1739 Farmhouse, spectacular view, beaches, walking

Located in a small village at the end of the Gower Peninsula, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with wild horses, stunning beaches, many walking/hiking opportunities, plus King Arthur's stone and a castle nearby. This is my family home and where I grew up, when not living in Asia. The furnishings reflect those many years abroad and make this house (with woodburner) quite unique. That is in addition to having one of the best views in the village, looking out onto the Worm’s Head. Overview: Unlike a number of other properties, please note we have three bedrooms, with space for six guests, all on proper beds. (Although set up for six, a seventh person can be exceptionally accommodated on a futon/ sofabed in the Study). Also note that the farmhouse is located actually on the Gower at the end of the peninsula with stunning beaches and many public footpaths in the immediate vicinity (including right next to our front gate). See our list of suggested excursions under Location/Neighbourhood section. There is a 10% discount for stays of a week or more. Well-behaved and trained dogs are welcome (see House Rules section for further details). In addition to 1739 Farmhouse being the prefect place to maintain social distancing while being able to move around freely, you may also book with confidence regarding health safety knowing that we are strictly adhering to the Airbnb cleaning protocol (description available on the Airbnb site), including as reflected in our cleaning costs and elimination of same day change-overs. House description: On the ground floor, the house itself has a large Living room with a renovated inglenook fireplace with a wood burner, a Study/Library and a Kitchen/Dining area with a view of the back garden and the Worm’s Head. There is also a bathroom that was installed this century (until the mid 1960s there was no indoor plumbing) with a spacious shower. On the upper floors there is a large Master bedroom with a super king size bed and two bedrooms (one with a queen size bed and the other with a trundle bed that can be set up as 1-2 singles or, upon request, as a double). There is also a second, albeit older, bathroom (with cast iron Roll Top bath) on the same landing as the two small bedrooms. There is half flight of stairs from the Master bedroom to the upstairs bathroom. 1739 Farmhouse provides an ideal location from which to explore the Gower (see our list of suggested excursions under Location/Neighbourhood section), the first protected Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty established in the UK, or to simply enjoy the house and garden. Suggested Excursions *Llangennith village centre (5 minutes walk): Go to the Kings Head pub for a drink or a meal. You can visit the local church, next to PJ’s surf shop or walk down the hill to the brook at Coity Green (remnants are visible of the original village wiped out by an epidemic). * Small shops can be found at Hillend Caravan Park (summer months), Llanmadoc (community store), as well as back at the petrol station in Llanrhidian (4 miles). As of July 2021 there is a Gower Farmers Market in Scurlage (summer months 11am-4pm). *There is a dynamic local Village Hall that has a range of activities and a monthly local produce market. (Website hidden by Airbnb) You can book surfing lessons with the Wales Surfing Federation, who have a presence down at Hillend Caravan Site Public Right of Way map: (Website hidden by Airbnb) Rhossili (Hillend) beach (15 min walking on the road, 30mins by public right of way starting next to our front gate, 5 min by car): If driving, go back down Cockstreet to the mini-roundabout and continue straight until you get to Hillend caravan site. There is a small parking fee. From the beach, you can walk east towards Rhossili, or west towards Bury Holmes where there are a few remnants of a medieval abbey. Once again, beware of the tides. Rhossili beach is popular with surfers (the local surfshop opposite the pub is run by PJ, an ex-welsh surfing champion) and was voted one of the most beautiful beaches in Britain some years ago. For a pleasant meal, try the caravan site restaurant “Eddy’s” (open April to October). Broughton Beach (25 min walk): Continue to the end of Cockstreet and down the muddy track following the public right of way which continues straight down to the beach. Do not follow the track when it curves to the right. Once at Broughton beach, to the left you can follow the clifftop walk (not for those with vertigo) to Blue Pool Bay. If walking along the beach, beware of the tides which come in very quickly on the estuary and can trap you against the cliffs. Walking to the right on Broughton beach in the direction of Llanmadoc, there is an outcrop of rocks where dinosaur remains have been found. You can also drive as far as Broughton Beach car park (5 mins, go back down to mini roundabout and turn right). Walk up Llanmadoc hill (45 min): Go back to the top of Cockstreet and follow the trail up the hill on your left. From the top there are stunning views of Rhossili beach, the Worms Head, Broughton, Llanmadoc, and Llanelli and Carmarthen on the other side of the estuary. Rhossili Down (45 min): From the top of Hillend caravan site, follow the steep path up the hill to the cairn at the top which you can see from Cockstreet. You can continue walking along towards Rhossili (60 minutes) past the remains of WW2 anti-aircraft batteries, as all of these beaches were had to be mined during the war. Rhossili Down is also a favourite spot for hangliders and paragliders. Rhossili and the Worm’s head (20 min by car): Visit the small local church and learn about a member of their congregation, Edgar Evans, who took part in Scott’s Antarctic voyage. Visit the café or pub for sweeping views of Rhossili bay (the remains of the ship Helvatia can be seen at low tide). Visit the nice National Trust store and walk out to the coast guard hut at the beginning of the Worm’s Head. For the more adventurous, you can walk out onto the Worm’s Head, paying close attention to the posted tide times (the crossing can only be made during low tide). Arthur’s Stone (20 min by car): Drive to Reynoldston passing through Fairy Hill for a scenic route. Once in Reynoldston, follow the road up the hill to the top of the Bryn. From the top there are views of Oxwich Bay (which is also worth a visit and has a Norman church). On the opposite side, a short walk takes you to the legendary King Arthur’s stone. Port Eynon: In the direction of Rhossili follow the road until you get to the small village of Port Eynon where there is a good fish and chips store. Weobley Castle (20 min by car): driving via Llanmadoc (which also has a friendly village shop and cafe in the Post Office), visit this well situated fortified manor house, which nowadays contains a display relating to the history of the Gower. From here you can clearly see the salt marshes, from which Gower salt-marsh lamb gets its special taste. You can purchase this meat from the castle farm store or from the two butchers in Penclawd. Note the distance of this castle from the sea as with other Welsh castles. These used to be much closer but has shifted over time as Britain tilts from West to East. While there are a few daily public buses between Swansea and Llangennith, and Tesco and Sainsbury supermarkets do deliver to the house, having one's own transport is recommended. How long does it take to get to the house by private transport? Swansea (30mins, 20 miles) Cardiff Airport (1h30, 60 miles) Bristol Airport (2h15, 105 miles) Birmingham Airport (3h, 160 miles) Heathrow Airport: 3h20, 190 miles As you might expect with a building of this age, it not only comes with its own charms but also challenges. In rainy weather the entrance can be muddy and you might occasionally find yourself chasing sheep out of the garden. The plumbing is noisy, there is no sound insulation between rooms, the stairs may not be suitable for small children* (although I had mine here), the kitchen reflects the character of the rest of the house with an eclectic mix of kitchen units. So if you are looking for something different and unique, with a warm rustic atmosphere, then this is the holiday home for you. *Child safety gates are available. Parents take full responsibility for their correct installation (which is straightforward) and are asked to minimise damage to the paintwork Clothes washing machine only runs on cold wash.