We visited Gower Heritage Centre for Pirates week and there was definitely a good Jack Sparrow look alike.
The attraction is set in the village of Parkmill which is 8 miles drive from Swansea. The roads can be narrow to get here and you drive through a stream to arrive in the car park.
We exchanged our Tesco Clubcard vouchers to enter the attraction and I believe this was a good option as the entry price for a family is £24 for 2 adults and 2 children.
The tour of the mill is self-guided and there is a map to follow. We started off at the Water Wheel, then you walk through small little buildings passing the corn mill. There is a blacksmith, farming museum, woollen mill and lots of other displays. You can learn more about the history of the Heritage Centre and the working mill. The children took part in a treasure hunt, finding clues as they walked around the mill. They received a prize of a bag of sweets for solving the clue and guessing the catchphrase “Shiver Me Timbers”.
The children loved the adventure playground, indoor soft play, puppet theatre and making a pirate hat. The parents can sit on the wooden picnic benches enjoying a cuppa from the tearooms while they are in supervision distance to watch the children play.
The children had fun racing rubber ducks in the stream and winning a prize for their placed duck.
There was a wide range of animals to see including miniature horses, Pygmy goats, chickens, ducks, geese, rabbits and guinea pigs. Some of the smaller animals are in cages or open pens but the goats were roaming around in the animal park. My daughter loved this and also the feeding stations that are located around the animal park which you can use at a small cost. There are handling and feeding sessions with the animals also.
My daughter enjoyed making her own clay pot on the potter’s wheel. There was a small charge for this but she enjoyed the experience. There are many craft activities for the children to take part in at a small additional charge. You could choose from clay modelling, bag printing, mask making, spoon puppets, butterfly making and making a pirate hat.
It was a good way to spend an afternoon.
There are lots of different events throughout the year and you can find out more information from their website.