Caswell Bay (Bae Cas-wellt)

Sometimes signposted as Bae Cas-wellt in Welsh, Caswell Bay is a Blue Flag beach located on the south-eastern side of the Gower Peninsula close to The Mumbles. Offering a wide expanse of dark golden coloured sand, which reduces significantly in size at high tide, it is occasionally interrupted by natural rock formations. Behind the beach is the free-to-visit Bishop’s Wood Nature Reserve.

Caswell Bay is popular with families with buckets and spades looking for a traditional beachside holiday. As well as sand castle building and wave jumping, low tide reveals a number of rock pools filled with an array of marine creatures. Other reasons to visit Caswell Bay include its reputation as a surf spot. Beginners can take advantage of the on-site surf school, which provides lessons year-round.

Accessible by both car, and bus from Swansea, Caswell Bay also has a year-round café and a beach shop, in addition to public toilets and outdoor showers. There is a lifeguard presence between the start of May and start of September of each year, during which time dogs are banned from using the beach. Caswell Bay is accessible for those with disabilities. To guarantee a parking space during the summer holidays and sunny days it’s worth arriving before 10 am.