It's the gorgeous and unique coastal scene on many a mobile phone camera roll. It's also the subject of wall art in homes and frequently used by tourism companies to help sell Wales as the perfect holiday destination which, of course, it is.
It's been on television, it's been in the background of thousands of selfies and it's been admired by surely everyone who has ever visited Rhossili bay on Gower peninsula.
But if you live in one particular street, and a certain house with it's well-positioned front balcony, it is your constant coastal companion, there to greet you in the morning and there to emerge on the horizon as a shadowy addition to a starry night sky. Step out onto the balcony that is accessed from the first floor landing of this property, and the panoramic sea views are on their own mesmerising, but add the instantly recognisable rugged, rocky feature of Worms Head and the coastal view is arguably one of the best in Gower, if not in Wales.
The distinctive coastal formation is a series of rocky islands at one end of the beautiful Blue Flag-awarded three mile sandy stretch of Rhossili beach, arguably one of Gower's most outstanding areas.
According to website Visit Swansea Bay, the bay was voted Wales'' best beach in 2018, secured third place in the UK in the Tripadvisor travellers' choice awards and has been a permanent fixture in their top 10 for the past six years. The beach and bay has been described as 'the supermodel of British beaches' by The Independent and is regularly highlighted as one of the UK's best dog-friendly beaches by canine-focused websites that know what a dog and their owner is looking for from a coastal location.
Wander along the coastal path towards Worms Head and admire the unspoilt beauty of the beach via the uninterrupted view stretching out in front of you. Or wander down to the beach, which has appeared in BBC Cymru Wales' TV programme Doctor Who, for some surfing, sandcastle building or snoozing in the sun, surrounded by the unspoilt beauty that makes this part of Wales so popular.
If your walk extends to crossing over to Worms Head then be careful, as what might look like a headland is really three islands. The islands only become a headland and accessible at low tide, about two and half hours either side of high tide, via a causeway. If you do get stranded, you will be feeling embarrassed but not alone in your mistiming of the return journey to the mainland.
It is said that people who have been caught out by the tide include seven Swansea University students most recently in September of 2020 who had to be rescued, and further back through time, world famous Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, who was forced to stay the night.
As well as captivating visitors with the natural beauty of this stretch of Welsh coastline for decades, more recently Rhossili and Worms Head have become the backdrop for the fields of sunflowers grown annually as an initiative started and run by The National Trust and its volunteers, and continued more recently by a Gower farmer.
The site of a sea of golden yellow flowers with the crystal blue sea in the background has attracted thousands of visitors every year to marvel at the visual spectacle. Of course, masses of photographs are taken by most visitors and many of them will include Worms Head emerging from the ocean in the background too.
And no famous beach would arguably be complete without tales of shipwrecks, and Rhossili can deliver here too, with the wooden skeletal remains of the Helvetia protruding from the sand at low tide, like an intriguing sculpture.
But a more relaxing method of enjoying one of Wales' most distinctive coastal landmarks is from your own private balcony if you are lucky enough to live near the landmark. With uninterrupted sea views, that brilliant bit of rock is the focal point that attracts the eye from the front balcony of this contemporary coastal home called Meadowside.
The house hasn't always looked quite so smart, although the stunning location has never wavered in its beauty.
An external photo from before the building was transformed from standard to spectacular, reveals how the detached house looked before the current owners transformed it. In fact, according to the estate agent selling the dream home, only two walls of the original house remain, making this modern makeover practically a new build house.
The increase in the width of the property and the total renovation and transformation of the external facade and internal layout has ensured the house is as fully connected to the outside and the view as possible - both front and back. Of course, the front is where all the sea view action takes place uninterrupted, and the addition of the stone clad entrance porch is a clever design to take full advantage of it.
Not only does the stone clad porch add natural texture to the facade that relates to the landscape, providing interest and a level of grandeur to a visitor's welcome, maybe most importantly it adds square footage that is used from the floor above as that wonderful sea view balcony.
