Villages plunge into the summer and completely different in the winter (Image: John Myers)
Oxwich's quaint coastal village is renowned for its outstanding natural beauty, boasting stunning beaches, castles, sand dunes and forests. This is the charm of this picture-perfect place, and as soon as the sun pees, tourists descend in large numbers to enjoy their weekends and holidays.
During the bustling summer tourist season, the village has vacationers who want to make the most of their break. The narrow lanes leading to the main car park are often seen with long lines of vehicles extending almost to the main road on the warmest weekends. During these peaks, vast parking lots are flooded with cars, but the beaches are filled with sun worshippers and water sports enthusiasts.
Read more: Picturesque beach dubbed as the “best” of all the UK visits
Long line of traffic discovered near Oxwich when tourists arrived in the summer (Image: Walesonline)
What the parking lot looks like now, near the sky (Image: Walesonline/Rob Browne)
But what happens when the season approaches the end and the crowds of tourists retreat to their homes for autumn and winter? Keith Morgan, 72, runs a parking lot adjacent to the beach, is a stark contrast to everyday life from summer until now.
Speaking to the Wolleson Line, he said: “When you get tourists, you know, it's pretty busy, right?” He added that it's usually very difficult to get the exact number of cars into the parking lot at peak times. “It could be 300, it could be 200, it depends on the weather. As today, I might only have 25 units in a day, and April rolls, I could triple it right away.”
Keith likes the quiet winters of Oxwich. “Perhaps because winter is quiet. You may be busy in the summer. You work all the time. In the winter, you sit and relax until the car arrives.
From the car park, only the stone throw adjacent to the beach is the famous Michelin star restaurant, Beach House. Featuring a breathtaking beach, an Alfresso dining area and delicious food, the restaurant is a popular destination for many tourists visiting Oxwich.
Beach House Restaurants in Oxwich (Image: Walesonline/Rob Browne)
Oxwich owner and head chef Highwell Griffiths revealed his thoughts on why holiday makers flock to Gauer's shores. We attribute the summer influx to a picturesque environment: “Summer traffic is crazy about caravans, buses and people here who are here for holidays. From London… and it's really like a countryside scenery, and it's beautiful.
“I come in the winter and know that it's nice and sunny today. It's a little chilly, but there's a lot of rain in Wales. It doesn't attract very ordinary people. We knew that coming here would have to make a special event.
Not too far from the Beach House, Oxwich Bay Hotel sees similarities in its business flow.
General Manager Emma Verlander said: “Obviously, we're busy throughout the summer, our yards host most of the traffic and people are coming and going. It's a different kind of customer in terms of guests.”
“More families, people spending time on the beach, they're just coming and going. So it's a high turnover, people come and maybe they're probably not going to stay. We still have hotel guests who have more traffic, but there are more people around, people are just jumping in for quick drinks and ice cream or coffee.
The Oxwich Bay Hotel and Bistro are just minutes from the beach (Image: Walesonline/Rob Browne)
However, the off-peak season, as Emma shared, “compared to winter with guests, some regulars and lots of new guests, people may come to escape or come to see the ocean and take a walk-off. The guests we have.”
Despite seeing a decline in customer numbers, both hotels and beach house restaurants observed changes in customers.
Highwell, who represents Beach House, explained the strategy during quiet times. “Like many restaurants and hospitality businesses, we make some offers. We're trying to make an offer to a regular guest. There's a mailing list and more.
Emma said:
Both venues are enthusiastically anticipating an influx of guests as the warmer month approaches.
Highwell shared his excitement: “We're here, we're open, we can't wait to meet everyone. I love the full restaurant. I love the atmosphere.
A busy sunny day at Oxwich Beach (Image: Paul Turner)
Likewise, Emma was enthralled. “It's definitely worth a visit to our garden. We'll join us, come to the restaurant, get away from the heat, grab some ice cream and have something to eat.”
Veteran visitors to Oxwich, who have visited the locale frequently and frequently, not just in the summer, prefer its winter charm. Annabelle Jones, 35, and 41-year-old Gavin Courtney own a holiday retreat in Oxwich, bringing the village a unique seasonal charm that often runs away on holidays.
Annabel, a dedicated visitor to Oxwich, shared her love for the place. “Even in winter, nice weather, beautiful walks with the dogs, nice beaches, yeah, it's quiet this year, good this year too,” he continued.
Her husband Gavin also spoke about the appeal of the season: “Both offer something different. So, if you want a nice, relaxed and quiet time, winter is a good time to come. In the summer you will get all the activity, vibrancy and family.”
Annabelle Jones and her husband Gavin Courtney Oxwich Bay Hotel (Image: Walesonline/Rob Browne)
Emphasizing year-round charm, Annabelle praised Oxwich for its scenic beauty and pet-friendly environment.
Tom Lucas, 28, who walks his dog every day from Swansea in Oxwich, has announced that he prefers the winters that are not crowded.
Winter is not a good season for beach regulars as well as for one beach business. Harri Barker, the entrepreneurial spirit behind Ty Sawna, who offers a first-hand sauna experience at Sands, discovers when winter truly brings back to life for her business.
At 33, Hari saw a clear seasonal trend in beach-based sauna services and said, “It's completely different. It's actually the peak of winter. Christmas is usually the busiest time of year because the contrast between the sauna and the ocean is so vast.
Tom Lucas with the dog he regularly takes him on walks around Oxwich Bay. (Image: Shaurya shaurya)
Two wooden saunas on the beach (Image: Walesonline/Rob Browne)
She detailed the unique charm of the cold moon. “I would like to stroll a little longer and enjoy the beach a little more, but in winter more people come for contrast therapy. Many locals come all winter and come to the contrast between the ocean and the sauna.”
Hari, who lived near the beach before moving to Swansea, recalls the calm winter scenery.
“It's a very peaceful place, especially in sunny winter days when the sand is shining, and it's very ice, and only people here who use saunas.
“On the other hand, in summer it's a sense of community. There are people on the beach. Everyone has a barbecue. And it's like a lively holiday feel in its own special way.
