LANGLAND ROAD B&B THE MUMBLES SWANSEA
This is a very nice, and convenient B&B both to visit the mumbles and the Swansea city centre. There are confortable beds, and very nice large shower rooms. Good breakfast with fersh fruits, cerealst, eggs, bacon, etc. The parking can be a little bit difficult at tiemes, but between 4PM and 10AM it is much easier an free. The owners are very friendly.
- Adress: 17 Langland Rd, The Mumbles, Swansea SA3 4ND, Wales
- Phone: +44 1792 361170
- Web: www.langlandroad.co.uk
- E-mail: langlandroad@hotmail.co.uk
MUMBLES AND SWANSEA
Mumbles (Welsh: Mwmbwls) is a headland sited on the western edge of Swansea Bay. Mumbles has been noted for its unusual place name. The headland is thought by some to have been named by French sailors, after the shape of the two anthropomorphic islands which comprise the headland. Another possible source of the name is from the word Mamucium which is thought to derive from the Celtic language meaning breast-shaped hill.
Its lighthouse was built during the 1790s and was converted to solar powered operation in 1995. The nearby pier was opened in 1898 at the terminus of the Mumbles Railway, which in its time was one of the oldest passenger railways in the world. The railway closed in 1960. These days the name 'Mumbles' is given to a district covering the electoral wards of Oystermouth, Newton, West Cross and Mayals.
Walk round stunning coastal paths to the beaches of Langland and Caswell or shop in the classy boutique stores of Newton Road. Explore quaint streets lined with colourful cottages and stop off for a locally-brewed ale in one of the pubs along the famous Mumbles mile, all when you visit this charming fishing village. With its idyllic beaches and superb coastal paths, exquisite shops and gourmet restaurants, Mumbles is without doubt one of the UK's most complete tourist destinations and truly has something for everyone to enjoy.
Foodies can dine in everything from lively pizza parlours to healthy cafes and fine dining fish restaurants, while children will leave with memories of endless days at the beach, classic amusement arcades and world-beating ice cream. Outdoor enthusiasts can use Mumbles as a base to explore the superb Gower Peninsula, where excellent surf, some beautiful hiking and much, much more await. Those who prefer the high street will find high end fashion, stylish galleries and luxurious beauty parlours all within easy walking distance.
Swansea Bay is blessed with many award-winning beaches such as Bracelet Bay (Blue Flag and Seaside Award), Caswell Bay (Blue Flag and Seaside Award), Langland Bay (Blue Flag and Seaside Award) and Limeslade Bay (Green Coast Award and Rurual Seaside Award). With its idyllic beaches and superb coastal paths, exquisite shops and gourmet restaurants, Mumbles is without doubt one of the UK's most complete tourist destinations and truly has something for everyone to enjoy.
- Mumbles Beach: Is a very small sheltered area of sand and rock pools sandwiched between Swansea Bay beach and Bracelet Bay in the south eastern corner of the Gower Peninsula, Swansea, Wales. A lot of sea life can be found in the pools and under the rocks, left trapped by the retreating tides. During the summer, this beach can get very busy with people combing the beach for hermit crabs and small fishes. The beach is accessible from a flight of steps beside the Mumbles Pier.
- Swansea Beach: Swansea Beach stretches for five miles along Swansea Bay between the Maritime Quarter and the "Knab Rock" near Mumbles in Wales. It is backed by a promenade/cycle track (part of National Cycle Route 4) and a coastal road. The southern section of the Swansea Bay beach between Blackpill and Mumbles is designated Site of Special Scientific Interest. Swansea Beach has a couple of named sections. The section of beach just outside Victoria park is known as "The Slip". Blackpill Beach is the section around the mouth of the Clyne River.
TOURISM IN THE SWANSEA BAY
In recent years, tourism has provided a boost to the local economy. Swansea Bay itself was popular in Victorian times and in the early part of the 20th century. However, despite having dunes and golden sands over a large section of the Bay all the way from the mouth of the River Neath to Blackpill, with the exception of the Swansea Docks breakwater, it now rarely hosts more than a few hundred visitors on even the best day, even in the height of summer and has seen little of the tourist boom. Ironically in the last ten years or so, with the reduction in pollution has come an increase in the amount of sand on the lower stretches of the Bay at low tide which were once almost pure mud flats.
In an attempt to popularise the Bay, in late February 2007, Swansea Council announced plans for a major revamp of the entire Bay from The Slip all the way round to Mumbles Pier. These include new toilets at The Slip, further improvements to the St. Helens Ground, housing on part of the Recreation Ground, a new 'Extreme Sports' Centre at Sketty Lane, further improvements at the popular Blackpill Lido including a new cycle and pedestrian bridge linking the coast path to the Clyne Valley Cycle Path, a multi-story car park at Mumbles Quarry and mixed development at Oystermouth Square and improvements to the Mumbles Pier. There are children's play areas at Blackpill and the area near the Swansea city centre called "The Slip".
THINGS TO DO IN MUMBLES AND SWANSEA
- An Ice Cream Tasting: If there's one thing Mumbles does very, it's ice cream. Joes on Mumbles Road is the most famous of the parlours, with its classic creamy vanilla seeing queues going far down the road, while Verdis on the seafront is another favourite for their numerous flavours of delicious Italian gelato. tFortes, located overlooking Limeslade Bay, was actually the original Ice cream parlour.
- Learn to Surf: Mumbles is surrounded by the sea and in the right conditions there are some great waves. If you've never surfed before the gentle waves at Caswell Bay are the perfect place to learn, and local surf school Surf GSD are on hand to show you the basics. More experienced surfers will find several fun peaks at Langland, while the 22 miles of the Gower coastline to the west has points, reefs and beaches all of which produce some great waves.
- A Day at the Beach: With their golden sands and classic beach huts, endless rockpools and great cafes, the beaches of Mumbles have all the ingredients for a classic day at the seaside. Caswell is the largest, with a wide expanse of sand at low tide, while Langland is extremely popular due to its great cafes and proximity to the village. Towards the lighthouse you will find the pretty coves known as Bracelet Bay and Limeslade Bay - the perfect place for a quiet day soaking up the sun.
- A Coastal Walk: Head arond the cliffs from the Mumbles Lighthouse and you will find the superbly maintained coastal walkway that takes you all the way from Mumbles Head to Caswell (about 3 miles). Carry on further still and you really get to see the beauty of Gower, with idyllic, isolated bays like Pwlldu and Brandy Cove awaiting those who are prepared to make the effort. It's possible to walk the entire south coast in a day, though you may want to break this up over the course of a week and enjoy a tasty lunch on one of Gower's excellent pubs.
- Be Pampered for a day: Mumbles is where Swansea's 'ladies-that-lunch' come to shop and be seen, so it's little surprise that you'll find several exceptional beauty salons in the village. Enjoy a morning shopping for bargains in the stylish boutique stores then treat yourself to a massage, hair cut or one of numerous other beauty treatments.