๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟย ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟย ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ
We started early on Sunday. This was our first trip with the little one so I planned to take it easy. We reached Swansea around 12.30. It was a long walk of 2 mile to our hotel, South View Guest house. Though three adults and one child were supposed to fit comfortably , the room was really small and one double bed and another single bed were somehow cramped in. I did not realize that bathroom was shared either. The day was cloudy and windy with light rain at times.
Others decided to stay put in the hotel room and moan. I walked all the way to Mumbles and Bracelet bay. It was roughly 5 miles walk one way , so I walked 10 miles. This was part of Wales coastal way which is 870 mile long . This path was officially opened in 2012. We ordered food from hungryhouse , it was Indian food but horrible . There were enough leftovers for next morning’s breakfast.
I woke up early on Monday . We had to do some jugaadย to fit two adults and a baby to a tiny double bed. Nevertheless we planned to explore Gower today. We walked along the coastal path to the Swansea bus stop . We bought Gower explorer ticket for ยฃ5.50 each which gives unlimited access to entire public transport network to Swansea, Gower and Mumbles . Bus no 118 took us toย Rhossili ย bay.
This is a small village and community on the southwestern tip of the Gower peninsula, it is also one of the 46 designated “area of outstanding natural beauty” in UK. This place is famous for Worm’s head which isย shaped like a giant sea-serpent and marks the most westerly tip of Gower.
The island is joined to the mainland by a rocky causeway and features an large flat-topped ‘Inner Head’, towards a natural rock bridge called ‘Devil’s Bridge’, a ‘Low Neck’ leading further out to the ‘Outer Head’. The headland is one mile long and the highest point is approximately 150 feet. Weather was getting better , it was sunny and walk along the shore was really enjoyable. At the village we had fish an chips in a pub and then I climbed to a nearby hill , which offered panoramic view of the bay and worm’s head. We returned our hotel in the afternoon. I then took bus towards Mumbles village to visit Oystermouth castle. The castle was closed by I could visit castle ground and orchards.
I was not sure how to spend final day in Swansea. I wanted to visit Gower again , probably Three Cliff’s Bay , but my mother got knee pain and I was not sure if the little one can cope it up . In the morning we went for a stroll and Anwesha noticed a tourist information center next to a hotel. ย The person there was very helpful and suggested us to take a 1.5 hours trip in a community sailboat from Swansea Marina.
It was a leisurely walk to the bus station . We deposited our luggage ย there and then walked to marina. The name of the boat was “Copper Jack”. It was 1.5 hr cruise to river Tawe for ยฃ8 per person. Though today river is full of fish and occasionally kingfishers can be seen diving , it was very different few decades back.
Lower Swansea valley was worlds largest copper smelting industry. The river was so polluted with sulfur oxide and other byproducts that it was said if someone drowned he would melt. Copper industry was finally closed in 1980 and then authorities did a remarkable job planting trees along the bank of the river. The remnant of the smelting chimneys , discarded machinery and workman quarters can be seen along the bank. We went up to the Liberty stadium before turning back.
We had our lunch at the Marina , it took lot more than the usual because of the time it took to feed the little one. I walked around the marina and along the walkway and Swansea beach to the bus station . We took bus from bus station to main train station . Our train was at 5.30 PM , finally reached home by 11 PM.
