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Article: Gower: areas of outstanding natural beauty: sometimes described as Wales in miniature due to the diversity of its landscape, Gower is one of the UK's most protected areas. Jo Sargent explores the peninsula as it celebrates 50 years of AONB status.(Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty)
- Article from:
- Geographical
- Article date:
- December 1, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Circle Publishing Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Standing on a sunny cliff-top in Rhossili, looking out over a sea as smooth as a millpond, it's easy to understand why Gower was picked to become Britain's first ever Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Worms Head, one of the most photographed locations in Wales and one of four tidal islands found off the Gower coast, snakes off into the distance. To the north, gulls soar above an enormous strip of golden dunes, and just around the headland is Three Cliff Bay, voted one of the five best views in Britain by Country Life magazine in 2002.
Named after the peninsula's rounded shape--Gower is the anglicised form of the Welsh word gwyr, meaning curved--the area ...