More than Outstanding Natural Beauty

Things to do near Tir-Cethin Farm

Things to do in the Gower, Swansea, South Wales

Your break with Tir-Cethin Farm  is all about experiences, from the luxurious barn conversions to things to do in and around the surrounding Gower Peninsula area and Swansea, South Wales.

Public Transport

We encourage all our guests to use public transport either for their initial journey to us or during their stay. The following are great public transport link.

The closest bus stop is only a 10 minute walk down the hill along a beautiful country lane to Caban Issac Road and this will all you access to the whole of the Gower or in Swansea and beyond. Gowerton Railway station is a half hour walk and from here you can link to beautiful West Wales or into Swansea with all the connections onward. The traveline link will all you plan your local journey.

Food & Drink

As part of our Environmental Policy “We encourage guests to shop and eat at local shops where organic and local produce can be purchased”.

At Tir-Cethin we have two great local butchers in Penclawdd who specialise in local Gower meat and produce including the famous salt mash lamb. All the meat supplied can be traced from farmer to plate. Penclawdd is also work famous for it’s cockles and lava bread(seaweed) so we recommend pork and lava bread sausages from Howells butchers. Paul Tucker make some of the best burgers around.

A great place to pick up seasonal local fruit and vegetables is the farm shop on the main roundabout between Gowerton and the M4. Look for signs on roundabout.

Local Eats

The Gower and Swansea have many great places to eat and drink. Here are just a few that we sometimes frequent:

Local Produce Markets

With this in mind there are many Local Produce Markets in the area. Below is a list of when and where these occur.

  • Uplands –  takes place 9AM – 1PM on the last Saturday of each month (with the odd exception) at Gwydr Square, Uplands, Swansea SA2 0HD. http://www.uplandsmarket.com
  • Swansea Marina – takes place 10AM – 3PM on the second Sunday of each month at Dylan Thomas Square, Swansea SA1 1TT. http://www.uplandsmarket.com

Tourist Information

This is just a small list of some of the many activities you can experience whilst with us at Tir-Cethin. For all the latest information on everything in the area the Swansea Tourist Information Centre is worth a visit. They are situated next to the new bus station in the centre of Swansea or give them a call on (01792) 468321. http://visitswanseabay.com/.

Visit Wales http://www.visitwales.co.uk/ is also a great source of information to make your stay as enjoyable as possible.

For more information on Gower, visit our friends at http://www.the-gower.com

Dylan Thomas

Dylan Thomas was Swansea’s most famous export, until Bonnie Tyler and Catherine Zeta Jones came along! Thankfully only Dylan Thomas has his own museum and information exhibition based in the centre of Swansea. Take a look at his greatest work at the Dylan Thomas Museum http://www.swansea.gov.uk/dtc and even take a tour of the house he was born in.http://www.dylanthomasbirthplace.com

Here is a link to all the Dylan Thomas Event planned. http://www.dylanthomas.com/events/

National Wetlands Centre

The National Wetland Centre is just over the water in Llanelli is run by the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT). It is a great day out for the little ones. http://www.wwt.org.uk/visit-us/llanelli

Gower Heritage Centre

Based down in Parkmill  this a small museum and craft museum showing what the Gower looked
like in years gone by. There are opportunities to take part in some craft activities and some children’s play areas. http://www.gowerheritagecentre.co.uk/

It is also home to the Little Valley Bakery where the bakers create some mouth watering treats.

Out and About

The Gower has built a reputation over many years as a place to come to relax on one of our great beaches or try something new. The Gower is crisscrossed by numerous great walking paths and bridleways. If you love your bike the Celtic Trail passes through the area and the World Famous Afan Forest Park in only 20 minutes away. But the sea is probably our greatest asset and therefore the list of water activities is endless.  We have put together a file showing many of the activities in the area and below we have a shortlist of some of the most popular.

Beaches

The Gower is world famous for its beaches, from the picturesque Three Cliffs Bay to the ruggedly awesome Rhosilli. We have counted 19 that we know of, but there are probably a few small ones we forgot about and each offers something different. Caswell, Langland and Rhosilli are great for learning to surf. Oxwich and Port Eynon are great for families and making sand castles. Langland is also great for exploring rock pools with children at low tide. If you take a look at the link  http://visitswanseabay.com/beaches this shows all the information on each beach including lifeguards, disabled access and toilet facilities.

