yellowcoldness going away into thedistance of the sea’. That’s Dylan’stake on the vast west-facing beachalong the edge of Gower.

Go surfing – sub-tropical andotherwiseChill out in Llangennith, the funky,sandy surf capital of Wales. It’s justas cool – though the temperature’sa bit warmer – at The LC, Swansea’sbrand-new leisure complex whereyou can hang five on therevolutionary indoor BoardRider.

Taste the differenceYou’ll find Carol Watts at the GowerCockles stall in Swansea Market.Call in for a cup of her fresh cockles.It’s a taste of the sea. And whileyou’re at it, stock up on fish, crabs,bacon, fruit and veg, bread andhome-made treats that are as freshas they come. Jet-lagged produce

doesn’t stand a chance in thisfamously fresh, famously traditionalfood market.

Mooch around the marinaWe’re proud of our maritime past in Swansea. And what we’ve doneto bring it back to life. They sayimitation is the sincerest form offlattery, for we were one of the firstcities in Britain to redevelop itswaterfront. Our Maritime Quarterhas heaps of awards for its winningblend of lifestyle and leisure – andwe’re not finished yet, for justacross the way the exciting newSA1 Waterfront is up and running.

Bike it along the baySwansea Bay is a delicious slice ofseaside, curving all the way fromthe City Centre to the fashionableresort of Mumbles 5 miles away.Soak up the salty air and scenery on a bike ride from the Marina toMumbles Pier (calling in, as youmust do, for a cappuccino orsomething cooler at one of ourlegendary ice cream parlours enroute). No previous Tour de Franceexperience or Yellow Jerseysnecessary. The traffic-free bike laneis as flat as a pancake.

Top: Bodysurfing with a roof overyour head at The LC, Swansea Above: Cycling along the Bay – it’s a breezeRight: Swansea’s historic waterfront,reinvented as a stylish marina

visitswanseabay.com

07 | Going green visitswanseabay.com06 | Going green visitswanseabay.com

real greenHave you noticed? Everyone’s going green.

We don’t want to boast but we had a headstart. When Britain’s first ‘Area ofOutstanding Natural Beauty’ was chosen wayback in 1956 they picked the GowerPeninsula. The Afan Forest Park is part ofEurope’s largest urban forest (perhaps that’swhy it’s known as ‘Little Switzerland’). TheNeath Valley is full of woods and waterfalls.So in addition to all that sand and sea there’smore than a splash of green around.

The right kind of horse powerAlthough just a stone’s throw fromthe coast, Gower’s country pubs andvillages seem remote and rural.They’re surrounded by farms, fields,hills and moors. And keeping thebracken under control is Griffin theHorse. He’s also in keeping withGower’s impeccable greencredentials.

Gower’s wild ponies love their surroundings.Who wouldn’t? The Peninsula is also home to 67 ancient woodlands and 19 NatureReserves. Berry Wood near Knelston is a bitof both. Fungi, lichen and fruits of the forestthrive amongst its timeless oaks. Come herein April for springtime flowers, or in Octoberfor a feast of mushrooms.

Salmon and self sufficiencyAberdulais Falls in the Neath Valleyconfounds all expectations. Thispioneering industrial heritage siteis a place of great beauty. Salmonand sewin (our name for sea trout)leap upriver through a special fishpass. And Europe’s largestelectricity-generating waterwheelmakes this unique National Trustproperty completely self sufficient.Not to say very, very green.

Waterfall countryCascades tumble down the Vale ofNeath’s steep-sided woods and deepgorges. Nowhere else in Wales hassuch amazing waterfalls. And wemean proper falls, the kind you canwalk behind. Without getting wet. Go to Sgwd yr Eira (‘The Spout ofSnow’) and try it.

09 | Beaches, parks and gardens visitswanseabay.com08 | Beaches, parks and gardens visitswanseabay.com

outdoor oscars

Why are Gower’s beaches always winningawards? You wouldn’t need to ask if youstood on Rhossili’s endless sands. It’s the‘King of Gower’ according to Country Lifemagazine, which ranks it amongst Britain’sTop 10 beaches. The Daily Telegraphlikes it too, for its ‘regular sightings ofbasking sharks, grey seals and the odd bottlenose dolphin’.

