We ( John & Jen Fisher in Taunton) are on 01823 451332 or mr.john.f@gmail.com.

In emergency when using the cottage you could contact neighbours, or Pat & John Lewis ( Swansea friends) on 01792 234128, or Gwen & Gareth Jenkins on 01792 233732.

Satnav and other maps show Sarlou Close, SA3 4JG, as first on right after leaving Plunch Lane, which has a Sarlou Close street sign on it. Our part is actually second right, with a second sign. See maps below.

Our Flickr sites include huge numbers of local photos to get you in the mood...

You can check TidesChart or Gower Live or WillyWeather for tide times & surf conditions on-line before you come!

Swansea has excellent A&E services if the worst happens! Morriston Hospital, NOT Singleton.

Buses to/from Swansea centre about every hour. Times in white folder, displayed at the stop, or find service 2B on Cymru buses website.

No, we don't know where the street name 'Sarlou' comes from.

Arrival

TV should work happily when switched on with the remote eg press '1' for BBC). BBC Welsh and South West both available- so programs may differ from national listings. DVI/HDMI leads may be in the cupboard by the door or back of TV if you have other devices for display.

Park cars on 'our' area outside ( 16/17 share the top parking area)- not on the road itself- but it isn't a real problem.

Switch on immersion heater- cupboard on right in passageway to bathroom/toilet with the toggle switch. Shower is on electric instant heat anyway. Switch on by the pull-cord before use, and off again afterwards.

We may have suggested you use the de-humidifier in colder, damper weather. Instructions in folder, and we'll have explained its use to you. If cooking things or after using the shower turn on the extractor fans.

Fridge and freezer- below the worktop- CURRENTLY LEFT ON.

If you want instant room-heating, use the moveable heater in a socket. In winter we usually ask Karl next door to turn it on a day before you arrive- but he may not have been available. Just don't leave on while you are out. If you are staying more than one night you may want to switch on the living area and bedroom heaters via their wall switches. They have an adjustable power control- a surface button that cycles level up or dowm.

Keys for windows are in the kitchen drawer. Turn key and depress button. Remember to close & lock any windows you opened when you leave. Key to shed padlock should be hanging in the meter cupboard with a fluorescent red tag by the door. NB Bathroom window handle can be turned clockwise from open ( vertical) position far enough to hold window closed, but do NOT try to move it further to the horizontal locked position nor try to lock it.

Mobile reception is now good, or use Skype if you have computer /tablet /w.h.y.

Land-line telephone is available and its use is already paid for( 01792 686732) so feel free to use. Wi-fi is available- network name TNCAP769FDB and password ############# on a card by the phone. It is rather low-speed. Or use your own login to neighbours' WiFi if you are a BT customer. There's a WiFi colour printer/scanner- an XP255- feel free to use if your devices detect it when it is switched on.

Cooker, microwave, washing machine all ready to go.

Picnic areas are available at the front, the right-hand side ( where the clothes line is) & behind the house. (The area with a green shed beyond the second little gate on the right is NOT to be used- it is owned by the neighbours.) There is a gas barbecue and gas cylinder plus cooking tools.

Our brown shed ( padlock key in meter cupboard) usually contains things you might want- including bucket and spade, fishing net, a four-line kite and a metal detector, picnic chairs, wooden 'boules', in-line skates, and even a lawnmower etc. Hint, hint..

Mumbles /Oystermouth has excellent shops, including supermarkets, fresh fish, fish-and-chips, delicatessen, ironmongers/garden shop, off-licence, pubs, pharmacist, bakers, etc. Cash hole-in-the-wall & Post Office (at WH Smith's newsagent).

NB COVID

During the pandemic please 'play by the rules'- which MAY be different in Wales. When you leave make the place as Covid-safe as you should have found it.

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For a great introductory walk, turn right at the bottom of the close, walk 50m & look for a ( hidden) uphill path along the right-hand side of the house, between wall and hedge. ( Look for 100 on the wall.) You're on the upper cliff path inside 100m.

There's a switch near the front ( and only!) door to turn off the outside security light. Usually left on. There are no street lights.

Front doorbell may have a low battery ( OK May 2022) and is sometimes set to make a cuckoo noise when triggered. Visitors have a strange sense of humour! If the button does nothing, check if the bell unit in the meter cupboard or on window sill is switched off. I usually leave spare batteries in the meter cupboard for devices you may have that are not rechargable.

Be gentle with the shower curtain- the wall mounting is not especially strong. Immersion heater runs pretty hot so be careful. Bathroom sink R/H tap is not working- waiting for plumber.

Tell children to be careful walking outside past open windows, or on the 'raised garden' area- adults too. You don't want tumbles or gashed faces!

A comment in the Guest Book would be nice- we love hearing what you got up to or discovered. Let us know too of any problems that you had that we can sort...

