Llangennith, Rhossili

The Mumbles was not the place we expected it to be, quiet with a village feel. Swansea being so close by meant it attracted noisy cars and motorbikes which drove by at speed during the night. Although we felt safe, we wished it had been a little quieter overnight. But at the end of the day, it was just a stepping stone to the Gower Peninsula where we were heading for Rhossili, an award-winning beach, voted as one of the best in the world with a vast expanse of white sand, rolling waves and dramatic panoramic views. 

But first the drive. Narrow roads with high hedgerows, lots of stop start as we met oncoming vehicles including a large lorry at a pinch point. Oh god Marge, we're in a tight spot! Unscathed we carried on only to meet a very large motorhome at another narrow spot. The driver of the large motorhome less than confident commented on how narrow the roads were. Really. Angela positioned Marge almost in a hedge whilst we held our breath as he shakily crept by. Nearly there. John had booked us onto a small camp site just outside the village. Fifteen pounds, toilet emptying and water top up which was all we needed, and most importantly signal. Tonight, England's ladies football team are playing Sweden. They needed our support. David who runs the small site of ten pitches was friendly and welcoming and really, really loved Marge. 

A walk of around half an hour took us down to the sand dunes and stunning beach. At the beach car park, we stopped to admire a Westfalia LT31 Florida, John's ideal camper. The German lady who owned it came over for a chat. She was making her way to Southern Ireland and then across to Spain and Portugal, a three-month trip. Lucky her. 

The warm sand hugged our bodies as we lay on it soaking up the sun, people watching reading and dozing. We'd escaped. Despite being busy the beach was so large we enjoyed our own space.

However, we still had to make our way back to Marge, high up on the hill opposite Rhossili Down which we walked over on our return trip. Sheep dived into the ferns at the sound of our voices. The views across to the Pembrokeshire coast were breath-taking. That is the direction we will be heading in a day or two.

Tonight, a chance to fire up our gas grill. All in all, this spot is turning out to be a real gem. Probably not in the winter though. Earlier this year the area experienced one hundred mile per hour winds!