Port Eynon (Welsh - Porth Einon) is the southern most point of The Gower Peninsula and is thought to be named after the tenth century Welsh Prince, Einon ap Owain.

Port Eynon is one of Gower's most tourist orientated beaches with the largest collection of seaside shops on the peninsula. Here you can find fashionable beach and surf wear shops mingling with the traditional 'bucket and spade' variety, icecream portals and fish 'n' chips takeways.

The surrounding gently sloping hillsides overlooking the beach are highly populated in the summer with holiday makers who are able to camp their tents, rent static caravans or bungalows on sites available.

Port Eynon also has a youth hostel. Run by the Youth Hostel Association (YHA), the hostel provides cheap accommodation to travellers (both young and old) and is ideally located on the beach front.

The hostel building used to be the lifeboat station for Port Eynon's Lifeboat. Port Eynon and the rest of the Gower coast was notorious for claiming many ships on its treacherous rocks and sandbanks. The lifeboat station was established in 1884, after the locals of the village, despite numerous rescue attempts, had to watch helplessly as a steamship called the 'Agnes Jack' was driven onto the rocks and all its men were drowned. The lifeboat station serviced the South Gower coast for many years until a terrible tragedy happened in 1916. During a rescue attempt in a winter gale at Oxwich, the lifeboat was capsized twice by hugh waves and three lifeboat crew members drowned. As a result of these events the RNLI decided that it was too dangerous for villagers to attempt rescues in such conditions and closed the lifeboat station.

A monument was erected in Port Eynon churchyard as a tribute to the crew members bravery on that fateful day, particularly the three lifeboat men who lost their lives so terribly. In more recent years, however, a lifeboat station was re-established at neighbouring village, Horton, to cater for the increase in holidaymakers who often find themselves in peril from the sea. During the summer, the lifeguards patrol the beach to assist in any emergencies.

History

In the past, Port Eynon had a very profitable oyster fishing industry together with the limestone quarrying previously mentioned. Oyster dredging at Port Eynon was very successful until eventally "foreign" steam trawlers joined in the foray and the oyster beds were depleted. However, villagers continued to make a modest living out of crabbing and lobster catching when the limestone and oyster industries finished at the end of the 19th century.

Other trades were also prevalent that utilised the sea, one of these being smuggling. There is a popular legend that says the Old Salt House and nearby Culverhole cave were often used to store contraband (smuggled goods) during extensive smuggling operations led by the Lucas family. However, the source of this information, the Lucas Annotation No. 1 has been queried to be a bit dubious in places! There is little doubt that smuggling did occur at Port Eynon but the stories surrounding the Lucas's of Port Eynon may be the stuff of fantasy. What is known is the Old Salt House was used for the manufacture of salt by panning the sea water, since early Elizabethan times.

Protecting the environment

With the impact of the busy holiday season the current focus is upon protecting the landscape and diversity of Port eynon for future generations.

The dunes are a very important habitat for many types of plants and animals, including some very rare varieties. Walking over dunes can cause damage to the dune structure resulting in erosion and the breakdown of the habitat.