Departure

When leaving, switch off the things you turned on, especially immersion heater. LEAVE FRIDGE & FREEZER ON. If you used the spare hidden key, replace it.

Take with you any perishable food- but food ( including frozen) that keeps- or drinks (!) may be welcome for the next visitors.

If you are in LTD on Wednesday leave waste out for Thursday collections. There will be a printout in the 'white book' telling you if it is a pink or a green week.. Or look on the website and search for Sarlou Close. There is a full recycling tip between Mumbles and Swansea ( open 08-30 to 17-00 each day) and they take MOST recyclables.

DON'T leave out a food-waste in a bag- the magpies & seagulls will shred it and scatter its contents. There's a large green food-waste box in the shed or garden. Compostable waste from the small green kitchen bin ( use a compostable liner) goes in the bigger green bin in the side garden. It'll end up dug into the garden compost heap. Don't put cooked or greasy food waste, leftovers etc here. Put them, if necessary soaked in old newspaper, in a small compostable bin liner to put in the bigger black bag for collection as non-rectclable rubbish.

Plastic- clean, not foam or thin sheet film- goes in the sturdy pink bag. There are usually green recycling bags, often part-filled, in the garden storage box or spare ones in the kitchen drawers. Paper/card in one. Cans/bottles in another.

Feel free to add to these. If pretty empty, leave them & we'll dispose of them when we are down. They have printed on them what to put in them. If fairly full, and you are here on Wednesday evening, put them out.

Suggested activities

Mumbles has lots going on- crazy golf, small sailing dinghies, etc. Learn SUP stand-up paddleboarding?

Great walks-with-long-distance views on Cefn Bryn and Rhosili Down. ( see North Devon & Lundy)

North Gower has good walking and extensive salt-marsh meadows, flooded at high tides.

Photo-opportunities everywhere.

Handy pubs for pints and pies. And ice cream shops.

Dry limestone valleys & caves. ( CARE!) Great rock climbing IF YOU HAVE THE GEAR and know what you are doing.

Prehistoric remains eg Parc le Breos, Arthur's seat, Paviland cave ( the 'Red Lady' skeleton)

Castles- Oystermouth Castle is well worth visiting, but also Weobley, and the romantic Pennard castle ruins inland of Three Cliffs.

A bit further to Kidwelly Castle, National Garden Centre ( nr Carmarthen), Burryport.

Waterfalls at Aberdulais and up the Swansea Valley. MTB centres at Afan Forest & Cwmcarn and many other great bike areas.

Dan yr Ogof showcaves. St Fagan's Folk Museum nr. Cardiff.

Swimming, body-boarding etc on great beaches. Stand-up boards can be hired- possibly sea canoes and others.

Metal detector +instructions available. Kite. Spade & rake for beach digging/ making sand art. In wet weather create some artistic arrangement of pebbles and shells- photograph it, or leave for the next visitor to marvel at.

Sea fishing and boat excursions along the coast can be arranged.

Check the tides. If you can fit in two hours before & two after LOW tide, Worm's Head is a spectacular walk /adventure. Giant arch, blow hole. Wave and seal watching.

Swansea has a lot to see, including the Marina & museum. Singleton and Clyne Parks. Swansea indoor market is open every day & well worth a visit. All the expected big stores of a major city. etc.

Great biking area. For softies, try the ( totally flat if you get a start from Mumbles Pier) 7km bike route to Swansea and back. Got any in-line skates??

Mountain bike possibilities- but please stick to the many legal routes.

Permanent orienteering course available on the hill above Mumbles Pier. Map available for this and other local permanent courses in the folder at LTD. Great view from Mumbles Hill of the Bay, useful to get your local bearings. The big private house is valued at 1.4M ukp and K Zeta-Jones has a house in a gated community up Plunch Lane by the Cricket Ground. Out of our league...

English Heritage card gets you free entry to CADW sites. Not many National Trust places around but your card gets you free parking at Pennard and Rhossili.

Places to visit include Weobley & Kidwelly, National Botanic Garden Centre near Carmarthen. Burry Port, Pendine, Aberdulais Falls. Swansea Valley. Brecon & the Beacons. Dan yr Ogof Showcaves. Good parks in Swansea -Singleton, Clyne, etc.

GETTING THERE

Most will be coming from the East. Use motorway M4 and drop off left along Swansea Bay, then follow signs for City Centre then Gower /Mumbles.

Keep straight on as Swansea Bay curves round to your left for a few km, left-hand lane at the traffic lights ( NOT turning right and following Gower signs), straight across the mini-roundabout in Oystermouth, and follow the road past pier and Coastguard station and up through a cutting through the rock and curve right past a big car park. Drop to the little bay ( ice cream shop!) and turn sharp right. About 400m up ( red post letterbox on righthand side of road) turn left onto Westcliff. Our part of Sarlou is the SECOND right- we're the right-hand half of the bungalow/chalet at the top.