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The Mumbles area of South Wales is generally known as the Gateway to the famous Gower region. Being a seaside village everything is within walking distance - and there’s plenty on offer!
The promenade, which is also a cycle path, runs all the way from Swansea to Mumbles Pier - a stretch of approximately 5 miles. Halfway between the two is the Lido at Blackpill, a safe haven for children to play on the beach, by the pool, or on the many playground attractions.
Further along the promenade is Oystermouth where there are plenty of pit stops for ice cream and coffee or something stronger if it takes your fancy. Try a Joe’s ice cream - probably the best ice cream in Wales! A little further on and you will pass the tennis courts, the bowling green and the park where there’s a children’s play ground, crazy golf and even a boules green – bring your own boules!
At the furthest end of the promenade is the most famous landmark of Mumbles - the Pier, with its slipway housing the Mumbles Offshore Lifeboat. Here you will find further attractions such as ten pin bowling, and an ice rink.
There is often live entertainment at weekends over the summer holiday period. Beyond the headland and stretching out to sea are Mumbles Head and the Lighthouse. At low tide you can walk out to the island and take a closer look. This is where Bracelet Bay begins – a pretty bay with some sand and many rock pools. There’s also a café and restaurant with spectacular sea views. On the other side of the cliff is Limeslade, a small sandy cove sheltered by the rockface. Just a little further along the coastal path begins and takes you all the way to the pretty swimming bay of Rotherslade with its beachside café – very popular with tourists and locals.
The next bay is Langland – renowned for its green and white painted beach huts – a surfers’ paradise. Continue along the coastal path and enjoy the wonderful scenery until you come to Caswell Bay a beautiful sandy cove, where there are further facilities, including the Surf Café (which offers homemade snacks and light meals), two kiosks, and a surf school.
When it comes to eating out Mumbles has a wide choice of restaurants that includes everything from fine dining at Knights, believed to be a favourite of Catherine Zeta Jones, to popular cafes such as Verdis, an ideal spot to watch the world go by. If you prefer to cook your own food you can enjoy perusing the shelves of the local delis, green grocers, fishmongers or butchers a rare luxury these days. And if your visit falls within the first Saturday of the month why not try the local produce market.
The main shopping street in Mumbles is Newton Road, which runs from the seafront at Oystermouth, all the way up the hill to Newton – a village overlooking Mumbles. Here you will find an interesting mix of individually owned designer boutiques, gift shops and cafes. On the right is Oystermouth Castle a good place to stop and admire the view, and further up the road is Underhill Park a pleasant place to play ball games or picnic.
