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From larger beaches with all the facilities to smaller, hidden coves with nothing but sand, pebbles or bare rock; there's something special about going for a walk along the rocks or a clifftop path, or scouting out your own route, unsure of what you'll find. Two hundred years ago, smugglers used many of the coves and caves in the Gower peninsula to hide their contraband. Brandy Cove, Pwll Du and Port Eynon Bay are particularly locally-renowned for once hosting smugglers, including the infamous William Hawkin Arthur, as each cove is only accessible by foot, so the unloading of stolen tobacco and alcohol could be hidden from prying eyes.
And within the cliffs surrounding Port Eynon, there's a particularly striking place that some people believe was once a smugglers' hotbed - and even today, it's certainly somewhere you could hide things away from the world! THINGS TO DO WALES: This restaurant has got one of Wales' best views hidden away out the back GOWER: Come Dine With Me winner takes over pub in Welsh beauty spot Culver Hole is believed to have been built in the 13th or 14th century as a dovecote, a breeding shelter for pigeons. At the time, pigeons were a popular delicacy and having a shelter in the cliff meant the birds were well-protected from the el.
