This is a joint marine and non-marine meeting to record a wide variety of sites on the peninsula. Ordnance survey map Explorer 164 1:25000 is recommended; this map was Explorer 10 in the earliest series and was renumbered. The best tides are from Friday 6th to Monday 9th October but there will be activity over the period from Wednesday 4th to Thursday 12th, both in the field and processing and identifying finds.
The initial meeting point on Friday 6th is Port Eynon beach car park, SA3 1NN (end of A4118, SS468852) to work the shores and associated non-marine areas. Low tide should be at 13.10 BST and the meeting time 11.10 BST. If you are driving down to the meeting on the day, please follow onto the rocks on the west side of the bay, bearing in mind that the party may have passed out of sight around Port Eynon Point. For non-marine interest there are dunes and a limestone headland adjacent to the car park.
The current plan on Saturday 7th is to visit Whiteford Burrows NNR (National Trust) where there is plenty of shore, dunes and salt marsh to examine. I hope to arrange that we can take a car or two into the reserve but the initial meeting place is the car park on the road to Cwm Ivy (on right hand side of road, SA3 1DE, SS439943) and the reserve is down the hill. Please note the path along the sea wall at Cwm Ivy marsh is closed as the wall is breached and this cannot be used as a shortcut! Low tide 13.50 BST, meet at 11.10 BST as the site is large.
It is planned to book a table at the Worm’s Head Hotel Rhossili (01792 390512) for an evening meal for those who would like to come. Please let me know in advance if you can.
On Sunday 8th the plan is to visit Langland Bay, SA3 4SQ, meeting at the car park SS605874 to work the rocky shore on the west side via the beach. The low tide is at 14.30 BST, meet at 12.30 BST. Before Langland Bay, it planned to look at the top end of the Bishopston Valley, parking off the B4436 in Kittle SS573893 (where you can, please share cars) at 10.00 for non-marine.
Monday 9th Caswell Bay, SA3 3BT, SS595877, with low tide at 15.20 BST meet at 13.20 BST for this bay noted for its rock pools, 13.00 for those wishing to go over the cliffs to Brandy Cove. Beforehand, a start on non-marine may be made at 10.30 in Bishops Wood nature reserve from the same car park or the limestone headlands can be explored.
Wednesday 4th Whiteford Burrows for the dune slacks and saltmarsh etc. The initial meeting place is the car park on the road to Cwm Ivy (on right hand side of road, SA3 1DE, SS439943) but it is hoped that it will be possible to take one or two cars into the reserve. Then to Hillend for the afternoon (the one near the coast, there are two places called this), SA3 1JH, SS413909 for the strandline, moors or Rhossili Down.
Thursday 5th Pennard Burrows, Pennard Pill and Three Cliffs Bay on foot from cottage in Southgate. Includes salt marsh, dunes and open wet valley. Nearest public car park is at West Cliff near Southgate SS554874.
Tuesday 10th Broad Pool SA3 1ED, SS509910 for freshwater , parking adjacent 10.30 start (dipping permission currently outstanding), Cefn Bryn (on road from Reynoldston to Cilibion with informal grass parking at highest point, SS491900) and Oxwich Bay strandline from beach car park SS502865, low tide at 16.10 BST.
Wednesday 11th Ilston Cwm SS556896 on foot in the morning, 10.30 start (car parking not researched and probably not easy) followed by Bracelet Bay / Limeslade Bay / Mumbles for strandline. Bracelet Bay Car Park SA3 4JT, SS628871, low tide 17.00 BST, one hour before dusk
Thursday 12th Cwm Ivy woods and saltmarshes, parking in Cwm Ivy car park (on right hand side of road, SA3 1DE, SS439943). Starting at 10.30 and probably finishing early afternoon.
Notes: Parking costs at Port Eynon and other car parks operated by Swansea cost £1.50 for one hour, £3 for 2h and £5 for the day. Day tickets for coastal car parks are transferrable. National Trust parking is free for members. Rhossili Car Park (NT) is £2 for 2h. Cost not known for Cwm Ivy and Hill End car parks. Please remember to bring a packed lunch as shops on Gower are infrequent.
Contact details: Rosemary Hill rosemaryhi@lineone.net if before Tuesday 3rd October. Thereafter mobile 0795 207 6781 ideally with a text message as reception in Gower is patchy. I also don’t hear my phone if I am in noisy places.