Gower Peninsula: Rock pools at Langland Bay

One thing I love about living near the Gower Peninsula and its numerous bays, is being able to explore rock pools, such as the ones at Langland Bay and Rotherslade. I find the creatures who live in the rock pools fascinating, especially the pools that are only exposed at low tide.







I have no idea what the creatures who live in these shells are called, but I enjoy seeing and trying to photograph them. The slimy critters in this next image are sea anemones of some sort - I forget their name at the moment.

Gower Peninsula: Mistaken identity at Langland

I originally thought this pretty little flower was borage, when I spotted it growing at the roadside on the way down to Langland Bay. I've since discovered it's called Green Alkanet, but it is a member of the Borage family.

Gower Peninsula: Scarlet Pimpernel near Caswell

A stunning sight along the coast path between Caswell and Langland bays, during late spring and early summer, is the beautiful, warm hue of the scarlet pimpernel. It's a tiny little little flower, found on many cliff tops on the Gower Peninsula, which can be very hard to photograph, especially on a narrow path with heavy foot traffic. It grows in huge swathes, like tiny little scarlet, yellow and purple gemstones. It's one of my favourite wild flowers, and can be seen on cliffs, grassland, wasteland and roadsides all over Swansea and Gower, during its flowering season.

Valerian and campanula at Langland

Red valerian on a wall on Langland Bay Road.

White valerian at Langland

This white valerian was growing on a wall alongside the tennis courts at Langland Bay.

The coastal path between Caswell and Langland

Looking west across Caswell Bay, from the coastal path.



Looking east, as hardy pink sea thrift, Armeria maritima, clings to the cliff face.

Langland experiment

I took a trip to Langland and Rotherslade yesterday. As I sat on the steps just above the beach at Rotherslade, enjoying the evening sun, I realised my brown-tinted sunglasses gave everything a nice, warm hue. Reds and yellows look especially intense when I wear my shades. So I thought I'd try aiming my camera lens through the lenses of my sunglasses, in the hope of capturing the same effect.

I didn't get the intended effect. Instead, I got an old fashioned, sepia-tinted effect, with some colour leeching through. It's nothing special, but it's fun to try something new every now and again.

Dog days at Rotherslade

Animals seem to have so much more fun than humans. Look at this pair, frolicking in the surf at Langland.


Maybe if more humans learned how to love the simple things in life, the world might be a happier, more peaceful place.


Okay, this isn't strictly a Gower view. But I have a phobia of dogs, and was very proud of myself that day, for having got so close to a hairy, scary beastie.



Eek! The teeth on it ...

Update: Since I wrote this post, I am pleased to say that I have conquered my dog phobia, and now own a dog of my own.

Caswell to Langland cliff path

Taken on a walk late one May afternoon, a few years ago. I've upgraded my camera and developed some better photographic skills since then, but I guess these shots could be worse ...