To ask you to help me choose between Gorseinon, Penllergaer, Mayals and Pontarddulaus?

[CornOn]

Well a lot of you will know instinctively which UK city I’m looking to move near! I have family connections in the area particularly Pontarddulais which we used to affectionately nickname ‘The Bont’

I’ve visited all these areas and all have their individual charms - have any of you got a favourite from these?

Apologies I’m my title for spelling

Pontarddulais wrong

it’s of course

Pontarddulais*

Well the outlier from those three is obviously the Mayals, completely different part of Swansea and much more expensive generally.

Of the remaining three, I would say it depends on your budget and which part. Personally I’d look at Pontlliw or Gowerton.

Thank you !

I think all these areas share the 01792 telephone code

Thanks for mentioning Gowerton - I think there’s a good school there - Olchfa

Gowerton has its own comprehensive schools, two of them both English and Welsh language. Olchfa is a different catchment area, Sketty and Killay.

If you use SA4 in your Rightmove or Zoopla search you will get Bont, Pontlliw, Gorseinon, Loughor, Penllergaer and Gowerton and Penclawdd.

Gowerton is lovely. Also Killay, Dunvant etc.

Gowerton comp is decent and I'd choose it over Olchfa. I know exam results are good there but I've spoken to and worked with multiple teachers who quit after a year and absolutely hated it there.

First thoughts - for a boy or a girl?
(willfully misunderstands)

Yes, I agree re Gowerton, it’s a nice school. I know a few teachers there and they seem happy.

Ah thanks for putting my straight - my mum mentioned Olchfa and Gowerton in the same breath for years so I’ve been thinking they’re one and the same !

Both as gender neutral !!

this is a must in 2025 ..

Blimey, when I saw the thread title I thought these were baby names! (j/k)

Mayals is a much mumsnet-naicer area than the others from what I recall.

Gowerton is nice iirc, Bishopston used to be a very lovely area which good school results.

Olchfa used to to be one of the best schools in the area from when I was younger.

I thought they were baby names too and was thinking ‘please no, bring back Balonz, all is forgiven’

How about Mumbles OP?

Yes I can imagine Mayals being much more mumsnet naicer (dare I whisper ‘middle’ class’ 😮😮😮🤣)

yes agreed - also remember Olchfa being talked about as a good school

Yes good call! And near the lovely Singleton Park and Boating Lake

PP mentioned mumbles which is lovely but you will need some £££ to buy a house there as well as Mayals. All have their ups and downs. One thing I’ll mention to consider is access to the M4 depending how important that is to you. Mayals and Gowerton are lovely and of course the Gower is stunning but traffic down that way to and from the M4 is horrendous especially during peak times and in the summer months.

We moved to Gowerton 30 years ago & have no regrets. Lovely area. Kids walked to school. Close to stunning beaches and has a train station with regular trains to Cardiff, Manchester and Tenby

Mayals was on my shortlist when we were looking to move, it was in catchment for Bishopston comp back then, not sure if it has moved since.
(We ended up not in Swansea because DH's job was nearer Cardiff so what PP mentioned about getting to the M4 swayed us).

Yes agree West Swansea and South Gower are both annoying to get to the M4, and summer time traffic is so bad.

Gowerton is close to the next motorway junction along so good for getting around.

It also depends if you want to be closer to town or closer to the countryside. There are suburbs between Swansea and Gower that are lovely for young families, Killay, Dunvant...

Re Boating lake area and Singleton Park, Derwen Fawr (top of the uni/hospital hill and left) used to be a v affluent area, catchment schools are Parklands Primary and Olchfa.
Sketty is nice but there are little pockets of rougher bits.
Brynmill (other side of uni) is nice, bit smaller and very studenty.

If I was buying in that area now I'd probably go for Sketty/Derwen Fawr or Bishopston (and accept having to drive my kids everywhere. For ever.)

Gowerton traffic can be an absolute nightmare at times, it’s on the main route from the M4 to north Gower and on summer weekends with all the tourists going to camp and caravan it can be hell. I still think it’s a nice place to live but it all comes down to your budget really.