Oxwich Bay, Port Eynon and ‘Michelin-starred’ Three Cliffs Bay (above) – the latter a big favourite with local girlKatherine Jenkins – also get in on the act.And we suspect that Catherine Zeta-Jones is often homesick for Swansea Bay’s wide,open spaces and salty tang. Catherine andKatherine have lots to choose from.

The sandcastles start just across the roadfrom the City Centre and, give or take aheadland or two, run all the way to the tip of Gower.

There are 50-odd bays, covesand beaches on Gower, so

finding your own personalspace is never a problem,even in summer. Youwon’t be bothered bytacky funfairs either.

We don’t go in for thatsort of thing here (the

nearest we get is the charmingold pier at Mumbles, where you might be able to buy some candyfloss to go with your cappuccino).

Our green spaces are award winnerstoo. Swansea has always been agreen city. It’s a way of life for us.And, just to prove it, the Green Flag– the highest accolade for parks andgardens – flies over three gorgeouscity oases: Victoria Park, ClyneGardens and Singleton BotanicalGardens (below right).

Further afield, Margam Country Park(above right) and Neath’s GnollEstate also demonstrate how natureand nurture can work so welltogether.

Award-winnersFor beaches that have won the Blue Flag, Seaside (like lovelyLangland above) and Green CoastAwards please see the map on pages26/27. The various schemes mightuse different criteria but they all addup to top quality.

10 | Waterfront activities visitswanseabay.com

But where do we start? At Swansea’s swishnew SA1 (that’s shorthand for our latestmarina development)? Or on Gower amongstthe dunes and surfing dudes at Llangennith?That’s the problem. Our waterfront is as fluidas the seas that fringe it. One minute it’ssleek, hip and decidedly 21st century at SA1and the Maritime Quarter. Then it turns into a perambulation along the Victorian promand pier at Mumbles.

Across the bay the huge Blue Flag beach atAberavon comes complete with an aquasplash pool and adventure playground. Whilealong Gower you’ll just have to make do withlittle beach cafés and big doses of MotherNature (that’s what comes of being an Areaof Outstanding Natural Beauty).

What to do along this waterfront? Again, it’s a case of taking your pick. Interact withhistory at the high-tech National WaterfrontMuseum. Build sandcastles at Caswell Bay. Go fishing off Mumbles Pier. Pack a picnic at Three Cliffs Bay. Gallop along the beach at Oxwich.

And if the waves and weather aren’t on yourside, no worries. Make for Europe’s firstindoor surf centre at the new LC leisurecomplex, Swansea.

Surf’s upWant to get in touch with Gower’ssurfing lore? Then go along to PJ’s‘sand-on-the-floor’ Surfshop inLlangennith. It’s legendary. PJ – akaPeter John Jones – is Wales’s originalBeach Boy. He started surfing in the1960s. ‘How lovely it was,’ he recalls.‘There were just 20 or 30 local guys in the water, and milk churns on theroad.’ On a busy day Llangennith now

on the waterfront

sees hundreds riding the waves fromall over the UK, and beyond. What’sthe attraction? ‘It’s west-facing, so it gets the best surf’, explains Peter,‘and because it’s so big there’s roomfor everyone. Beginners especiallylike a lot of space.’

‘I’ve been lucky,’ he admits, ‘I’m making a living out of my passion.’

Aberavon Beach Aug 07

Caswell Oct 07

Llangennith May 08

Rhossili Jun 08

13 | Real food visitswanseabay.com12 | Adrenalin sports visitswanseabay.com

Carol’s cocklesCarol Watts has been here for over30 years. ‘I started in the market as alittle girl working for my parents andgrandparents,’ she recalls. ‘I had tostand on a stool to be seen.’Nowadays you can’t miss her. Sheruns one of the famous seafood stallsin the centre of the market. Her bestsellers are cockles and laverbreadfrom nearby Penclawdd. ‘People walkaround the market with their cup ofcockles. It’s a tradition in Swansea,’she says. ‘And they like to chat – you don’t get that in the big stores.’

miles better

where’s the action?

Food doesn’t travel well. It’s best eaten fresh, slow and local. We know thisfrom experience. Long before provenance and local produce became theNext Big Thing, stallholders in Swansea’s traditional covered market wereselling Gower vegetables and cockles, fish and crabs from Swansea Bayand home-baked goodies like welshcakes and bara brith.

