Reynoldston is situated 12 miles to the west of Swansea.
Reynoldston features in a Daily Telegraph article as having one of Wales’ best beaches, yet it is not right on the coast. The area is of gentle wooded valley’s dappled sunlight and dappled wild Welsh ponies. However, the beauty of Renoldston for marine lovers is its proximity on the Gower Peninsular in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)and being positioned between two great beaches, being Blue Bay Pool (5.4 miles by car) to the north west and Oxwich Bay Beach (2.4 miles by car) to the south east.
Reynoldston is positioned at the intersection of the North and South Gower and has outstanding views of both landscapes. From Cefn Bryn, which is the second highest point on Gower, you can enjoy far-reaching views. On clear days you can see as far as Exmoor in Devon and Somerset, England and Lundy Island one way and the Brecon Beacons and West to Carmarthenshire in the other direction.
There is a Neolithic Tomb there known as Arthur’s Stone and much folklore surrounds it, linking it to King Arthur.
St George’s Church has Anglo and Norman influences, and the figure of St George, the Patron Saint of Wales is carved into the stone pulpit. There has been a church on the site since the early 13th century and the beautiful church there today was built in the 1860s and is a fine example of its period, Victorian Gothic. It’s an interesting church with stained glass windows, tombstones and memorial plaques including some from the old church mostly connected to the long standing landowners of the area; the Lucas family.
Opposite the village post office is Reynoldston Methodist Chapel, a squat, attractive later building with a stone wall.
Jamieo at English Wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Oxwich Bay Beach offers a lovely sandy beach, backing onto sand dunes that is popular with families. Nearby there is the quieter Nicholaston Burrows for a more peaceful tranquil place to enjoy the beach and the sea.
There are shops, toilets and places to eat and drink as well as a pay car park at Oxwich Bay.
Blue Pool Bay which first brought the selection of Reynoldston to this list is accessible by foot and is a 1km walk from the car park at Broughton. However, the advantage of that is that this beautiful beach is secluded. Although, I wonder if the reporter was confused with Broughton Bay Beach which shares the same car park, being much closer to the parking and is a lovely expanse of sand. Bathing at both of these beaches can be dangerous due to tidal currents.
What makes Reynoldston special is its location, but this should be extended to the hamlets of Burry, Burry Green, Fairyhill, Knelston and Llandewi that share the area with Reynoldston village as a single community. There are other villages near to the beaches in this part of Wales, and indeed this is not far from some locations that are featured. However, it is worth conceding that the landscape, views and unique position of Reynoldston make it special and worth it for the spectacular views.
Photo – A huge capstone over a Neolithic Chambered Tomb, on Cefn Bryn hillside, in the centre of Gower: RobinLeicester, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
