UK books and maps

Gower, Llanelli (Explorer Maps) (OS Explorer Map)

OS Explorer Map is the Ordnance Survey's most detailed map and is recommended for anyone enjoying outdoor activities like walking, horse riding and off-road cycling. Providing complete GB coverage the series details essential information such as youth hostels, pubs and visitor information as well as rights of way, permissive paths and bridleways.

Price: £5.75

Publication: 28 May 2005 [Folded Map] [Paperback]

   

Swansea and Gower, Carmarthen (OS Landranger Map)

Perfect for day trips and short breaks, the OS Landranger Map series covers Great Britain with 204 detailed maps. Each map provides all the information you need to get to know your local area and includes places of interest, tourist information, picnic areas and camp sites, plus Rights of Way information for England and Wales.

Price: £5.24

Publication: May 26, 2004 [Folded Map] [Paperback]

   

Gower

Two of Wales's leading artists - poet and prose writer Nigel Jenkins and photographer David Pearl - join forces to produce a unique portrait in word and image of the Gower peninsula, designated Britain's first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Nigel Jenkins's nuanced series of essays begins and ends with an excavation of his own roots in this layered land. Commemorating an age-old agricultural tradition that tied generations to the soil, he also explores the social and cultural forces that changed life on the peninsula for ever. Jenkins adopts the long perspectives that reveal Gower's 'deep history', from the 30,000-year-old bones of 'The Red Lady' of Paviland and medieval castles to the area's more recent but largely forgotten industrial history and the lifeblood of present-day tourism. Against the background of an ever-changing landscape, the book presents compelling Gower characters such as the Romany Mrs Hearn and the traction-engine maestro Willy Harry. Prose and poetry combine in celebratory dialogue with stunning original photography in this deeply informed portrait of an eternally fascinating corner of Wales.

Price: £19.99

Publication: 15 Oct 2009 [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

   

Gower Rock: Selected Rock Climbs

This is a selective rock climbing guide to the Gower peninsula in South Wales. Gower Rock aims to showcase the depth and quality of rock climbing on this wild, beautiful yet somewhat unknown peninsula. The area contains a wide variety of climbing on an enticing array of venues. On some routes you can step straight off golden sands onto classic lines; in other cases you can wend your way across peaceful cliff-top paths before dropping into some pretty demanding terrain just a stone s throw from ice-cream-scoffing tourists and pastoral picnic spots. The magnificent areas of Fall Bay and Three Cliffs have enough classic routes to keep you busy on many visits to the peninsula. The sport crags of Southgate compliment and add variety to the well-established hard routes of Oxwich and Pwlldu. The selection of venues and climbs included in this guide will provide plenty of adventure for all climbers, among some of the best scenery in the UK. In 1956 the Gower peninsula was designated as the UK s first Area of Natural Outstanding Beauty (AONB). Any visitor to the area will see why: it is packed full of stunning beaches and welcoming villages and provides a breath-taking backdrop to numerous outdoor activities including surfing and paragliding. There are miles of fantastic coastal paths to walk along (a perfect way to explore the many treats of the peninsula) and copious amounts of climbing.

Price: £14.99

Publication: 1 Sep 2012

   

Pathfinder Gower, Swansea and Cardiff (Pathfinder Guides)

Wales' capital city Cardiff has a thriving heritage and cultural scene, and is surrounded by the beautiful vale of Glamorgan, with its coastal fringes, pleasant villages and industrial tradition. Gower, lying to the west of Swansea, offers superb scenery, glorious sandy beaches, wooded valleys, open moorland and pretty villages. It is a fascinating and uniquely interesting area with superb and varied walking country that comprises a mixture of open moorland, steep hillsides, wooded valleys, fertile lowlands and a magnificent coastline. Added to this are medieval castles, picturesque churches and attractive villages and towns. The tremendous variety offered by the area is reflected in the interesting routes included within this guide.

Price: £9.99

Publication: 29 April 2011

   

Pembroke & Gower Footprint Focus Guide: (includes Carmarthenshire and Swansea)

This dramatic Welsh coastline of cliffs, beaches and coves is just begging to be explored. From the reputed birthplace of Merlin the magician to the wild countryside of the Brecon Beacons, the south-westerly counties of Wales are the most beautiful. FootprintFocus provides invaluable information on transport, accommodation, eating and entertainment to ensure that your trip includes the best of this rugged region of Wales
* Essentials section with useful advice on getting to and around Pembroke & Gower
* Comprehensive, up-to-date listings of where to eat, sleep and seek adventure
* Includes information on tour operators and activities, from ruined ancient castles to discovering the scenic Gower peninsula
* Detailed maps for Pembroke & Gower
* Slim enough to fit in your pocket.

With detailed information on all the main sights, plus many lesser-known attractions, FootprintFocus Pembroke & Gower (Includes Carmarthenshire & Brecons National Park) provides concise and comprehensive coverage of one of the most interesting regions of the UK.

Price: £4.99

Publication: 24 May 2013

   

Walking on Gower (British Walking)

This handy guidebook offer 30 circular day routes right across the popular holiday destination that is the Gower Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, taking in the wide variety of landscapes and ranging from 4km to 22km long. The peninsula is understandably famous for its spectacularly steep, rugged coastline and perfect golden sand beaches but this guide also takes walkers to the inland valleys, hills and ridges little expored by most holidaymakers. Some coastal areas are well frequented, such as those around Langland, Oxwich and Port Eynon but this guidebook concentrates on the areas where walkers can really escape the crowds to find peace and solitude. Along the way, the author provides a wealth of information on plants, animals, geology, history and archaeology of a region with something for everyone all within a compact area easily accessible from Swansea and Mumbles. Routes are illustrated with OS mapping extracts and inspiring photography and accompanied by a route summary table to help you choose your walks to suit your location and ability and useful websites for planning your trip.

Price: £9.06

Publication: 15 Aug 2012

   

Walks with History Series: Circular Walks in Gower

Price: £5.50

Publication: 24 Jan 2013 [Paperback]

   

Gower (Lamfold Explorer Map) [Folded Map]

This map is part of the Ordnance Survey's Explorer series designed to replace the old Pathfinder map series. At 1:25,000 scale this detailed map shows a host of attractions including gardens which are open to the public, nature reserves and country parks as well as all official footpaths, bridleways, roads and lanes. Other facilities covered include: camping and caravan sites, picnic areas and viewpoints, selected places of interest, rights of way information for England and Wales, National Trail and Recreational Path routes, and selected tourist information. The main advantages of this map are the geographical design of the sheetlines to capture the best local coverage, and the coverage of a larger area for value for money. The series is aimed mainly at the experienced map user but can be used by tourists and locals alike.

Price: £13.75

Publication: October 1, 2004