Local foodie, writer and broadcaster Colin Pressdee reckons that he stillsees ‘many of the same faces, characters and stalls that I knew 20 or 30years ago’ when he visits our fabulous fresh foods market.

There’s a tasty foodie scene everywhere, from Gower’s country pubs andhotels to Swansea Bay’s bistros and restaurants (you’re especially spoilt for choice in Mumbles). Not forgetting lots of local produce and farmers’markets at Swansea, Mumbles, Penclawdd, Llangennith and Pontarddulais (visitswanseabay.com/markets).

Far left: Learners welcome: kayakinglesson at Oxwich BayLeft: Watersports of all kinds –including kitesurfing – are a localspeciality Below: World-class mountain bikingat Afan Forest Park

Far right: Call in for a chat (andcockles) at Carol Watts’s stall,Swansea MarketRight: Pub lunch, Gower – it tasteseven better after all that fresh air

It depends where you look. There’s an A-Z ofadrenalin action on land and sea. Our forestsare a maze of mountain-biking trails – notjust any old singletracks, but some of the world’s finest. And offshorethere’s a sensational surfing andwatersports scene.

Action pointsGet muddy on a mountain bike.The Afan Forest Park is world-class.We didn’t say that. Mountain BikeRider magazine did, when it rated itas ‘one of the top 10 places in theworld to ride before you die’.

You don’t have to be a downhill hero at Afan– there are easy trails too. And bike hire. Not to mention a fantastic café at theGlyncorrwg Mountain Bike Centre.

Mumbles and Swansea Marina (winner of theprestigious Blue Flag) are perfect havens from which to explore the waters of South and West Wales. And our speciality in surfing extends to kitesurfing,windsurfing and kitebuggying.

Coasteering, caving andclimbing are also on ourmixed menu. Try a fewactivities at an accreditedmulti-activity centre.

Here’s more from PJ, aformer European surfing

champion, whose shop is ‘run by surfers for surfers’(see the previous page). There’s no doubting hisfavourite surfing beach – Llangennith, of course – but it’s by no means the only one: ‘I caught my firstwave in Langland Bay. But there’s also Broughton, thesouthern end of Rhossili, Horton and Caswell Bay.’

15 | Walking and golf visitswanseabay.com14 | Walking and golf visitswanseabay.com

boots and blogs

We don’t really need to tell you that walking is anotherof our specialities. Just look at the forests and sea cliffs,bays and vales that fill our map. But you mightn’t beaware of the sheer diversity you’ll find underfoot forfamilies and footsloggers. So here are a few entriesfrom our walking blog.

Rhossili blew the cobwebs awayThe ultimate Big Experience walk. The RSPB CoastalTrail starts on a high – the cliff-backed shoulder of landoverlooking a vast beach. Hang gliders like it here. Sodo oystercatchers, cormorants, kestrels and divinggannets. You set off towards Worm’s Head – thatstrange, spindly high-tide island – before headinginland across Rhossili Down and back home. It’s only 6 miles, but with such spectacular views you wouldn’twant to rush it. Bring binoculars and camera.

We went down to the woods todayTo Afan Forest Park, to be precise. It’s unbelievable tothink that this place was once a hive of industry. The 31/2 mile Argoed Walk is one of many waymarked pathsthrough this lovely woodland. Mossy trails weave along

a small valley then climb through woods of birch, oak, ash and alder.

What a Way!The Gower Way tracks across the Peninsula for 35miles. You don’t have to do it all. Choose whateversuits (there are handy marker stones every kilometreor so). And it’s split into three sections. So take yourpick. And have a picnic at Arthur’s Stone (below) –the prehistoric tomb with a view – en route.

Okay, we lost the last one. But theRyder Cup is certainly putting Welshgolf on the world map. It comes toWales in 2010, but already we’refeeling the benefits. Morriston GolfClub, a friendly parkland course in atranquil location that challenges allhandicaps, is typical of the great golfon offer in Wales. Michael Douglashas done the rounds – he’s playedhere with Catherine Zeta-Jones’sfather (visitswanseabay.com/golf).

We caught the bus. Why not? Itmakes sense in more ways than one– go Walking by Bus. The award-winning Gower Explorer service isgreen and convenient – just perfectfor walkers (visitswanseabay.com/walkingbybus).

