Finding Out This handy Guide is just the thing to pop in your pocket when out and about; but if you need more detailed information or you’re looking for accommodation, then we know just the place - here you’ll find all you need to plan your complete day out, short break or holiday: visitswanseabay.com Visit our Facebook and Twitter pages for more inspiration and local updates. Use @visitswanseabay and Image Credits and Copyrights #SwanseaBayAdventures when you post and we can join in your Swansea Bay Adventure! Glynn Vivian Art Gallery p28: Powell Dobson Architects, Beach Volleyball p42: 360 Beach and Watersports. The Council of the City & County of Swansea WALES’ PREMIER cannot guarantee the accuracy of the Useful Contacts information in this brochure and accepts no LEISURE DESTINATION responsibility for any error or Spend some quality time with the family! misrepresentation, liability for loss, Swansea Mobility Hire Spend some quality time disappointment, negligence or other damage Swansea City Bus Station, with the family! caused by the reliance on the information Plymouth Street, contained in this brochure unless caused by Swansea SA1 3AR Call our pre-booking hotline the negligent act or omission of the Council. (01792 461785 on 01790 466500 now! Please check and confirm all details before www.swansea.gov.uk/mobilityhire booking or travelling. RNLI www.rnli.org This publication is available in alternative formats. Published by the City & County of Swansea Contact (01792 635209. © Copyright 2016 www.thelcswansea.com Swansea Bay Mumbles, Gower, Afan & The Vale of Neath Key to beach awards 0 6km Blue Flag and Seaside Award Seaside Award 0 3 miles Marina Blue Flag Award This map is based on digital photography licensed from NRSC Ltd. © City and County of Swansea 2016 visitswanseabay.com Contents 02 Your Swansea Bay Adventure Starts Here 04 Adventure 12 Cycling 13 Discover 15 Dylan Thomas 17 Entertainment 18 Event Highlights 20 Fishing 20 Food & Drink 29 Galleries 33 Golf 34 Heritage 37 Parks & Gardens 38 Shopping 41 Walking 42 Watersports & Swimming 47 Getting About 48 Play Safe Finding Out & Area Map (back cover) visitswanseabay.com 1 Your Swansea Bay Adventure Starts Here... Swansea Bay is the ultimate adventure location. Not only will you find the ‘classic’ adventure packed with adrenaline fuelled fun, you’ll also discover a unique experience, full of culture, coastline, countryside, shopping, walks and local food that will leave you with lasting memories and a longing to return. Use this handy guide to make the most of your visit, and start your own Swansea Bay Adventure today! What’s Your Adventure? Food Craving a fresh culinary adventure? How about cockles from Swansea Market, sweet saltmarsh lamb or home cooked comfort in front of a roaring pub fire - if it’s a bit nippy out! But if the sun’s shining how about a picnic on the beach and dishes of delicious local ice-cream. An adventure for your taste buds! Family Rekindle life’s adventure with your kids; shrug off life’s routine and get back in touch with your inner child with a Swansea Bay Adventure. Try surfing (indoors and out!), pony-trekking, or just build sandcastles and run in the surf. Watersports What’s your watersport? Serious surfer or bodyboard beginner, we’ve got waves in all the right places. Or explore our extraordinary coastline by kayak or paddleboard. We’ve got a whole team of adventurers 2 visitswanseabay.com ready to share their know-how (and their kit). Ready to make a splash? Walking The Gower Way is a must do for your walking wish list, starting at our highest point with fabulous views over Rural Swansea, before wending its way through Gower to the iconic Rhossili Bay and Worm’s Head. More of a slow stroller? The Gower Coast Path has some more laid back sections (many with the promise of a cappuccino at the end!). Whatever makes up your vision of the perfect getaway, you’ll find it in Swansea Bay. Browse our Guide, make your plans and go have a great adventure! visitswanseabay.com 3 Adventure Try a wild white water ride around the Gower coastline or set your sights high and take a tree top adventure, or for fast-paced fun, kart your way around our exciting indoor karting track! Get dirty at the muddiest assault course ever; go kite-riding, quad biking or paintballing. Want to have a go but not sure how? Our multi-activity providers have the gear and the know-how. Try abseiling, coasteering, kayaking, climbing and bushcraft…. what are you waiting for? Start your Swansea Bay Adventure! Adventure Britain Call of the Wild Ltd, 83 Church Road, Seven Sisters, Neath SA10 9DT Discover your wildside in 2016! Try climbing on the majestic cliffs of Gower, jumping off waterfalls, swimming in wild rivers, underground exploring and much more! Multi award winning Adventure Britain have a reputation for delivering once in a lifetime adventure experiences, for all ages and abilities, at value