Port Eynon, Gower, For all in Swansea
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Recommendation added: 06/04/2007 21:34
By: mirrired (YSUK rating +89)mirrired has been thanked 2 times for this contribution
"It's Good Friday 2007, so I had my reservations about heading down to Gower today. Mainly because I suspected that as the sun was out, almost everyone else in Swansea would head that way too. Still, I reasoned that leaving at 9am and heading back at about 2pm should ensure that we wouldn't be caught in too much traffic.
For once my judgement was spot on!
After picking up my friend Claire and her son Corey (Craig's best mate) we headed off to Port Eynon. It took us about twenty minutes to get there from central Swansea with virtually no traffic – mind you I do know a few short-cuts! When we arrived at about 9.30 am the car-park was virtually empty, so I chose a prime spot right next to the exit.
In season the fees are £1.00 for an hour, £2.00 for 2 hours and £3.20 for the whole day.
Buckets and spades at the ready we headed off onto the beach, which lies to the left of the ample car-park. It only takes a minute to reach the beach and once on there you have plenty of choice as to where to set up camp for the day.
As we were far ahead of the “maddening crowds” we chose a delightful little sand-dune just beyond the first aid hut. Close to the entrance, but far enough away for our rumbustious 4 year olds not to be tempted to joy ride in the car park!
Port Eynon,as with many Gower beaches, provides everything you could need for younger and older children.
Our little fellas were content with throwing sand at each-other and generally doing what 4 year olds do. Romping up and down the dunes, digging holes, making sand-castles and carrying infeasibly large “pebbles” up to our lair.
When it warmed up – and boy did it, we donned our shorts and trunks respectively and headed towards the tide, tip-toeing and oochy ouching over the pebbles and broken shells. Well, it is all part of the fun!
When we got to the tide Corey dipped his toe and told me in no uncertain terms that he was “not swimming in that”, meanwhile Craig was joyously running in and out of the tide. It was perfect – shallow rock pools for Corey to explore more or less un-supervised, and gentle waves rolling in over soft sand for Craig to run around and splash in. He kept saying “The water is fine”. There was absolutely no danger to either of them and both of them were easily managed by myself.
And what did I do? Well I did go in the tide up to my shins – well you have to, but I'm telling you, its cold, down to the bones type cold! Still, after several attempts I did manage to numb my feet enough to believe that it was fine. I mean if a 4 year old tells you it's fine you have to make some sort of effort.
But, I ain't swimming in that until August, and then with a full wet-suit and a layer of lard!
We then headed back up the beach and I took off with Craig for his tube feed and we both road-tested the toilets.
They were clean, no paddling about in unspeakable, plenty of toilet roll and afterwards plenty of hand-wash and warm water (possibly too hot for a four year old), but there are cold water taps too. The air hand dryer was a bit eccentric and it has to be said when there is a queue it's behind the peeps waiting for a cubicle.
The toilets are free, but I have a suspicion that in the height of season their capacity might be unequal to demand!
On the way back from Craig's feed in the car-park we went for some more solid sustenance. I was a bit worried as I hate paying ridiculous amounts of money for very poor food, but we had a lovely surprise.
The chips weren't the best I'd ever had, but they were ok, however, the chicken I ordered was beautifully cooked. Crispy on the outside, hot throughout and wonderfully moist. The buttered roll was soft, fresh and not covered in catering marg an inch thick.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, and it only cost about £2.50, which compared to a lot of nasty pasties and grizzle burgers, is reasonable.
In the meantime the beach had filled up with families. Some children were much younger than ours, some slightly older and some much older. The slightly older stalked the rock-pools with nets, buckets and hope, (to not much avail apparently) and the much older children seemed to be having a fine time, playing ball, digging, and canoeing with their parents.
The only disappointment is that whilst there seems to be ton's of seaweed, lots of rock-pools and plentiful clean water, there seems to be very little sea-life. Not a single crab, no starfish, not an awful lot of whole shells and I only spotted one sea anemone near the tide.
Nonetheless, Port Eynon at this time in the season is perfect for two Mums and two four year olds."
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