Take your breath away. If thegradient doesn’t, then the views from Gower’s coastal walks will.

16 | Arts and culture visitswanseabay.com

dylan and the doctorDylan Thomas and Swansea gotogether like Shakespeare andStratford. Born and brought upoverlooking Swansea Bay’s ‘longand splendidly curving shore’, heused his home patch as a canvas.Childhood memories of CwmdonkinPark, pubs in Mumbles, the savage,seductive beauty of Gower… theseand other locations all crop up in his poems and stories.

The little theatre company wherehe trod the boards (he liked hisacting too) is still going strong.They stage his masterwork, UnderMilk Wood, during our annual DylanThomas Festival (27 October-9November). Call into the nearbyDylan Thomas Centre and you canhear recordings by Richard Burton.And see the largest collection ofDylan memorabilia in the world.

Burton was a big fan. A newgeneration has been introduced to Dylan’s work through The Edgeof Love, the recent film based on an episode from his life.

Thanks to writer Russell T Davies,Doctor Who is also wowing newaudiences. Russell, Swansea’scurrent writing wunderkind, hasbreathed new life into the series.And, in homage to his hometown,Plantasia in the City Centre hasbecome Planet Messaline.Swansea’s Brangwyn Hall andGower have also seen visitationsfrom the Time Lord.

Theatre plays an active role in ourrich cultural mix. The grandest of all is… The Grand, a magnificentVictorian theatre that stageseverything from opera to ballet,comedy to drama.

Pictures from an exhibitionSome snapshots from our museumsand galleries:

• Monet and Pissarro make anappearance alongside exquisiteSwansea china at the Glynn VivianArt Gallery, Swansea

• Indiana Jones would approve ofthe fossils and Egyptian mummiesat Swansea Museum, Wales’soldest museum

• And the newest is the sleekNational Waterfront Museum,where high-tech meets industrialheritage

• The diversity of Britain’s oldEmpire is captured on canvas bythe vast and vibrant Brangwyn HallPanels, Swansea

• Coalmining lives on at the SouthWales Miners’ Museum, AfanForest Park

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live lifeWe know what it’s like. Today’s families are rushed off their feet. One of the great things about holidays is the chance to catch up andenjoy quality time. All together, as a family. It might be something assimple as building a sandcastle. Our pristine, picture-perfect beaches are, well… just perfect for that. Or you may want to stretch your legs or reach for the skies. If so, the new Go Ape! high-wire forest adventure at Margam Park will bring out the Tarzan(s) in you.

2Watch puppets or throwpots at the Gower HeritageCentre, beautifully locatedat a medieval working cornmill. Lots of fun activities,with a family-friendlyprogramme of events.

3Go all Amazonian inSwansea City Centre.Plantasia is a giantcomputer-controlledtropical hothouse withmonkeys, banana andpineapple plants. Chooseyour climate: there are arid and humid zones too.Guaranteed to please keen botanists and boredteenagers.

Five fun familyexperiences

1Splash around at The LC,Swansea’s amazing newleisure complex. It haswaterslides, a wave pool,‘Lazy River’, ‘MasterBlaster’ – even indoorsurfing. Bet you didn’tknow there were so manyways of getting wet?

4You will like to be besidethe seaside at Aberavon,home of the all-actionAquadome. Kids can makefor the water rides whileMum relaxes in thebubbling spa pool. Andyou simply must walkalong Mumbles Pier. It’s compulsory.

5Press buttons at theNational WaterfrontMuseum. It’s brimmingwith IT. It’s all about our industrial past. It’s interactive. It’s anexperience. It’s unlike any museum you’ve ever visited.

21 | Hidden secrets20 | Hidden secrets visitswanseabay.com

sssh… it’s a secret

No one goes to north Gower. Actually, that’s not true.What we mean to say is that south Gower’s sunny,sandy bays capture all the limelight. If you don’tventure north you’re missing out on one of Wales’smost atmospheric, alluring landscapes.

Stand amongst the 14th-century ruins of Weobley Castle on a crisp spring or misty autumn day and you’ll knowwhat we mean. Weobley overlooksthe eerie – almost unearthly –expanse of Llanrhidian Marsh, a stretch of saltmarsh grazed bysheep and cattle. Just around thecorner there’s timeless Penclawdd,still making a living from the cocklebeds in the low-tide saltings.

