Things to do in the area...

The Gateway Holiday Park is beautifully located overlooking the Loughor estuary and the stunning North Gower peninsula, and is only minutes from the National Wetlands Centre. The area is renowned for its birds and wildlife and at dusk enjoys spectacular sunsets. The park leads onto the 22km Millennium Coastal Cycle path, a wonderfullly scenic route that runs alongside the sea up to the forests and award-winning beaches of Pembrey Country Park. Here are a few ideas of things to see and do in the area…

National Wetlands Centre of Wales
E-mail: info.llanelli@wwt.org.uk Web: www.wwt.org.uk/llanelli 

Just minutes down the road from the Gateway Holiday Park is the National Wetlands Centre of Wales. Disover a 450 mosaic of lakes, pools and lagoons created on the scenic Burry Inlet. It is home to many hundreds of species as diverse as dragonflies and little egrets. Borrow a bicycle to get to hidden corners following family-friendly trails or, in warmer months, take a jungle explorer-style tour by canoe. Our resident species are tame enough to feed by hand. Walks, talks and themed activies take place all year round and no visit is complete without a stop at water vole city, the discovery centre or the café with its commanding views of the estuary.

Machynys Golf & Country Club
E-mail: info@machynys.com Web: www.machynys.com
Only 5 minutes drive from the Gateway Holiday Park, Machynys Peninsula Golf & Country Club is proud to boast the first Nicklaus-designed golf course in Wales.

• Golf
  A modern links style layout overlooking Carmarthen Bay and the Gower Peninsula and already home to the European Tours 'Ladies Championship of Europe', Machynys has already earned itself an enviable reputation as the UK's best new golf course.
• Monks Health Club & Spa
  Machynys Peninsula Golf & Country Club is situated on the site of a sixth century monastery, hence the name Monks. Monks Health Club houses a 35-station gym with luxury spa facilities, jacuzzi, beauty treatment rooms, steam and sauna and a specialist room.

Anna Ryder Richardson’s Wild Welsh Zoo
E-mail: mhwp@me.com Web: www.manorhousewildlifepark.co.uk
This wild welsh zoo has something for everyone – from the network of intimate, tree-shaded walkways and wide open spaces for picnics and barbeques, it’s a place for all the family to enjoy.
The Manor House Meerkats can’t wait to see you, head on over to Meerkat Mountain to meet the girls! Get up close and real in the Lemur Walkthrough; Swing by the Valley of the Apes, home of Steve and Lisa, Siamang Gibbons – and stars of the BBC 1 series ‘Wild Welsh Zoo’; Check out the baby marmosets on Mini Monkey Island; Hand feed marsupials in Wander with the Wallabies…plus Zebra Parlour, Camel Corner, Emu & Ostrich, Pygmy Goats and so much more!

Millennium Coastal Park
 Web: www.millenniumcoastalpark.com
The Millennium Coastal Park occupies approximately 10 miles of coastline on the Burry Estuary. The park runs adjacent to the towns of Llanelli and Burry Port, the park offers superb views along its length of the Gower Peninsula. The Gower was the first designated area of outstanding natural beauty in the UK.

The Coastal Park offers many unique features including a continuous traffic-free cycle/footpath, the National Wetlands Centre for Wales, and a championship links golf course, the harbour’s of Burry Port and Pembre plus the Millennium Quay and the Discovery Centre.

The park attracts over one million visitors a year, which makes it one of the most popular visitor destinations in the UK, as well as a centre for a host of outdoor pursuits.

Pembrey Country Park & Cefn Sidan Beach
Web: www.gowerandcarmarthenbay.co.uk
Enjoy the freedom to wander around 202 hectares of glorious parkland, visit one of the best beaches in the United Kingdom and take advantage of excellent family attractions found in the Park. Pembrey boasts a fantastic mix of traditional seaside attractions such as crazy golf and beach entertainers, coupled with more modern facilities such as an impressive dry ski slope, toboggan run and a charming miniature railway. As well as all this, there is a horse riding event course and walks through forests and sand dunes.

