New Gower walking guides launched

Visitors to Swansea’s Gower can now explore even more of the region’s unique scenery with the launch of a series of walking maps and guides.

Swansea Council has launched four new walking guides as part of a Gower Coast Walks series.

The new guides provide a map and easy-to-follow directions which also highlight interesting locations and features along the way.

They include Bishopston Valley and Pwlldu Bay, Llanmadoc Circular, Llanmorlais Circular and Gowerton, Three Crosses and Dunvant.

The walks will also utilise the upgraded coastal path which stretches around the entire length of the Swansea and Gower coastline.

The 55 mile long coast path was opened in 2012 as part of the Welsh Government funded All Wales Coast Path initiative.

Mark Child, Cabinet Member for Wellbeing and Healthy City, said: “We are privileged in Swansea to have such beautiful coastline at our disposal which we can explore and enjoy.

“Previous improvements to create one long coastal path around Swansea and Gower have been a huge success in terms of getting more people out walking.

“The latest Gower Coast Walks series provide locals and visitors with a easy to follow map that delves a little deeper into what Gower has to offer.”

Welsh Government AM Lesley Griffiths, Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs, helped launch the leaflet at a local beauty spot at Pwlldu – one of the locations featured in the new leaflet

“We are lucky in Wales to have some stunning coastal scenery and we want as many people as possible to enjoy it. That is why we were so proud to become the first country in the world to have its own dedicated coastal footpath running the entire length of its coast, when we opened the Wales Coast Path in 2012.

“It gives me great pleasure to officially launch this leaflet which will provide visitors to Gower with more information on this beautiful part of the world.

“Wales’ Areas of Natural Beauty are hugely important culturally, socially, environmentally and economically.  I look forward to working closely with Gower AONB, and other partners to continue to maximise the benefits of these spectacular landscapes to Wales.”

The Council has also been working with a wide variety of organisations and local businesses on Gower after receiving almost £1.3 million of Heritage Lottery funding.

The funding has been ploughed into the Gower Landscape Partnership which has seen a wide range of projects emerge – all helping to preserve and celebrate Gower’s unique heritage and also boost tourism and the local economy.

Projects include the development of a Gower smartphone app, rebuilding of ancient stone walls, photography classes and conservation initiatives.