Motorcycle Routes Through South Wales, UK
Great motorcycle rides don't get any better than this, trust me!
HelmetDress Barcelona is, as you may have guessed, based in Barcelona. However, when we holiday, we like to do it in style and we like to do it with motorcycles. This summer, we ventured outside of Barcelona and took a short 2 hour flight, and 2 hour bus ride to Swansea, South Wales in the UK. Swansea is a city unlike any other in the UK. The beautiful green lined beaches of the Gower Peninsula are linked by some of the wildest, seductive, curvaceous roads you'll ever ride, Motorcycle touring stripped down to what it's all about.
By the way, my name is Ben, I'm an online marketer for HelmetDress and this Barcelona Lifestyle/Motorcycle/Design/Fashion blog is my project. I took my girlfriend and sometimes HelmetDress model Sylvie, to my hometown, Swansea and spent the week
ripping around the Gower on my trusty Honda.
The Motorcycle Route ~ South Wales, UK
Swansea. Mumbles. Langland. Caswell. Oxwich. Rhossili. Swansea
Swansea to Mumbles, Coffee, Teacakes & 100% Pleasure!
The weather was clear but slightly windy as we got suited and booted ready for a day of Welsh motorcycle riding. I was a little nervous to take Sylvie on the bike, I don't know what I would do if something happened to her, especially if it was my fault. It was not her first time though, she grew up in California, her and her Father would ride around on his Triumph. She put on my clumpy armored motorcycle jacket and some how managed to make it look like a sexy fashion accessory, ever so slightly more elegant than when I wear it. Coupled with her
funky flower helmet cover, she really did look amazing. I gave her a quick crash course on how to ride "pillion" or "Bi*ch" as it's more affectionately known in the UK. We pulled off, the clouds parted and we were bathed in a warm breeze, perfect motorcycle riding weather.
I had promised to go slow, so I did, for at least the first 3 minutes. We hit the straights and I couldn't help but open up the throttle. We headed to Mumbles, only ten minutes riding time from Swansea City Center and I knew the small
coastal village feel would make Sylvie smile. As you approach Mumbles, you soon realise that you aren't the only motorcycle fanatics in town, the place is swarming with all kinds of bikes.
Verdi's ice-cream parlor is the main
meet up point for bikers in Wales, but I prefer to follow the road passed Verdi's for about half a kilometer to the beautiful
Castellamare. It's much the same as Verdi's but I prefer the coffee and quite frankly, the views are better. We had cappuccinos and teacakes, Sylvie hadn't had a teacake before, it's hardly the height of modern cuisine but it hits the spot.
I sat back and took it all in, the bike, the weather, the girl.....I don't think I will ever feel happier than I did at that precise moment.
Castellamare to Langland Bay
We jumped on my loyal Honda and prepared for the motorcycle ride ahead. I chose a short stint from Castellamare to
Langland Bay to show off some of my country's natural beauty spots. Langland beach is a small but perfectly formed bay with surfing, tennis courts and a gorgeous lush green golf course. Shame I didn't have room on the bike for my clubs!
Langland Bay to Caswell Bay
Amazingly, for it's size, the Gower Peninsula offers more beaches than you can shake your
HelmetDress helmet cover at and you don't have to ride far to find the next beautiful little beach. A short motorcycle wheelie away is Caswell bay, another surf hot-spot and according to Sylvie, similar to parts of California. The sea is bluer than blue and the surrounding cliffs cast deep, vivid shadows across the sandy beach. Shame I didn't have room on the back of my bike for a surfboard!
Caswell Bay to Oxwich Beach, Gower
At this point, I have to add that we actually stopped at a secret beach, hidden away not so very far from the the slightly overcrowded beaches of Caswell and Langland. I will tell you about it's crystal clear water and tiny stretch of pearly sand, but I'm afraid that this is one secret beach in Gower I'm going to have to keep to myself. I took Sylvie to see it and she was as amazed as I was to have found such a beautiful beach with nobody other than ourselves on it, this Gower motorcycle ride was getting better and better.
Oxwich beach, Gower, is one of the most beautiful locations I have ever found and the ride through South Gower and Parkmill is breath taking.
"What the hell is this place you are from, Ben? It's like some kind of secret paradise" Sylvie said. I could hardly disagree. The Gower bike ride to Oxwich beach was so amazing, I thought perhaps we should stop, you know, try and finish the motorcycle ride on a high note, but there was one place I knew which could top it all off,
Rhossili beach.
.
Oxwich to Rhossili Bay - A World Class Motorcycle Ride
My fuel light was on and I questioned whether or not we should risk the motorcycle ride from Oxwich to Rhossili, I pictured us breaking down on the side of a Gower road, with nothing but the 3 peaches I had packed into my tank bag, but then I thought about the mouth watering views of Rhossili downs and worm's head, I decided it was worth the risk and we saddled up once again. Wild sheep were dotted all over the fields and the main motorcycle riding dangers were the crazy horses which ran without warning across the road, those pointy bull's horns didn't give me much confidence either.
I rode slowly and carefully, mainly because I wanted to conserve fuel but also because I wanted to take in the scenery, it was like something from Jurassic park and I have to confess, I was humming the theme tune to myself in my helmet. Rhossili must be the greenest place on earth and next to that stretching sea, words cannot really describe this place.
So there we have it, a motorcycle ride I will never forget, right on my front doorstep, I suggest you do the same as soon as possible, before the summer sun drifts away and the days become dark and dreary. Of course, if you have any other motorcycle routes that we should know about let us know, we are always hungry for ADVENTURE at
HelmetDress HQ!
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yours truly,
Ben Holbrook
My first Fourth of July party – I remember back in 1998, my best friend, Edward, and his family moved to America. I was heart broken, we’d been best friends since the age of 7 years old and it was like losing a brother. However, the following summer, his family invited me to stay with them at their new house in America. I was 15 years old and could hardly say no.
We turned up and found hundreds of Americans enjoying a barbecue and taking in the sunshine. American kids were running around and playing in the street, everybody was happy and making the most of “The Fourth of July”. But we were confused. In Britain, the 4th of July is just another day, it holds no special significance.
Our friend at the party, Arien, told us that Independence day celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Basically, Independence from the United Kingdoms of Great Britain. “OH NO!!” We were two British boys at a party full of Americans, celebrating their Independence day from our country and we felt very self conscious all of a sudden. “Should we leave?” “Should we pretend to be American?”. It was a funny situation, but in general, nobody cared that we were British. It’s basically just a day to have fun, eat good food and watch fireworks. I’ve NEVER seen such an amazing firework display and the image of a dark sky filled with roaring fireworks will stay with me forever. Actually, it’s a little bit like the San Joan celebration in Spain.
