Читать книгу Walking on the Gower. 30 walks exploring the AONB peninsula in South Wales онлайн

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As far back as the late 17th century Swansea Bay was reputed to have the best bed of oysters in Great Britain with the first records of oysters dating back to Roman times. The heyday of the trade was from 1850 to 1873, with the oysters being sold in Bristol, Gloucester, Liverpool and London. At its peak in 1871, nearly 16 million oysters were landed; the industry supported around 600 people with 500 of these manning the 180 skiffs. Unfortunately, it attracted many outsiders and larger boats from London and France plundered the beds leading to a drastic decline in the industry from the mid-1870s.

The other main industry was limestone quarrying in the 16th and 17th centuries. The stone was burnt using coal to produce lime, an agricultural fertiliser for acid soils. Lime was transported by boat to Neath, Baglan and across the Bristol Channel to Somerset and Devon.

Drop down the grassy slope to the road and cross over the Mumbles Road in front of the White Rose. Turn right and walk along the seafront, probably in the footsteps of Dylan Thomas. This was the route of the old Mumbles Train which ran along the promenade to the terminus at Mumbles Pier.