Gower Peninsula

The Gower was the first area in Britain designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, in 1956, and it's not hard to see why. This peninsula jutting west of Swansea has some of the finest beaches in Europe, dramatic cliffs, ancient woodland, and a gentle rural landscape of farms and tiny villages. Rhossili Bay, a three-mile sweep of golden sand with the Worm's Head tidal island at one end, is regularly voted the best beach in the UK. Three Cliffs Bay is the most dramatic — three limestone pinnacles rising from the sand with a stream winding through, best reached by a walk across the dunes from Penmaen. Caswell Bay and Langland Bay are the popular surfing and family beaches closer to Swansea. Oxwich Bay is a vast sandy crescent backed by nature reserves. The Gower is compact enough to explore in a day from Swansea or Cardiff, but it rewards a longer stay. The coastal path from Rhossili to Port Eynon is spectacular. The Mumbles, at the eastern end, is a charming seaside village with an excellent ice cream parlour (Joe's — there'll be a queue, and it's worth it), a Victorian pier, and a lighthouse. In summer the beaches get busy, but there are always quieter coves to discover.