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At the far end of Gower are the lovely beaches renowned for their yellow sands and Atlantic surfing.

Mewslade and Fall Bay are the last beaches you reach before the western end of the peninsular

and we park at the farm car park at Pitton to walk the mile or so down the valley to the bay.

Support local industry . . . pay the farmer a few pounds for car parking.

To be honest, on a normal day there's nowhere else to park that doesn't involve an extra mile's trek so it is doubly worth it.

Passing the cottages and farmhouse there's a lovely spring display of Spring flowers.

Primroses, cowslips and blue muscaria.

In the farm lane down towards the beach there is a different, more wild display.

The major leaf plant with a white flower is wild garlic, with primroses and possibly yellow wood sorrel in there too.

Young lambs in the valley.

Quads are rare but not unheard of.

I counted the sheep (managed to stay awake) but there didn't seem to be a spare mum anywhere.

We're into limestone country here in Gower

so the valley down to the bay doesn't have a stream or river bed.

What it does have is a lot of small caves and openings, one or two of which are squeezable for kids on outdoor pursuits courses.

Ann and Gareth at the head of the bay.

Down on the beach looking back up the opposite way.

As with Pobbles yesterday, I'm sure there's much less sand here than I remember from childhood beach excursions.

Low tide today so we have the run of the beach . . . or at least Harry has !

This is the mighty Thurba Head, the name alone implies stature and boldness.

With low tide, the beach joins up with Fall Bay in the cove before the distant headland.

A few low rocks to cross as we walk towards the Needle Rock.

Two slightly different cliff pinnacles . . . one open and incised, the other protected at its foot but sharp at its head.



Close up passing the first . . .	. . . the narrowness of Needle Rock second.

On the shoreline, three bold black backed gulls.

They are one of the larger of the gull species and other birds don't mess with them.

Harry is asking to play . . . but no trees so no sticks . . . sorry.

Gareth tries " Chase the Wave "

That seems to go down well . . . the dog's enjoying it too !

A tangle of fishing net marks our turn around point.

Limestone pinnacles with the crows flying around in the strong, turbulent breeze.

These are raised beaches of water-washed stones that have settled into beds and have been fused with time.

There are several good examples of conglomerate rocks all along this coastline, evidence of higher sea levels in earlier millennia.



Scary rock, check out the eyes, nose and teeth !	At the head of the bay is a sea washed cave.

Back up the valley to the car . . . this way Harry . . . or have you found a stick at last ?

Deep in the recesses of the mind, this view back up the valley with the summer house and the top square family home

is evocative of hot summer days, buckets and spades, and little 1950's sun burnt legs not wanting to go back home to bed.

- - - o o o - - -

Time for lunch . . . where shall we go ?

The King Arthur Hotel and a fine lunch stop today. ( Photo courtesy of the hotel web site)

A pint and an unusual, delightful laver bread burger if I remember rightly.

Today's special offer . . . (don't get over excited)

Print this image on extra thick, absorbent, printer paper

then cut it out around the edges

and it can be used as a brilliant beer mat.

Also available on very special order

from the Felinfoel Brewery (I presume)

or a Welsh pub near you !

- - - o o o - - -

On the way back into town we drove up and over Cefn Bryn.

At a lofty 500 foot above sea level it is significantly higher than the Gower coastal area and so the views will be good.

There's a short but good walk across the grass and moorland to Arthur's Stone.

The views won't be brilliant today due to the haze but the walk will be nice.

One of the many wild ponies on Gower.

Like all "wild" ponies, they are owned by someone, but they spend all year on the moorland hills.

Three, or is it four more ponies on the other side of the pond.

Arthur's Stone.

An ancient tumulus or grave site with a large capstone supported by four secondary stone feet.

Over the years the major stone has split and toppled sideways giving the stone a slightly unbalanced look.

Click here or on the photo above for a Loweswatercam larger annotated panorama

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The origin of the name of Arthur's Stone comes from the Arthurian Legends.

Gower doesn't claim Arthur for their own but this stone was supposed to be an irritant in his shoe

as he walked across the high ground of Devon to the south.

In his fury he removed it and flung it over his shoulder and it landed here.

Arthur must have been a very big man with a very strong arm . . . Devon is 30 miles away across the Bristol Channel !

The stone is a peaceful place and several mementos

of loved ones can be found nearby.

Some are often a bit gaudy, or represent unsightly litter

when relatives leave the wrapping paper on the flowers,

but this single rose above

was more than sufficient for the purpose.

- - - o o o - - -

Add to the atmosphere with the singing of a lark

high in the sky above the stone

and the picture of peace and tranquility was complete.

There looks like a large bus has just arrived . . . you can just see it on the distant horizon.


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