Each window, whether an old opening or part of the new extension, are now bi-fold doors out onto the front veranda or Juliet balconies ensuring the maximum connection to the great outdoors and the great views that this specific house design can offer.
Inside, a new owner will be grateful for such thought regarding the new layout of the house, as light and views flood into each space at every opportunity. And just because the sea view at the front takes centre stage, doesn't mean that the rear of the home misses out.
Here, a substantial new, full-width extension offers a stunning and sociable kitchen diner family room on the ground floor that also doubles as the support structure for a generous full-width balcony on the first floor.
Again, clever design on the ground floor benefits the first floor by providing bonus balcony opportunities and beautiful places to park yourself and enjoy the coast at the front and the countryside at the back.
But the design of this now modern dream home isn't all about the outside, although that has informed the design and the indoor to outdoor flow, the internal spaces have been given great design thought too. The hall sets the contemporary standard with a bespoke oak and glass staircase and charming and characterful floor tiles.
A door to the left gets you into the generous living room and, apart from the warm honey-toned wood floor that includes underfloor heating, the feature that will draw you closer is, of course, the large French doors that open directly out onto the sun-drenched front terrace. Yes please to being able to wander out with a drink and a book - three steps from the sofa to the lounger on the terrace with those absorbing coastal views.
But this house has an easy internal flow that can take you into any room that then greets you with a connection to the glorious landscape outside. The lounge flows visually and physically into the vast kitchen diner that occupies the majority of the ground floor accommodation, via a wall of oak and glass internal bi-fold doors.
Open the doors for a sociable and huge space that flows front to back or close them for some privacy in the front lounge, away from the busy and maybe noisy activities occurring in the neighbouring kitchen diner. This 'hub of the home' space at the rear of the house can access the sea views at the front via these additional internal glass doors thanks to the thought process that when into creating this bespoke architect-designed abode.
But the space at the rear has lovely views to boast about of its own, over the garden and into the countryside that rolls on from the back hedgerow.
This substantial and sociable kitchen diner family room deserves substantial and seamless connection to the garden and so the long wall of bi-fold doors is a welcoming addition, and allows any social event, party or just a quiet time with a book to easily spill out onto the garden terrace. This rear room can be accessed via the lounge or from a door in the hallway, and has been designed as an imagined three zoned area, with the floorplan suggesting a dining and seating area easily being accommodated by the large space next to the kitchen.
The kitchen is a bit of a stunner, mixing a classic and elegant Shaker-style in a soft heritage colour with tactile oak wood work surfaces and integrated appliances.
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The island unit is a rather impressive example of this most popular of kitchen additions - three metres long and including a wine cooler and extra large units and drawers.
The full-height freezer and separate full-height fridge are hiding within a dresser-style unit that includes central glass doors for displaying your favourite crockery and accessory treasures.
Off the kitchen, there is a handy utility room and cloakroom that continue the tasteful design and also continue the connection to the outside via a direct back door onto the garden patio, very handy when you're carrying the washing basket out to the washing line outside.
One of the four double bedrooms can be found on the ground floor, at the front of the house, and it can boast not only a spacious ensuite but also French doors out to the front terrace. In fact, all four bedrooms have been given their own, direct access to outside space or an outside connection.
Of the three bedrooms upstairs, one of the rear rooms has door access to the rear garden balcony and one at the front has its own Juliet balcony.
The master suite that runs from the front to the back of the house is a bit greedy and has two outdoor connection opportunities - a Juliet balcony at the front and onto that huge first-floor garden balcony at the back. The first floor also has a separate family bathroom as well as access from the landing to that super special balcony with the best sea views.
To make that balcony your home and Worms Head your neighbour, and if you have the budget of £940,000, contact estate agent Tom Edmunds at The Good Estate Agent Sales & Lettings on 01792 940473 for further details.