Surfing

The Gower is known throughout the surfing world for its great surf throughout the year. There still are a few secret spots where you can enjoy great waves with only a handful of people. Alternatively, our friend Simon at Gower Surfing http://www.gowersurfingshop.com can just help you stand up for the first time. He can cater for all your need either a 2 hour taster session or a week long course. He also organizes a great children’s course that takes all day and leaves you free to sit on the beach and watch the world go by. Simon can also organise a lesson indoors at the LC if the water is just a bit cold for you.

Other surf schools in the area are.

Progress Surf School http://www.swanseasurfing.com

Other Water Sports

The waters in this area also lend themselves to other activities.

Try windsurfing at Oxwich Watersports. http://www.oxwichwatersports.co.uk

Gower Coast Adventures http://www.gowercoastadventures.co.uk/ from Knab Rock in Mumbles offer great boat tours of the South Gower Coastline for all ages.

There are many local companies who offer bespoke watersport packages and can advise you on what to do. Please give our friends a call at

Gower Adventures http://www.goweradventures.co.uk

Antur Outdoor http://www.anturoutdoor.com

Rip n Rock http://www.ripnrock.co.uk

Walking and Cycling

If you fancy exerting yourself more then Swansea Bay and the Gower are perfect for either a leisurely ride along Swansea Bay,
which is part of the Celtic Trail and National Cycle Network (http://www.sustrans.org.uk/what-we-do/national-cycle-network). Or, challenge yourself at the World famous Afan Forest Park (http://www.afanforestpark.co.uk/) which has bike and walking trails from novice (or very unfit), to expert (or extreme athlete). Bikes and kit can be hired from The Bike Hub in St Helen http://swanseabikeshop.blogspot.co.uk/p/bike-hire.html or Afan Valley Bike Shed http://www.afanvalleybikeshed.co.uk.

Walkers are spoilt for choice in Swansea and Gower, there is everything from smooth promenades and parkland for an easy stroll to more strenuous hikes over beaches and moorland. The public rights of way network is an extensive 268 miles (431km) on Gower alone, with many more throughout the rest of the Swansea Bay area. There are numerous walks to suit all abilities and fitness levels – one to aim for is the impressive 35 mile Gower Way. With all the benefits of walking there is no excuse not to get out and enjoy the fresh air and scenery around us. Find out all you need to know about getting healthy through walking with an instructor-led walk, tried and tested walking routes that you can give a go, or joining one of the dedicated walking groups in the Swansea Bay area.

To receive your walking cards today please contact Wendy Anderson, Walks Coordinator wendy.anderson2@swansea.gov.uk

Here is a great link to the National Trust Gower walks. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/rhossili-and-south-gower-coast/lists/top-walks-on-gower

Swansea and the Gower are part of Welsh National Coastal Path. This stretch of the Path is an area of contrasts – from the busy seaside city of Swansea to the stunning coastline of the Gower Peninsula with its award winning golden beaches. The area is home to 10 nature reserves, 24 Wildlife Trust reserves, 32 Sites of Special Scientific Interest and five Special Areas of Conservation. http://www.walescoastpath.gov.uk/explore-by-area/gower-swansea-bay/?lang=en

Golf

Many a Hollywood A-lister has sampled the areas many golf courses. Namely Michael Douglas and his Swansea born wife Catherine Zeta Jones, but they still play when back home visiting so keep a look out. Our Local course in only up in Three Crosses so give them a call on (01792) 872480 or 879905 (http://www.gowergolf.co.uk/) to see if they can fit you in or even give you a lesson with the course pro. Alternatively, Pennard Golf Course on (01792) 233131 http://www.pennardgolfclub.com is worth a round with spectacular views over Three Cliffs Bay. In the middle Mumbles there is also has a small crazy golf course for the smaller ones to show off their skills.

Pony Trekking

There are couple of local Pony Trekking providers in the area. Clyne Farm http://www.clynefarm.com is situated on the edge of the Gower and Pembrey Riding Centre http://www.pembreyparkridingcentre.co.uk is close to the awesome Cefn Sidan beach in Llanelli.

Indoor Swimming

In the centre of Swansea is the LC2 (http://www.thelcswansea.com/), which has many great indoor activities if the weather unexpectedly turns poor. It has a fantastic indoor water park with massive slides, 30ft climbing wall, indoor play area and a waverider (or indoor surfing wave to the rest of us). For more serious swimmers the National Pool in Swansea (http://www.walesnationalpoolswansea.co.uk/) is great for getting those laps in. Alternatively, Swansea has many local leisure centres (http://www.swansea.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=13936) that are great places for a quick family dip.

Clyne Farm

This not just a farm but an activity centre for all ages which include horse riding, climbing, archery and Challenge Valley, “the muddiest assault course in the world”. So take a change of clothes!  http://www.clynefarm.com/