Oxwich Bay, The Gower
A trip to one of the UK's prettiest beaches
(Photos/words © urban75, Aug 2007)
Declared the 'the most beautiful beach in Britain' by The Travel Magazine in Feb 2007, Oxwich Bay on the Gower Peninsula offers two and a half miles of golden sand backed by sand dunes, salt marshes and woodland.
Catering for a wide variety of watersports including, diving, sailing, water-skiing and windsurfing, there's a slipway for boats and plenty of safe swimming to be found on the vast beach.
Hidden from the eye, a variety of submarine cables leave the mainland of Britain from Oxwich, including the SOLAS cable that spans the Irish Sea, and the TAT-11 and Gemini North transatlantic telephone cables.
![Oxwich Bay and beach photos, Gower Peninsula, south Wales](images/oxwich-bay-gower-01.jpg) There's a small cafe serving snacks by the beach, with a hotel/bar providing more substantial food and drink.
![Oxwich Bay and beach photos, Gower Peninsula, south Wales](images/oxwich-bay-gower-02.jpg) Wetsuits on the line.
![Oxwich Bay and beach photos, Gower Peninsula, south Wales](images/oxwich-bay-gower-03.jpg) Looking east towards Three Cliffs Bay.
![Oxwich Bay and beach photos, Gower Peninsula, south Wales](images/oxwich-bay-gower-04.jpg) The sand is exceptionally fine on the beach.
![Oxwich Bay and beach photos, Gower Peninsula, south Wales](images/oxwich-bay-gower-05.jpg)
The beach is flanked by sand dunes.
![Oxwich Bay and beach photos, Gower Peninsula, south Wales](images/oxwich-bay-gower-18.jpg)
...which are great for jumping off!
![Oxwich Bay and beach photos, Gower Peninsula, south Wales](images/oxwich-bay-gower-06.jpg) Photo taken while I was having a paddle. The water was actually pretty warm (for the UK, that is!).
![Oxwich Bay and beach photos, Gower Peninsula, south Wales](images/oxwich-bay-gower-07.jpg) We walked along a huge expanse of golden sand to the Great Tor.
![Oxwich Bay and beach photos, Gower Peninsula, south Wales](images/oxwich-bay-gower-08.jpg) At low tide, you can walk around the Tor into Threecliff Bay.
![Oxwich Bay and beach photos, Gower Peninsula, south Wales](images/oxwich-bay-gower-09.jpg) Looking west with Oxwich Point in the distance.
![Oxwich Bay and beach photos, Gower Peninsula, south Wales](images/oxwich-bay-gower-10.jpg) Look closely and you can see some folks at the top of this rocky outcrop by Nicholaston Burrows.
![Oxwich Bay and beach photos, Gower Peninsula, south Wales](images/oxwich-bay-gower-11.jpg) Clouds started to gather on the horizon.
![Oxwich Bay and beach photos, Gower Peninsula, south Wales](images/oxwich-bay-gower-12.jpg) The beach was almost deserted.
![Oxwich Bay and beach photos, Gower Peninsula, south Wales](images/oxwich-bay-gower-13.jpg) Looking across Oxwich Bay.
![Oxwich Bay and beach photos, Gower Peninsula, south Wales](images/oxwich-bay-gower-14.jpg) Another view with just a few black blobs of people peppering the horizon.
![Oxwich Bay and beach photos, Gower Peninsula, south Wales](images/oxwich-bay-gower-15.jpg)
![Oxwich Bay and beach photos, Gower Peninsula, south Wales](images/oxwich-bay-gower-16.jpg) Crossing a small river that flows across the beach into the sea.
![Oxwich Bay and beach photos, Gower Peninsula, south Wales](images/oxwich-bay-gower-17.jpg) The area beyond the beach is a National Nature Reserve managed by the Countryside Council for Wales, and there's a great elevated walk across the marshland that's positively bursting with bird song.
![Oxwich Bay and beach photos, Gower Peninsula, south Wales](images/oxwich-bay-gower-22.jpg) A robin checking us out.
![Oxwich Bay and beach photos, Gower Peninsula, south Wales](images/oxwich-bay-gower-19.jpg)
![Oxwich Bay and beach photos, Gower Peninsula, south Wales](images/oxwich-bay-gower-20.jpg) Parking by the beach.
![Oxwich Bay and beach photos, Gower Peninsula, south Wales](images/oxwich-bay-gower-21.jpg) Old building by the beach.
I had hoped to take some pictures of Llangennith, but by the time we got there it was pissing down, so we headed back to Cardiff for some lovely Brains beer.
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