Giving away some other secretsBypassed and forgotten, 12th-century Neath Abbeywas once the ‘fairest in all Wales’. Wander the ruins and capture the former grandeur of a ghostly site –once used for copper smelting – that links religion to the Industrial Revolution.

Once a major artery, now a tranquil waterway. See more of the Vale of Neath’s feverish, fascinatingindustrial past – and the way in which beauty hasreturned – on a boat trip along the Neath and Tennant Canal.

Even Mumbles has its secrets. We all knowabout the pier, boats and cheery seaside

ambience. But did you know that it’salso full of arty, crafty shops andgalleries, trendy boutiques, bistros and Welsh-Italian cafés with coffee,cakes and ice cream to die for? And

an amazingly well-preserved medievalcastle, tucked away on the hill above

the waterfront?

Okay, this isn’t top secret. But we think you’ll besurprised by what’s happening in Swansea’s CityCentre. Like the waterfront, it’s receiving a majormakeover with new shops and hotels. But don’t worry – our famously traditional indoor market andthose small independent stores that give Swansea so much character aren’t about to be swept away.

Above: Drifting along the Neath and Tennant CanalMiddle: Weobley Castle, alone on Gower’s haunting north coastRight: Mumbles is an arty littleseaside town

On the previous pages we’ve hopefully given you plenty of ideas aboutwhat to see and do. So let’s get down to the nitty gritty.

Your first stop – for first-class informationFor help in planning your stay, contact our Tourist Information Centre.Staff will assist with:

• choosing and booking your accommodation (both locally and nationwide)

• advice on how to get here and route planning• more information on places to visit, where to eat and local events

And when you get here please pop in. We stock a wide range of books,maps, local souvenirs and gifts. Plus specialist guides including visitor and Ordnance Survey maps, walking guides, Dylan Thomas books andaudio CDs. For a full list of saleable items please contact us or go tovisitswanseabay.com/tic

23 | visitswanseabay.com22 | Festivals and events visitswanseabay.com

festivals and events diaryWe like to enjoy ourselves. Andshare what we have with others.Here’s a run-down of some of the many things happeningthroughout the year. We’re alwaysadding more. For the latest newsplease go to:visitswanseabay.com/events

JanuaryBBC NOW New Year’s GalaConcert (1st)Abertawe Festival for YoungMusicians (22nd-27th)Russian Classical Ballet, ‘Coppelia’(25th) and ‘Swan Lake’ (26th)Wales International Open Indoor Bowls (31st-6th Feb)

FebruaryWales National Indoor BowlsChampionship (2nd)Verdi’s ‘Aida’ (23rd)Bizet's ‘Carmen’ (24th)

MarchSt David’s Day Celebrations (1st)Swansea Gospel Male Voice Choir(7th)Welsh Brass Band Championships(14th-15th)

AprilWelsh National Opera presents‘The Elixir of Love’, ‘Salome’, and‘The Marriage of Figaro’ (7th-11th)Morriston Orpheus Choir AnnualConcert (11th)

May Clyne in Bloom Come on in, the garden’s lovely.Colourful azaleas and rhododendronsvie for your attention in a monthlong festival of flowers. And whatcould be better on a sleepy Sundaythan a rousing brass band? Admiral Mumbles Mostly Jazz andBlues Festival (1st-4th)Swansea Bay Film Festival (30th-6th Jun)Mumbles Navy Days

JuneGower Walking Festival (6th-21st)Escape into the Park (6th)South Wales Boat Show (12th-14th)Gower Folk Festival (12th-14th)National Transport Festival of Wales (20th-21st)

JulySea Swansea Festival Margam Festival (1st-31st)Gower Festival (18th-31st)Gower Rock Festival (18th)

AugustBotanics in Bloom (1st-31st)Gower Show (2nd)Pontardawe Festival (21st-23rd)Swansea Bay Beer Festival (27th-29th)Outdoor Shakespeare at Oystermouth CastleWorld Party Weekend

making plans

Tourist Information CentrePlymouth StreetSwansea SA1 3QG� 01792 468321� 01792 464602� [email protected] all year

Other Tourist Information CentresMumbles� 01792 361302� [email protected] all year

Aberdulais� 01639 636674� [email protected] all year (weekdays onlyNovember-March)

Ask for a free guide to ourAttractions and Activities. They’re full of detailed information on whatto see and do. Please call 01792468321. Or order your copy fromvisitswanseabay.com– our website is also updated dailywith news, offers and events.

