Rhosili and Worms Head Gower Peninsula, Glamorgan

Description

Except where indicated, photography by John Ball - 18 August 2004 (with a Fuji FinePix S602 Zoom digital camera)

Between the estuaries of the rivers Loughor and Tawe the Gower Peninsula reaches out into the Bristol Channel. It is a surprisingly secluded and remote offshoot from the South Wales coast and is designated an area of outstanding natural beauty. At the western end of Gower is Rhosili Bay whose long sweep of sand makes it one of the most spectacular beaches in Britain, especially when seen from the clifftop path to Worms Head.

This Images of Wales feature is a photographic record of my visit to Rhosili with my daughter one fine afternoon in August 2004. We parked the car near Rhosili's parish church, and walked the cliff path to Worms Head and back. The photographs illustrate Rhosili Bay, the clifftop walk, Worms Head, and the parish church.

Image 1:

Worms Head at the southern end of Rhosili Bay.

Rhosili Bay

Image 2:

Rhosili Bay, viewed from the south.Rhosili Bay is one of the best-known bays in Wales and one of the finest natural stretches of unspoiled beach in Britain; it curves in a five-mile arc from Worms Head to its northern tip at Burry Holm. At low water, the sands are three miles long and half a mile wide. They are firm, unbroken, and scoured by the Atlantic rollers. The weather is mild, the sky is immense, and the sea changes its colour and mood dramatically.

Image 3:

Rhosili Bay, backed by the 632-foot high Rhosili Hill.

The beacon at the top of Rhosili Hill is the highest point on Gower. Groups of scattered stones indicate that for thousands of years, Rhosili Hill was used as a sacred burial ground. Following a less ancient tradition, the villagers of Rhosili would take a rock or stone with them whenever they climbed to the beacon, and add it to the pile. However, even more stones were brought down, for use in the construction and repair of buildings.

Image 4:

North of Rhosili Hill the land is flat, and beyond, one can see the Loughor estuary and the village of Burry Port, about eight miles away.

Image 5:

Behind the present beach is a raised beach, the remains of ancient beach at a higher level indicating that the sea level was once higher than it is now. The prominent and isolated white building is the Old Rectory, now a hostel. Some say the Old Rectory is haunted.

Image 6:

Rhosili Hill and its beacon provide a bracken-covered backdrop to the rugged cliffs in the foreground. A clifftop walk leads southwards to Worms Head.

Now explore the clifftop walk to Worms Head on Page 2

• http://www.jlb2011.co.uk/walespic/archive/040822.htm (link opens in new window)