TOR BAY
of Rhossili Bay, which is often voted one of the best beaches in the country, and was recently named Europe’s best in a top 10 of world beaches alongside locations in the Caribbean, Brazil and Hawaii. Granted, the weather may not be as reliable as those places, but the surfers, runners, pony trekkers, kite flyers and walkers who come all year round prove there’s much more to the seaside than sunbathing. In fact, I enjoy a winter’s walk here with the dog in blustery conditions as much as a leisurely day in the sun. On those occasions, a brisk walk west to Worm’s Head blows the cobwebs away.
I call Worm’s Head, Gower’s Tail, and you get the sense that if Gower wagged its tail, you’d be flicked off into the sea. It’s not dangerous but when the wind is blowing hard and the tide is coming in you do sense how small and helpless you are. Worm’s Head is spectacular, thanks to the stubborn limestone that refuses to be shaped like the sandstone cliffs of Rhossili Bay. smugglers to hide their hoard, like John Lucas, a renowned name in Welsh pirate folklore. The jagged rocks in the sea and on land make it tricky to get to unless you know exactly where you’re going, which was my experience while researching this guide. Despite visiting it previously, I found myself lost in a sea of inhospitable rocks before deciding to abort my mission – a taste of how difficult it must have been for customs officers in John Lucas’ time. If I had to pick one place on Gower that I have enjoyed more than any other, it’s Tor Bay. I have been to many peaceful and picturesque beaches in the Mediterranean, North and South America, Australia and Africa, but I can safely say that none match this fantastic enclosed part of the coast. It’s self-contained when the tide is in, and links up with neighbouring Three Cliffs and the more touristy Oxwich Bay, when the tide is out. Like the shore at Llangennith, it’s a 10-minute walk from the road so you can find yourself on the yellow stretch of sand in no time, and like the rest of the coastline on the peninsula, it’s as appealing in the winter as
Worm’s Head, stretching out beyond Rhossili bay, is one of the most iconic landmarks of the Gower. It was named ‘Wurm’, meaning ‘dragon’, by Viking invaders
The strange smuggling hotspot of Culver Hole