Hi, I’m Wilma. Welcome to my guest blog for Visit Swansea Bay! I recently spent a weekend in Swansea Bay with my two legged friends, and want to share my experience to encourage more humans to treat my fellow canines to a well-deserved holiday – it can be tough being a dog you know!
As soon as we turned off the M4 my nose began to twitch, and I could smell the fresh sea air. It was almost lunchtime when we arrived, and after driving along the pretty promenade we stopped at 360 Beach and Watersports Café.
I was pretty thirsty by then, and was so pleased to see a fresh water bowl. My owners picked a table which had an amazing view across Swansea Bay toward Mumbles and I made a few new friends – in particular, a lovely little French Bulldog called Millie (who gave me serious ear envy)…
After lunch we decided to stretch our legs following the car journey. The two legged ones wanted to go and see the lovely flowers and botanical gardens at Singleton Park. Dogs are allowed in the park, and it was great to stretch my legs and have a good old sniff round after our journey.
Next stop – Mumbles. My nose went into overdrive at the smell of fresh fish and seafood, I’m quite partial to cod! We went for a walk past the boats and along the pier, where I was forced into a family selfie. Despite a spot of guest blogging here and there, I’m actually quite shy; though I’m sure it was a lovely photo with the sparkling blue sea as a backdrop (and me at the front).
After wriggling free, my nose guided me towards Verdi’s – mmm! After drooling at the 30 different flavours of award winning Italian ice cream my human friends ordered (sadly speaking is not one of my strengths). Unfortunately, one didn’t arrive for yours truly, but at least they did bring me some fresh water so I could have a drink while taking in the gorgeous views. We then went for a short stroll through the village to check out the quirky shops and galleries, and found a few souvenirs to take home. Hope there was one for me!
After all that fresh air my little legs were feeling tired, so we made our way to our accommodation, a pretty self-catering cottage on the Gower Peninsular owned by Gower Getaways. While I’m no pampered pooch, I do like my home comforts, and thankfully him and her had booked from the ‘Pet Friendly Pads’ section on Gower Getaways website.
After a good night’s sleep, I was rearing to go. The nice people at Gower Getaways had given my owners some really useful information on beaches and attractions where dogs are welcome, so we set off to Rhossili Bay.
Apparently the beach has renowned surfing conditions, something which the humans took full advantage of. Not that I really noticed. I was far too busy…
After packing away the surf gear, we couldn’t leave without a stroll along the Wales Coast Path. The two legs had come armed with walking guides, and we plumped for the Rhossili to Mewslade route, a 3 mile circular walk that took us along cliff tops, grassy paths, fields, and lanes, before arriving back at the car park.
Sadly, it was soon time to go, but after all that walking and digging I had worked up a serious appetite, so I was woofed to bits when they stopped off at Penllergare Valley Woods before heading for home.
After a lovely lunch and a drink at the coffee shop, we just had to explore some more. I felt like I was in doggy heaven! Beautiful scenery, waterfalls, lakes, wildlife, flowers, and lots of trails for me to follow and have a good old sniff. I was shattered when we left – the sign of a good weekend – and dreamt of Swansea Bay all the way home. I can’t wait to return!
