What a lovely place to relax, and enjoy Swansea Bay, its not been here long, but has certainly made…read morea huge difference to the Promenade, with walkers, cyclists, runners, dog walkers all stopping here to eat / drink, and to be honest, we just parked the Car and sat here for a while chatting to others that had done the same as us. When the Tide is in full this is an excellent seafront venue all round, with people enjoying all the watersports they offer. They also offer beach activities when the Tide is out too. All in all, an excellent addition to Swansea..

I think this one of my favourite places in the area. Went for a very alternative hen party where we…read moregot to stay in a Tipi and learn lots of bush crafts like foraging in the woods and building a campfire and getting it going. Probably doesn't sound like everyone ideal Hen party but it was so much fun, mainly because the staff were so into what they do and making it a fun experience for us girls. I've recommended it to a lot of people now, I think it would be a great family day out and they have so much to offer, like Falconry or hunting. Its only 30 minutes away from Cardiff so its easy to get to and yet you feel like your out in the wilderness when your there.

The Gower Peninsula was the first ever dedicated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the UK back…read morein the 1950's. It has barely changed in the half century that has gone past since. It is tremendously beautiful and wonderfully well kept. There are numerous beaches which all have their own individual charm and most have earned a European blue flag for cleanliness (and loveliness). Rhossilli Bay spans hundreds of metres of pure sands and attracts surfers from around the UK. Oxwich, Port Eynon, Langland and Caswell are more tourist orientated with brightly coloured beach huts dotted around and seas patrolled by lifeguards. Over the dunes and away from the beaches there are nature walks, farms and holiday camps taking advantage of the inherent natural beauty of the area and many people enjoy a huge variety of activities across the area such as paragliding, pony-trekking and hiking. A truly beautiful area and an alluring place full of natural magic. Everywhere you turn on the Gower feels like a picture postcard. For a taste of the natural gorgeousness of Wales; the Gower is essential viewing.

Gower is such an amazing place to have on Swansea's doorstep and remains an unspoilt magical…read morepeninsula incorporating sea, golden sand, castles, beautiful countryside both neat manicured villages and wild braken with mountain sheep, cattle and ponies. A recent discovery for me was Pwll Du Bay, quieter and less accessible even than Three Cliffs bay my previous favourite, Pwll Du is actually more of a walkers and picnickers beach with a bank of limestone pebbles providing a dramatic drop to the sea. Apparently Pwll Du was once an industrious centre with limestone quarries in the hillside, ships would take the quarried stone. The sea looks very dark against the limestone hence the name Pwll Du, translating to Black Pool which sounds a little gloomy but it's atmospheric on cloudy days and stunningly picturesque on sunny ones.

The Gnoll Country Park is a lovely escape from the hustle and bustle of town. It has something for…read moreeveryone, with peaceful waterside walks around lakes, elaborate restored cascades and then wilder parts with clambering woodland paths plus coarse fishing. There are stunning views from the higher parts of the park and it provides a calm retreat on sunny hot days(when we have them!) when the coast is crowded out. There's a great children's play area next to the visitor centre and cafe, plus lots of entertaining ducks, geese and swans who frequently tread the paths around the visitor's centre.

We've lived in Port Talbot for years and only recently discovered this beautiful park - now the…read morekids love it. There's plenty of parking with easy access to the adventure playground, park, lake and visitor centre and we enjoy walking through the unspoilt woodlands and watching the varied wildlife. The open grassy areas are perfect for picnics and playing ball games.

Margam Park set in all of its rural splendour is a breath of fresh air, everytime I go there it…read morefeels like anything bothering me just floats away. It has a real tranquility and gentle ambience and is great for the kids too. When I was a young a large hedge maze existed there and it would be great if they built that up again as it was a definite highlight. As it is, the castle, grounds, orangery and Margam pulpit are amazing and definitely worth visiting for a day out. Take a picnic!

Margam park is beautifully maintained all year round. There are many picnic areas to stop and have…read morea spot to each. There is also a giant maze in which to loose the kids. The adventure playground is great for the children. There are some lovely country walks to be undertaken. There is a visitor centre which is worth stopping in to gather information. Id definately recommend a visit here!

i loved this place, it is very nice and calming 10/10. i stopped here after a stressful day, with…read moremy dog, she has lost her back 2 legs due to an accident on the roads. she hasn't ran around happily in her little wheels in months. she loves the birds and i love the nature. i would give this infinite stars if i could, definitely recommend to people who need a little bit of relaxation when things get stressful!

This is a fabulous place to visit. I often visit here with my dog, Molly. She loves the freedom of…read morebeing able to run for miles. It's a nature reserve, with an onsite building, with toilets. The toilets are modern, clean and well maintained. There's usually an exhibition in the main hall. The reserve itself is a haven for wildlife. If birdwatching is your interest, then this is ideal for you. There's also a large pond, which further increases the number of visiting birds. If you walk along the paths, eventually you'll get to Sker Beach. This is a wide sandy beach, usually deserted. A great cheap day out - take a picnic, parking is free!

We visit Pembrey Country Park quite regularly, the main reason being that we have three dogs and…read morethey have a section of beach that they are allowed to run on all year long. The park area is good too and the picnic areas are always clean and tidy. One down side is the cost to get in. You can purchase season tickets but we would not use it often enough to warrant buying one. I think that if you are a resident of Carmarthenshire you should be granted a discount of some sort. The facilities are good, toilets and food areas clean and the grounds are well maintained.

This is a great place to visit with a vast area to explore. It is a place of contrasts with the…read moreforestry to explore or the beach to walk along. It is a hugely popular place to visit and is a great tourist attraction for the area. If you like your wildlife there are a wide variety of birds to be seen in the woodland area as well as the odd rabbit or hare. There is also some other attractions like the playground for the kids and a dry ski slope. The beach is great on a nice sunny day. Great for taking the dogs for a walk. There are plenty of parking spaces in the park and are located in various areas. It's also a great place to go caravaning with it's Caravan Club site. Admission fee is a bit steep for regular visitors but you can by a season ticket which is pretty reasonable. Very popular on sunny bank holidays and traffic coming to and from there can be a bit of a nightmare.

Called after Saint Patrick who roamed the area in the 9th century, this is a lovely little woodland…read moretrail close to the lake at Sandy Park. It was created a couple of years ago and is a great haven for birds (including the chiff chaff, willow warbler and blackcap) and small animal species. There are several animal sculptures to be found throughout the wood, all created by local sculptors, some of which are based on animals found in the ancient Welsh story "The Mabinogion". My favourite is the wild boar which is made out of recycled metal (see my photos).