Many of our operators are membersof Tourism Swansea Bay, anassociation that works with thetourism industry to enhance thevisitor experience.

SeptemberNeath September Fair (10th-12th)Bluegrass Festival (12th)‘Regenerations’ Dr WhoConvention (19th-20th)Admiral Swansea Bay 10k XTERRA UK Triathlon

OctoberSwansea Festival of Music and the Arts (3rd-17th)Celebrating over 60 years ofquality artistic programming inone Festival experience – thisyear including the GabrieliConsort, St PetersburgSymphony Orchestra, BBCNational Orchestra of Wales,Welsh National Opera and Dame Emma Kirkby.Dunvant Male Choir Annual Concert (25th)Dylan Thomas Festival (27th-9th Nov)

November‘Sparks in the Dark’ FireworksDisplay (5th)

DecemberWales Rally GB Christmas in Swansea andWaterfront Winterland Craft and continental markets,concerts, Santa’s Parade,Christmas lights andWinterland’s big (and wemean really big) ferris wheel,ice skating (the proper coldstuff) and festive funfair.

Some events are still beingfinalised, but we have givendates where possible.


By trainFrequent trains run direct fromLondon Paddington, Bristol,Manchester and Cardiff to theSwansea Bay area. There are alsogood connections from North-East,South and South-West England. Fortravellers arriving by air, there arefast rail/air links to Swansea Bayfrom London (Gatwick andHeathrow), Bristol and CardiffInternational Airports. The scenicHeart of Wales line also runs directto Swansea.

National Rail enquiries: � 08457 484950www.nationalrail.co.uk

Heart of Wales line: www.heart-of-wales.co.uk

By coachExpress coaches run direct toSwansea Bay from Central London,Gatwick and Heathrow Airports;West and South Yorkshire; the WestMidlands; and Cardiff.

National Express enquiry line: � 08705 808080www.nationalexpress.com

By carThe M4 motorway brings youdirectly to Swansea Bay fromLondon and the South-East. TheM6, M5, M42 and M50 link the areawith the Midlands and the North-West, North-East and South-Westof England.

By airCardiff International Airport with itsscheduled flights from many majorEuropean destinations is under anhour’s journey from Swansea Bay.

Cardiff International Airport: � 01446 711111www.cardiffairportonline.com

By seaSailings operate between Rosslareand Fishguard or Pembroke Dock,both a 90-minute road journeyaway from Swansea Bay.

Irish Ferries (Pembroke):� 08705 171717www.irishferries.com

Stena Line (Fishguard):� 08705 707070www.stenaline.co.uk

Freedom of Wales Flexi Pass This offers unlimited travel on alltrain and most bus services inWales, plus discounted admission tomany of Wales’s tourist attractionsand accommodation at YouthHostels. Freedom of South WalesFlexi Rover tickets are also available.

� 0845 6061660www.walesflexipass.co.uk

Travelling around Swansea BayHelicopters and personal jets aside,you’ll probably be travelling toSwansea Bay by car, train or coach.We can take over from there,thanks to our super-convenientlocal bus services. Coming intoSwansea for a day, for example, you can use one of three ‘park &ride’ sites to get to the City. They’reeasy to use – and cheaper thancity-centre parking.

Our buses will take you almosteverywhere. The walks, waterfallsand hidden wonders in the valleysof Neath Port Talbot are easilyreached by bus. Gower’s splendidbeaches, coastal and country walksare just a short ride from Swanseausing Gower Explorer. Try it – it’sone of Britain’s top rural busnetworks. From Swansea, buses will also take you to the bays andbeaches of Mumbles. Great-valueall-day tickets are available, one for most of Gower and the other for Swansea, Mumbles, Neath andPort Talbot.