Described as one of Europe’s best beaches, the award-winning Cefn Sidan's eight mile stretch of long golden sand fronting the park is one of the treasures of the Pembrey Country Park. With its lifeguards and flat sands this safe & friendly beach provides excellent access and facilities for disabled visitors and young children. Sand yachting, kite flying and para sailing are also popular here with safety very much in mind with zoned off areas for these activities.

Welsh Motor Sports Centre
E-mail: pembrey@barc.net   Web: www.barc.net/venues/pembrey
Pembrey Circuit is the home of Welsh Motorsport and provides racing for cars, motorcycles, karts & trucks and also hosts rallies and sprints.
The circuit is an ideal base for corporate and motor sport team activities, and offers a dedicated series of motor sport performance driving schools.

National Botanic Garden of Wales
E-mail: interpretation@gardenofwales.org.uk Web: www.gardenofwales.org.uk
The National Botanic Garden of Wales opened in May 2000 – making it the first national botanic garden to be created in the new millennium.

So far it has notched up the following accolades:

• The most visited garden in Wales
• Voted the number 1 ‘Wonder of Wales’, ’Most Romantic Garden’, ‘Best Children’s Garden’ & ‘Best Afternoon Tea’ by the Western Mail
• Voted ‘No 1 Garden to Visit in Wales’ by BBC Gardeners’ World 2010 poll
• Voted ‘Visitors Favourite’ by Carmarthenshire Tourism Association

The Garden has an amazing collection of over 8000 different plant varieties, spread across 560 acres of beautiful countryside. Wander through a stunning range of themed gardens that appeal to a wide range of visitors, from those who just love the sight and smells of flowers to those who want to know about medicinal plants or the latest DNA research into plant evolution.
The National Botanic Garden is very family friendly. There are always plenty of activities for families to do in school and bank holidays, and they have a year round diverse programme of events that appeal to a wide range of visitors.

Kidwelly Castle
Kidwelly Castle is situated on the river Gwendraet near the town of Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire. This stone castle was first raised by the de Chaworths in the 12th century, and was much modified later by the earls (eventually dukes) of Lancaster. Kidwelly Castle is a mighty and imposing monument of Norman power as well as a beautiful example of castle development, as it has been dramatically altered on a number of occasions to conform to the latest thinking in military science.

Kidwelly Industrial Museum
E-mail: info@kidwellyindustrialmuseum.co.uk Web: www.kidwellyindustrialmuseum.co.uk

Kidwelly Industrial Museum is situated just a mile from the historic castle town of Kidwelly, and just five miles from the town of Llanelli, which, at the end of the 19th Century was the Tinplate manufacturing centre of the world, giving the town the nickname of Tinopolis. The locality around the town of Llanelli, including Kidwelly, was once home to around half the world’s production of tinplate.
The Industrial Museum itself is the site of the second oldest recorded tinplate works in the UK and some of the remains of this works can still be seen today. The museum is unique as it is the only museum dedicated to the interpretation of the tinplate industry in general and specifically the individual processes involved in making tinplate. After a visit to the museum you will go away with an understanding of this complicated and fascinating process.

Also in the area…

• Pemberton’s Welsh Chocolate Farm, Llanboidy
  Immerse yourself in a world of chocolate! Smell, taste, drink, see, touch & absorb the full flavours.
  
  
• Llyn Llech Owain Country Park, Gorslas
  Café, picnic sites, mountain bike trails, adventure playground, visitor centre
  
  
• Gelli Aur Country Park, Llandeilo
  40 acres of parkland. Arboretum, picnic areas, programme of events, craft demonstrations and guided walks.
  
  
• Dinefwr Park and Castle, Llandeilo
  Step back in time in ‘hands-on’ Newton House which gives visitors an atmospheric circa 1912 experience.
  
  
• Carreg Cennen Castle, Llandeilo
  
  
• Aberglasny Gardens