Langland Cove Guest House

There are a good many ‘surf hostels’ and ‘surf hotels’ these days, but just because they claim to offer facilities for surfers doesn’t necessarily mean they’re doing anything other than letting you rinse your wetsuit out in the shower. Langland Cove Guest House in Mumbles on the other hand is the real deal: it’s within easy walking distance of the waves at Langland and the busy little centre of Mumbles, with its good range of bars and restaurants; it has an eclectic selection of individually furnished rooms; but best of all its owned by a real surfer. Paul Gill runs the hotel with his wife Sarah and is something of a legend in British surfing. Also known as ‘’The Gill’, he has been a surf explorer for four decades: he was one of the first people to surf a whole host of waves throughout Wales and further afield (including northern Scotland’s world famous breaks around Thurso), and was wave-riding in Ireland before most people were even aware you even could surf there. The Gill is also a thoroughly affable dude and will regale you with the most interesting and amusing surf stories over breakfast, and best of all if you’re a visiting surfer he can provide useful tips on where the best waves are to be found during your stay (he’s a great surf forecaster and thinks nothing of travelling all the way from Mumbles to the Yorkshire or Scottish coast for a day to catch a wave, safe in the knowledge he’ll have predicted the arrival of the swell accurately). So, whether you’re a surfer or not, Langland Cove is a pretty nice place to stay; if you are,  it should be top of your list next time you hit the waves of Mumbles and the Gower.