My favourite place

Kate Humble on the Gower Peninsula

The first time I went to Gower was in 2007, after we moved to Wales. My husband Ludo and I had just got a little black and white rescue dog from the RSPCA – it seemed immoral to live in the countryside without a dog – and we went to Gower that first winter.

I don’t like beaches in the summer, but the coast is magical in autumn and winter. What’s so special about Gower is that it’s not built-up – a lot of the land is National Trust and the rest of it is moorland and farmland, so it’s not like a normal coastal area that you associate with the seaside – there is a sense of the great outdoors and wilderness. When the tide has retreated the sand is flat and firm – we play frisbee with the dogs (we now have three) and they absolutely love it. It’s just one of those places that, whatever mood you’re in, makes you feel happy to be alive.

There are several campsites, and houses to rent, but usually we find a little quiet place where

we can park up the camper van and stay overnight. One year, when we were both really busy because we were setting up our farm business, we discovered the joy of the 24-hour holiday: we’d work flat-out, then pile into the camper van, drive to Gower and have supper in a local pub. Then we’d sleep in the van, cook bacon sandwiches in the morning, go for a huge walk and come home that evening, and it would actually feel like we’d had a holiday. We still do it occasionally.

I’m not a big fan of Christmas, so for 10 years now we’ve had an alternative Christmas Day at Gower: Ludo, our three dogs and I are the core, then we are joined by several friends – whoever is around and wants to bow out from the traditional Christmas. We have a favourite 10-mile walk: we begin by climbing up the cliffs behind Three Cliffs Bay and along the coastal path, then end up dropping down into Oxwich Bay. The beach in the pictures is Rhossili, but you’re spoilt for choice with beaches there – and behind these great sweeps of sand there is moorland with sheep and Welsh ponies, and heather, and some very beautiful woodland.

It’s hardly changed at all over the years. What I love about Gower is that it’s so life-affirming – you can’t help feeling energised and invigorated. Everyone I’ve ever met there gets how special it is. It’s a weird thing but you feel as if you’ve all instantly got something in common.

Above Kate Humble at Rhossili Bay. Below Welsh ponies on Cefn Bryn at the heart of the Gower Peninsula

Humble with her dogs (left to right) Bella, Teg and Badger