Traveline Cymru: � 0871 200 2233www.traveline-cymru.info

travel information

27 | visitswanseabay.com26 | visitswanseabay.com

This map is based on digital photography licensed from NRSC Ltd.© City and County of Swansea 2009

0

Scale of swansea bay map

6 km

0 3 miles

Marina Blue Flag Award

Blue Flag and Seaside Award

Key to beach awards

swansea bay Mumbles, Gower, Afan and the Vale of Neath

2

3

4

5

6

7

A B C D E F G H I J

Green Coast Award

Rural Seaside and Green Coast Award

swansea city centre map

29 | For key to symbols and abbreviations refer to inside back cover visitswanseabay.com

Serviced


On the following pages you’ll find agreat choice of accommodation –from five-star luxury hotels toquality B&Bs and self-cateringproperties.

How to use ouraccommodation guideFirst of all make a cup of tea (orcoffee, we don’t mind) and have abrowse through the selection onoffer. Once you have shortlistedyour favourites, turn to theaccommodation tables on pages44-49 for more information onfacilities and prices. For a key tosymbols, awards and abbreviationsplease see the fold-out section ofthe back cover.

Serviced accommodation prices are for bed and breakfast (B&B), per person, per night based on two people sharing a twin or double room. Please note that asupplement may apply for singleoccupancy. Prices were correct at time of publication (December2008).

Please mention this Swansea BayHoliday Guide when booking.

We want you to enjoy your visit –so please check and confirm alldetails before booking or travelling.

choosing your

accommodation

A guide to Quality AssuranceAll accommodation grades in thisguide have been based on a newset of common quality standardsagreed by Visit Wales, Visit Britain,Visit Scotland and the AA. The starratings reflect the facilities andoverall quality of the experience.

Grades may therefore be differentfrom previous years due to the newscheme’s requirements. However, a change does not mean that the quality is any different socustomers should not compare the previous star grading with the stars given for 2008.

All the accommodation featured in this publication has been qualitygraded. Star grades mean that you can be sure of standards and choose the accommodationthat’s just right for you.

Visit Wales/AA are the onlychecking agents in Wales, checkingout over 5,000 places. Occasionally,it has not been possible to visit the accommodation prior topublication. In these instances, the property is marked as ‘Awaiting Grading’.

The Star Quality Grading Schemesapply to all types ofaccommodation: serviced (hotels,guest houses, B&B, farmaccommodation, hostel/hostel-typeaccommodation) and self-catering(cottages and apartments, caravanholiday homes and touring/camping parks).

Here are the quality ratings:★ Simple, practical, no frills★★ Well presented and

well run★★★ Good level of quality

and comfort★★★★ Excellent standard

throughout★★★★★ Exceptional, with a degree

of luxury

Look out for that extra-specialproperty that has been awardedVisit Wales’s Gold Award, givenfor exceptional standards ofhospitality, comfort and food inserviced accommodation.

Further information on grading and awards can be found atwww.visitwales.co.uk, or contactVisit Wales, Old Junior School, New Street, Machynlleth SY20 8AT.

� 0845 0108020� [email protected]

All gradings and awards werecorrect at time of publication.Grading assessments are on-goingand improvements made byestablishments may have resultedin a revision since publication.Please check when booking.


Serviced

30 | Please quote this guide when booking

Serviced

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Serviced


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Self catering


Self catering

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Attractions & activities



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Prices & full accommodation details



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more holiday areas

Swansea Bay is one of the 13Holiday Areas within Wales. Eacharea has its own distinct character.

1The Isle of Angleseywww.visitanglesey.co.uk

2Llandudno and Colwyn BayRhyl and Prestatynwww.visitllandudno.org.ukwww.rhyl-prestatyn.co.uk

3The North Wales Borderlandswww.northwalesborderlands.co.uk

4Snowdonia Mountains andCoast/Eryri Mynyddoedd a Môrwww.visitsnowdonia.info

5Mid Wales and the Brecon Beaconswww.exploremidwales.com

6Ceredigion – Cardigan Baywww.tourism.ceredigion.gov.uk

1 2

3

4

56

78

9 10

1112

13


7Pembrokeshirewww.visitpembrokeshire.com

8Carmarthenshire – the Garden of Waleswww.visitcarmarthenshire.co.uk

10Wisdom and Walks in the Valleys ofSouth Waleswww.wisdomandwalks.co.uk

11Cardiffwww.visitcardiff.com

12The Glamorgan Heritage Coast andCountrysidewww.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk www.visitbridgend.com

13The Wye Valley and Vale of Usk www.visitwyevalley.com

For FREE copies of any THREE Holiday Area brochures please tick the appropriate boxes and send to:Visit Wales, Dept E15, PO Box 1, Cardiff CF24 2XN

