Gower Heritage Centre, near Swansea, Wales
What do the words heritage centre conjure up to you? Somewhere traditional, perhaps even old-fashioned? Probably not the kind of place to take kids, you might think. In which case, I’m afraid you would think absolutely wrong.
press trip*
From a four-year-old’s point of view, the chance to get hands on with traditional crafts was one of the highlights of our trip to Wales; admittedly the bouncy castle at Gower Heritage Centre, around 20 minutes from Swansea, and the mini cinema in an old converted train carriage showing episodes of Shaun the Sheep, were a distinct bonus.
After a blustery walk on the beach at Rhossili, spotting the remains of the wreck of the Helvetia which pokes through the sand at low tide, we only had an afternoon to spend at Gower Heritage centre. Take my advice: you need longer.
Down one of those twisty country roads that the Gower peninsula specialises in (actually the whole of Wales specialises in), the heritage centre is on the site of a 12th century water-powered mill.
And the rushing waters of the river still turn it today, we discovered, the huge wheel towering above us as it turned.
There are special workshops you can sign up for, but on a drizzly February day outside the school holidays, we took advantage of the quiet to be shown around by some of the staff, including multi-talented Arwel who doubles as blacksmith in the forge and child-friendly historian, with tales of how to balance in coracles and a very unusual flushing toilet, thanks to the river and some cunning sluice gates.
After trying her hand at a spot of flour making with one of the stone querns, it was time to move on to pottery though.
As the squashed lumps of clay were transformed into bowls, with – or perhaps despite – the enthusiastic intervention of Minnie and her new three-year-old friend, the pair decided to turn their hand to creating clay snakes. And when Minnie sets her mind to something, she’s not easily dissuaded.
Our own personal knot of snakes, complete with small bowl to live in, followed us around the rest of Wales and despite a few sharp braking incidents, also made it home with only a few serpent casualties.
After a spot of guinea pig cuddling at the animal park, it was on to the woollen mill to discover just how the fluff from a different animal gets turned into blankets.
Looking at the historic looms, watching the raw sheep’s wool being carded and discovering just how tough a twisted strand can be, I could have stayed and watched for much longer.
But the bouncy castle was calling, and only a short detour through the shops, set up as they would have been decades ago, was allowed. As we settled down in Wales’ smallest cinema to giggle at Shaun the Sheep, I realised that somehow the whole afternoon had gone.
Need to know: Gower Heritage Centre
Gower Heritage Centre is open from 10am to 5.30pm, Monday to Sunday. Tickets cost £8 for adults, £5 for children aged two and up. Under-twos are free. Family tickets are also available.
There’s a daily schedule of what’s on, along with special events plus workshops for adults. There are also tea rooms on site: although we didn’t get chance to eat there, we were given some delicious provisions to take home, including some very comforting Welsh cawl.
For more ideas of things to do in Wales with kids, discover legends on the south coast, try three days out in Pembrokeshire
PIN FOR LATER: VISITING GOWER HERITAGE CENTRE WITH KIDS
Disclosure: My visit was courtesy of Gower Heritage Centre and Visit Swansea Bay as part of my visit to discover the Year of Legends across South West Wales. All opinions, assumptions and enthusiastic mini clay fiends are my own.
Images copyright MummyTravels
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What a lovely day 🙂
Very fun.
So nice to see a review fairly close to me – we have been meaning to visit this place for a while but didn’t know what to expect but will certainly go now after reading this and allocate a decent time to exploring everything it has to offer
Popping over from Country Kids
Laura x
It was lovely with kids – in the holidays I think there’s even more going on than a slightly wet weekday in February. Perfect for us, especially with a bit of beach in the morning too.
There is no way you could describe this as boring for kids, what a delight to be able to get stuck in and try the flour making and pottery. Of course a friend along the way always helps too. I do love a working water mill. It always makes me think of how Coombe Mill must have been once upon a time. I remember visiting the sewing mills of Wales as a child, I’ve no idea if it was the same one, but the memory must date back to Minnie’s age. I wonder if she will look back and remember this too?
Thank you for sharing with me on #CountryKids
Absolutely – just so many things to try, it was huge fun. In the way of four-year-olds, they hadn’t met before that day, but decided they were fast friends over some pottery snakes. I suspect the mills must have been in the same area, I do wonder what my daughter will remember years from now – certain things seem to lodge very firmly in her memory, but not always the expected things!
This looks like a really interesting place to visit, it’s nice to see they have so much for kids to do.
It was great for her to get so hands on.
I am planning a trip to South Wales with the familiy which will take in a few different sights from those of my University days in Cardiff! Now I can add this to the list. thank you #CountryKids
Have a great time – there’s another post to come with a few more ideas for you, including some Welsh legends which we discovered along the way.
I love places like this, they really bring the past alive for children don’t they. Looks like a great place to explore #CountryKids
Definitely – I remember going to living museums as a child, which is similar, and I loved those.
This sounds like a lovely place to bring children to, and encourage them to enjoy our heritage 🙂 #countrykidsfun
Absolutely, makes it so much more interesting for them.
This looks like a great place to visit with lots of exciting activities for children. Thanks for sharing #countrykids
So much to get hands on with which is always great with kids.
The Welsh Cawl was scrumptious when we visited last November. The Heritage Centre is a lovely little place. My girls enjoyed meeting the chickens and learning how to become vikings 🙂 #CountryKids
I had a bit of a cold and it had been a drizzly day, so just what I needed. Was lovely to have the animals there as well.
We’re going camping to the gower in the summer, so will look out for this place It looks great #countrykids
Such a gorgeous area, have a wonderful time there.
Really glad I came across this post on #countrykids as we are going to the Gower in the summer so I will bear this place in mind! Thank you!
Perfect timing! Have a wonderful trip.
I don’t think that I would have torn my kids away from the flour making, although I am sure a tiny cinema would have appealed too. Looks like a great and inexpensive day out 🙂 #countrykids
That was really fun (although I think the novelty would have worn off off I had to do it every day!) A really lovely day out.
There is so much to do. I really love the clay snakes idea! That’s the sort of thing that Mobkey would want to do. Such good value for money as well. Stopping by from #CountryKids
There really is – we could easily have spent double the time. I had to ration the bouncy castle and I’m sure she’d have happily made snakes for a lot longer!
Looks like a brilliant day out for the whole family. How great that there are lots of hands on activities to get stuck into #CountryKids
Absolutely, always great when everyone can get really involved.