CLUB SITES FRESHWATER EAST & GOWERTON

Three Cliffs Bay on the Gower Peninsula

Park or S THERE anywhere in Wales with is a lot easier to pigeon-hole in regard to offering a predominantly safe and a shoreline to equal that of the the variety and age of members (or indeed sheltered environment for youngsters IPembrokeshire Coast National non-members) you can expect to find wanting to mess about in the sea. Park? Well luckily, yes, there is, and enjoying the assets on or near the site. This is just a personal opinion, but I that place is the magnificent Gower First and foremost, in the school think Freshwater East may very well Peninsula in the south-west. holidays, this is a perfect site for young be the Club’s best all-round seaside Peninsula? Each of the sites visited this month families, offering a wonderful beach family holiday site. ❖ Andy Stothert takes a look at two beautifully-situated occupies a pivotal position in one of these within five minutes’ stroll and a host of If there is a downside, it is that there stunningly beautiful places and both offer tourist attractions just a short drive away. are too many members only too well Ordnance Survey Welsh sites that may appeal to different types of caravanner comprehensive facilities. We’d better start That beach really is wonderful – clean, aware of this, so getting a pitch here in Landranger Maps 158, 159 with Freshwater East, I think, as this one beautiful and, perhaps most importantly, the peak periods involves stuff like >>

18 The Caravan Club Magazine June 2011 The Caravan Club Magazine 19 CLUB SITES FRESHWATER EAST & GOWERTON

Tenby is at its best out of season

INFORMATION planning and advanced booking mixture of marsh and mud which SITES (impossible for spontaneous travellers, stretches out before the eye for mile upon Full site details can be found on p242 (Freshwater East) and p247 or those, like us, who live for the light mile from Gowerton. (Gowerton) of the Sites Directory & Handbook 2011/12. To book, falling through the lens). The site sits on the edge of Swansea’s call 01342 327490 or see caravanclub.co.uk/searchandbook. Mid-week, out of season, however, rambling suburbs, and this scenic TOURISM this site becomes a totally different city is a quick bike or bus ride ■ Tenby Information Centre – call 01834 842402 or see place: gone are the hordes of away. The cycleway along pembrokeshire.gov.uk happy children, and gone are the DID YOU the marshes on the north ■ Swansea TIC – call 01792 468321 or see visitswanseabay.com words ‘sorry we’re full’. KNOW? side of the Gower Peninsula Freshwater East then reverts There are eight Bronze starts near the site, so this Age standing stones – CYCLING to being a peaceful haven for or ‘menhirs’ – on the location is well suited to lovers ■ From Freshwater East:The Pembrokeshire tourist route runs Gower Peninsula straight from the site on minor roads either round the coast or those who want to explore this of two wheels. up towards Pembroke. From Pembroke you can link with glorious corner of Pembrokeshire by But all this biking and city-centre National Cycle Network Route 4, The Celtic Trail West. boot or bike, and even perhaps replicate culture is, in a way, just a sideshow, ■ From Gowerton:This site sits next to National Cycle Network the behaviour of the children in the cool, with the main attraction being the Route 4, The Celtic Trail West. It heads north on a minor road clear, inviting waters that lap the sands remarkable scenery of the Gower towards Loughor Castle, and onwards to the Millennium Coastal just outside the site. Peninsula. Most of the best bits lie Park. To the north is a mainly traffic-free route that will take you There are a couple of good eating around the edges, but not all, and that though Gowerton, Clyne Valley County Park and onto the coastal path. See sustrans.org.uk for more information on both routes. places up the hill, miles of coastal this startling place was Britain’s first footpaths to explore, a good selection of officially recognised Area of Outstanding historical attractions within biking range, Natural Beauty will come as no surprise and overall, for a pair of romantic and to those lucky souls who know it. active oldies, this is heaven indeed. The best way to see the scenery There is also something called Tenby here is to get out on foot in among just up the road. In high season the it, but for those who are not physically town and surrounding area can be able, there are places accessible by car frantic, but at quieter times the true which can provide a glimpse of this Tenby shines through unrestrained. dramatic seascape. This is perhaps the most architecturally Enough, for there are only so many appealing town in Britain, and surely adjectives to describe the scenery which Gowerton unique, as nowhere else in the realm lies around these two very different sites. is as packed with beautiful old buildings The trick to enjoying them to the full is and also surrounded by such amazing to make sure you are on the right one at seaside scenes. the right time. ■ ATTRACTIONS So that’s Freshwater East – a great family site-by-the- Freshwater East Pembrokeshire – open Easter to ■ Oakwood Theme Park, Canaston Bridge beach in the school holidays October. Call 01834 891373 or see oakwoodthemepark.co.uk and during summer ■ Bosherston Lakes – open all year. Call 01646 661359 or see weekends, but brilliant for nationaltrust.org.uk everyone else any other time. – open Easter to September. Call 01834 ■ Manorbier Castle Even us itinerant, photo- 871394 or see manorbiercastle.co.uk – open all year. Call 01646 651782 taking motor caravanners. ■ Carew Castle and Tidal Mill or see carewcastle.com Gowerton is very ■ Carew Karting – open all year. Call 01559 384078 or see different, and doesn’t seem carewkarting.co.uk to be under quite the same Gower – open all year. pressure as Freshwater. ■ WWT National Wetland Centre Wales, Llanelli While this is definitely a Call 01554 741087 or see wwt.org.uk seaside site of sorts, it could ■ Gower Heritage Centre– open all year. Call 01792 371206 or see gowerheritagecentre.co.uk never really be described as – open all year. Call 01792 475715 or ■ Swansea Grand Theatre a seaside ‘holiday’ site. The see swanseagrand.co.uk – open all year. water does reach almost ■ National Waterfront Museum, Swansea into the site, and some Call 01792 638950 or see museumwales.ac.uk may say there is sand here, but it is that mysterious

20 The Caravan Club Magazine