Area 1 Area 2 Area 3




Name (please print):

Address (please print):

Post Code:

key

Ensuite rooms

Licensed

Private parking

Totally non-smoking establishment

Short breaks available

TV in rooms

Pets by arrangement

Evening meals available

Tea/coffee in rooms

Indoor pool

Outdoor pool

Children welcome

Lift

Restaurant

Credit cards accepted

Laundry facilities

Meter charge for fuel

Linen provided

Linen for hire

Food/mobile shop

Showers

Electric hook ups

Evening entertainment

Toilets

Children’s playground

Chemical toilet facilities

Gas cylinders

Star Grading Abbreviations

AG Awaiting GradingBB Bed and BreakfastCA CampusF FarmGA Guest AccommodationGH Guest HouseH Hotel

Image Credits and CopyrightsThe following images are used with the kind permission of:John Fry: p01, Michael Sheen at Margam Park. Copyright © BBC: p02, Dr Who, Donna, Caterand Martha on Planet Messaline; p17, Dr Who, Martha and the Tardis. © Crown Copyright:Cover, Rhossili Bay; p01 & p21, Weobley Castle; p01 & p10, Llangennith; p01 & p16 detail,South Wales Miners Museum; p03, Dylan Thomas Statue, Mumbles café, Clyne Gardens,Mumbles Pier; p05, Swansea Marina; p06, Sgwd yr Eira waterfall; p09, Margam Park, SingletonPark Botanical Gardens, Langland Bay; p12, mountain biking at Afan Forest Park, kitesurfing;p13, Gower pub lunch, Swansea Market; p20, ponies, Loughor Estuary; p24, picnic at Rhossili.Orion Children’s Books, a division of the Orion Publishing Group: p16, A Child’s Christmas inWales by Dylan Thomas. Jeff Towns/Dylans Bookstore Collection, Swansea, www.dylans.com:p16, postcard of ‘Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man’. Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, City &County of Swansea: p17, ‘Bateaux en Hollande Pres De Zaandam’ by Claude Monet.Brangwyn Hall, City & County of Swansea: p17, Brangwyn Hall Panels detail by Sir FrankBrangwyn. Euphoria Sailing/Watersports4all: p12, kayaking lesson. Enfis Ltd, photographer NeilCollier: p19, National Waterfront Museum.

HTC Holiday, Touring and Camping ParkRR Restaurant with RoomsSH Small HotelTC Touring and Camping Park

★★★ Visit Wales grading★★★ AA grading

Walkers and Cyclists WelcomeProperties that provide amenitiesfor walkers and/or cyclists,including drying facilities for wetclothes and boots, secure lockableareas for bikes, storage space forrucksacks and packed lunches.

Quality Assured VisitorAttractionOnly attractions that have beenassessed by Visit Wales, and meetthe VAQAS Cymru standard,receive the quality marque.

Visit Wales AccreditedActivity This scheme sets down strictguidelines for the managementand operation of activities backedup by personal inspection by anappointed expert.

Adventure ActivitiesLicensing Authority

British Activity HolidayAssociation

British Horse Society

British Surfing Association

Civil Aviation Authority

Royal Yachting Association

Wales Trekking and Riding Association

Access Statements All properties graded by Visit Wales are required to produce an AccessStatement to accurately describethe accessibility of their property. All Access Statements are available to view in the accommodationsection on:visitswanseabay.com/wheretostay

Pets Many accommodation operatorswelcome pets, but please checkwith the accommodation beforeyou visit. Dogs are welcome onmany beaches, but some haveseasonal dog bans from 1st May to 30th September. Contact theTourist Information Centre (page 23) or go tovisitswanseabay.com/pets for details.

Play safe Make sure that you have the properequipment before you begin and check the tide tables prior to any coastal activity(the tide can turn very quickly, seevisitswanseabay.com/weatherandtides).Please do not attempt an activity withoutinstruction if you are inexperienced.

Published by the City and County ofSwansea © Copyright 2009.

Standard disclaimers apply and are availablefrom the Tourist Information Centre on � 01792 468321.

Cover: Worm’s Head, Rhossili Bay

symbol guide

This Guide is available in alternative formats, please contact the

Tourist Information Centre (� 01792 468321) for details.

S

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