Three Cliffs Bay
Encyclopedia
Headlands and bays
Headlands and bays are two related features of the coastal environment.- Geology and geography :Headlands and bays are often found on the same coastline. A bay is surrounded by land on three sides, whereas a headland is surrounded by water on three sides. Headlands are characterized by high,...
on the south coast of the Gower Peninsula
Gower Peninsula
Gower or the Gower Peninsula is a peninsula in south Wales, jutting from the coast into the Bristol Channel, and administratively part of the City and County of Swansea. Locally it is known as "Gower"...
in the City and County of Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. The bay takes its name from the three sea cliffs that jut out into the bay. Pennard Pill, a small stream, flows into the sea in the middle of the bay.
The beach is an important asset for locals and visitors and routinely qualifies for Blue Flag
Blue Flag beach
The Blue Flag is a certification by the Foundation for Environmental Education that a beach or marina meets its stringent standards.The Blue Flag is a trademark owned by FEE which is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation consisting of 65 organisations in 60 member countries in Europe,...
status. Dogs are allowed on the beach all year.
Inland about 500 yards from the main beach on high ground above Pennard pill is Pennard Castle
Pennard Castle
Pennard Castle is a ruined castle, west of the village of Pennard in the Gower Peninsula, in south Wales. The castle was established from the 12th century, likely commissioned by Henry de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Warwick, after being granted the Lordship of Gower...
. It was built in the early 12th century, and is imbued with legends of fairies. It is also the only locality in Britain for Draba aizoides
Draba aizoides
Draba aizoides is a species of Draba, known as yellow whitlow-grass.-Description:Draba aizoides is a perennial plant, with a basal rosette of linear, entire leaves...
.
Individual beaches that make up this bay have their own names, including Pobbles Bay to the east of the Three Cliffs, and Tor Bay to the west. The beaches are separated at high tide but are accessible to each other at low tide on foot over the sands. Paths lead north to Pennard Burrows, east to Pobbles, and west to Tor Bay. Pobbles and Tor Bay are also accessible from the beach at low tide.
Three Cliffs Bay is effectively part of the inlet
Bay
A bay is an area of water mostly surrounded by land. Bays generally have calmer waters than the surrounding sea, due to the surrounding land blocking some waves and often reducing winds. Bays also exist as an inlet in a lake or pond. A large bay may be called a gulf, a sea, a sound, or a bight...
of Oxwich Bay
Oxwich Bay
thumb|Oxwich Bay on the Gower Peninsula of South WalesOxwich Bay is a bay on the south of the Gower Peninsula, Wales.Its landscape features sand dunes, salt marshes and woodland. Oxwich Bay includes a 2.5-mile long sandy beach, accessible from the village of Oxwich. It is a popular spot for...
. At low tide, Three Cliffs Bay forms a continuous sandy beach with Oxwich Bay beach to the west. They only exist as separate beaches at high tide.
The sea cliffs are limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
, about 20 m high, and are a popular destination for rock climbers with 20 climbs in the lower grades. The largest of the Three Cliffs is easily climbed if approached from the grassy base.
In June 2006 the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Holidays at Home
Holidays at Home
‘Holidays at Home is a 2005 program released by the BBC. The short-lived first series featured six episodes before it ceased production.-Show Overview:...
programme declared Three Cliffs Bay to be Britain's best beach.
In a recent programme broadcast in the UK the view over Three Cliffs bay was nominated for "Britain's Best View".
Three Cliffs Bay also appears in a music video entry for The Red Hot Chili Peppers made by Swansea film company, Studio8. It was also used in the opening titles of the 80's tv sitcom 'Me & My Girl' featuring Richard O'Sullivan and Joanne Ridley.
Three Cliffs Bay has also been used in Channel 4's skins and is currently being shown in an ITV advert: 'The Brighter Side'.