for money prices. Activities for adults, families , children and organisations can include canyoning, climbing, caving, canoeing, adventure walks, raft building, team building and more. www.adventurebritain.com (01639 700388 4 visitswanseabay.com Adventure Wales Port Talbot, West Glamorgan SA13 2YP Looking for the most amazing adventures that Wales has to offer? We offer a range of adventure weekends for both adults & childrens groups. Gorge Scrambling, Surfing, Quad Biking and more. www.adventureswales.co.uk (01656 782300 Antur Ltd. 59 Dulais Road, Seven Sisters, Neath SA10 9ER Antur Ltd. is set at the heart of Wales’ adventurous wilderness. We believe anywhere outdoors has an adventure to offer - rock climbing, gorge walking, coasteering to name but a few! www.anturoutdoor.com (07968 900354 Carreg Adventure Stouthall Country Mansion, Reynoldston, Gower SA3 1AN Carreg adventure offers school & group residentials, weddings & events, team building & corporate activities, afternoon teas, pop up restaurants, birthday parties, kids camp & EFL courses. www.carregadventure.co.uk (01792 391386 visitswanseabay.com 5 Clyne Farm Riding and Activity Centre Clyne Farm, Westport Avenue, Swansea SA3 5AR Your one stop for activities for all ages and abilities, stag and hen, riding, climbing, archery, quads, clay pigeon, surfing, Challenge Valley - the muddiest assault course in the world! Open daily, all year, 10am-6pm. [email protected] (01792 403333 Down to Earth 72a Manselfield Road, Murton, Swansea SA3 3AP Down to Earth offers remarkable experiences and unique adventures from our two stunning, hand-crafted centres on Gower. Fancy tree climbing followed by baking your own pizza in our earth oven? Or coasteering followed by cooking artisan sausages on a fire you’ve just lit without matches? Or maybe you’d like to learn how to build with sustainable, natural materials? Unforgettable adventures for all ages and abilities by an award winning social enterprise. Open all year. Group bookings only. www.downtoearthproject.org.uk (01792 346566 6 visitswanseabay.com Dryad Bushcraft Gower, Swansea Dryad Bushcraft is one of the UK’s leading Bushcraft and Wilderness Survival training organisations. As featured on Channel 4’s ‘Time Team’ and ITV Wales ‘Coast and Country’. Open all year, prior booking required. See website for details. www.dryadbushcraft.co.uk (01792 547213 Dulais Valley Quads Nant y Cafn Isaf Farm, Seven Sisters, Neath SA10 9EU Take your breath away with the adventure and thrill of navigating the latest Honda 250cc quad bikes through 175 acres of hills, woodland, streams and mud. Open all year, prior booking needed. www.dulaisvalley-quads.co.uk (07854 864724 Dynamic Rock Adventures Ltd 16 - 18 Hebron Road, Clydach, Swansea SA6 5EJ Dynamic Rock is a dedicated climbing centre, great for both beginners and advanced climbers. We offer Birthday Parties, Taster Sessions, Young Climbers Club and courses for those that catch the bug! Open daily, all year, check website for details. [email protected] (01792 845655 visitswanseabay.com 7 Go Ape Margam Margam Country Park, Port Talbot SA13 2TJ Go Ape is the UK’s No.1 Tree Top Adventure at Margam Park. We brief you for safety before you fly down zip-wires, leap off our Tarzan Swing and tackle our obstacles whilst enjoying breath-taking scenery, (Minimum Age 10 years). Open Feb-Nov, 9am-5pm. Gorillas: £26 Baboons: £20. www.goape.co.uk/margam (0845 094 8741 Gower Activity Centres Port Eynon & Rhossili Gower Activity Centres specialise in delivering the very best in outdoor activity experiences for groups of all ages and abilities, challenging and fun on the Gower Peninsula. Open all year round. www.goweractivitycentres.org.uk (01792 401548 8 visitswanseabay.com Gower Adventures 43 Pencaerfenni Lane, Crofty, Swansea SA4 3SD We offer a wide range of exciting outdoor activities based around Gower. Join our team of experienced instructors and let them take you on an adventure with lasting memories. Open daily, all year. www.goweradventures.co.uk (01792 851182 Gower Coast Adventures Gower Gower Coast Adventures provides breathtaking, interactive boat tours of the South Gower Coast, leaving our passengers with unforgettable memories. Open daily, Mar-Oct, 8am-8pm. www.gowercoastadventures.co.uk (01792 348229 Gower Kite Riders The SUP Hut / Gower Kite Riders, Francis Street, Brynmill, Swansea SA1 4NH Gower Kitesurfing has been teaching people all aspects of kite sports for over 10 years. Come and experience power kiting, kite land boarding, kite buggying and kitesurfing and feel the wind (pending suitable conditions). Open daily, all year. See website for details. www.gowerkiteriders.com (01792 446511 visitswanseabay.com 9 Gower Kite Shop Gower Kite Shop, Rhossili, Swansea SA3 1PT Based at Pitton Cross Caravan & Camping Park, Rhossili. The largest range of kites & windsocks on Gower. Diablos,Yo-Yos, maps, beach goods and camping gas.