A little family get-together!

My sister recently decided to head back up north from the East Midlands and move a bit closer to me by buying a property in Llandudno in North Wales. Living on the coast certainly has lots of plus points, such as having great all-year-round scenic walks to indulge in and lots of bracing sea air. There is also a great town centre in Llandudno with all the shops you could possibly need, plenty of places to eat and drink, art galleries, and even a theatre.

Llandudno is a pretty coastal town in North Wales with a population of over 19,000 and was once a small fishing town and mining village. It has been a popular seaside resort since the 19th century and has transformed further over the years with the rise of tourism. Llandudno boasts two railway stations, too: Llandudno and Llandudno Junction, so if you don’t want to drive here you can easily get the train. Llandudno train station is right in the town centre.

My short break in Llandudno was, as you can imagine, not short on exploring the local area, which literally has something for everyone, whatever your age. After arriving around mid-day on the Friday, I met my sister and her husband in a lovely café inside an art gallery in the town centre. Following our refreshments, we went on a nice long walk along the West shore which has great views. It was very windy the whole weekend I was there, but at least it was warm and dry. In the evening, my daughter arrived in Llandudno, too, ready for a weekend of exploration!

There is quite a lot to see and do in Llanduno, and I obviously didn’t get chance to do everything while I was here – but I will be back to do more at some point, including a visit tom Conwy Castle, as I haven’t been there in a long while. So, I’ve listed some places below that I visited…

Walk from West Shore beach

Our stroll to West Shore beach, which is on the other side of the headland to Llandudno’s principle pebble beach, otherwise known as North Shore beach, is more peaceful, and you can access several walks up and around the Orme here. There is also a boating lake and children’s play area on this side.

When you reach the Old Toll House on the West Shore, you can access a lovely walk known as ‘invalids walk’ which is a fairly steep climb at first but then levels out and takes you across the lower slopes of the Orme along a well-maintained path. The walk can be extended to get to the summit of the Orme or to pass through Haulfre Gardens. If you are looking for an even longer walk, you can take a path that goes all the way to Conwy. ‘Invalids Walk’ isn’t really a fitting name for the walk, as it is definitely not suitable for wheelchairs or anyone with mobility issues. The name actually dates back over a century to a time when the walking route was considered easier to traverse than others in the area. The route along this path is very pretty, and there are a number of benches lining it. If you need some refreshments, the lovely little Haulfre tearooms is also on this route. You can get great views across Llandudno, and out towards Conwy and Anglesey from the path.

There were quite a few sheep around the Orme, but I was hoping to catch sight of the lovely Kashmiri goats, which are beautiful with their long, flowing white coats. Unfortunately, though, they were keeping well-hidden and did so for my whole weekend trip. Typically, my sister spotted some the following week!

The Great Orme via the tramway

The Great Orme is a prominent feature in Llandudno. This limestone headland is full of scenic walks, wildlife and archaeological sites that date back to the Bronze Age. A ski centre can be enjoyed up the Orme as well that houses the longest cresta taboggan run, an alpine adventure mini golf, and a dry ski slope – not forgetting a bar and restaurant. And, no, I refrained from visiting this area on account of last year’s holiday accident – I must try and start acting my age!

There is a scenic toll road that encircles the Great Orme and a superb tramway that has been open since 1902 that will take you up to the summit of the Great Orme and back again. The funicular tramway is the only one in Britain that uses public roads. You can also use the cable car to access the Orme that has been open since 1969, but this does not operate in certain weather conditions - it was too windy when I was there, so it was subsequently closed.

The views from the top of the Orme are amazing and on a clear day, such as mine was, you can see right out to Puffin Island, Anglesey and Snowdonia. There were plenty of sheep around, too, but they didn’t appear to be getting as wind swept as I was – I thought I was going to get blown away at one point! Once I could bear the wind no longer, I went into the warmth of the café for a nice hot coffee and something to eat. There is also a little gift shop up here that is not expensive. I looked around for some of the items I spotted in here in other places, and they were more expensive, particularly on the pier.

The Copper mine

On the way down from the Orme, I decided to do a trip to the Prince of Wales award winning copper mine. This is a great little adventure with numerous artefacts and displays in the visitor centre along with an introductory film that shows you how the mines were discovered in 1987. The mine expedition is a self-tour and involves wearing a hard hat, which I thought was probably more for effect than safety – until I went in there and found out how tight the space was above and to the sides. My sister knocked her head several times and was really glad of the hat! It doesn’t take long to walk around the mines, but it was an amazing little adventure and so authentic - definitely worth a visit. There is also a smelting shelter and a small gift shop selling jewellery, fossils and gemstones.

Llandudno Promenade and Pier

Once arriving back down from the Orme, it was time to visit the principle North shore beach and walk along the 2-mile Llandudno promenade. The promenade is pretty and lined with old traditional seaside hotels. From the promenade you can visit the old pier that was built in 1884 and home to Llandudno’s famous Punch and Judy show. The pier offers a classic seaside experience with all the usual shops, dining options, arcades, amusement rides, and a fortune teller – I didn’t pop in there! Seagulls are also in abundance all over Llandudno, especially on the pier, waiting eagerly to swoop down and steal your fish and chips, ice cream, or anything else you might decide to eat on the hoof – so great observation skills are required!

Penryn Bay

Located between Llandudno and Rhos-on-sea and close to the Little Orme, is the lovely Penryn Bay, which is where my sister lives. It is a peaceful coastal suburb away from the town centre with a strong sense of community. Just a short walk away from here is the pretty Angel Bay. We managed to see some seals here. At certain times of the year there are baby seals with their parents on the beach, and some people have even seen dolphins here – I didn’t see any when I was here. You can’t actually get down to the beach, but the views are great, and binoculars are certainly a bonus for closer wildlife inspection.

If you’re looking for refreshments or even a good meal, then the Beach Café Bar is a little gold mine. Their pancakes are delicious, and their roast dinners are one the best I’ve ever tasted!

Rhos-on-Sea

This was another lovely walk I did which took about half an hour from Penryn Bay. Rhos-on-sea is a small seaside resort in Conwy with a beautiful sandy beach, harbour, and selection of shops and cafes. On route here, I stopped off to take a look at the pretty little chapel called St. Trillo. It is truly remarkable and is the smallest operational church in the UK. This 16th century chapel has seating for 6 people and is open most days – apparently it is fully maintained by volunteers. There is a small stain glass window, candles and flowers inside the chapel and outside there are lots of painted pebbles where people have written little messages to loved ones who have passed away. You must take a look at this beautiful place if you come to visit.

Bodnant Gradens

A short drive away from Llandudno is the beautiful Bodnant Gardens, founded in 1874 and overlooking Conwy valley and the mountains. It is home to the Lloyd family and a National Trust Grade I listed famous garden. There is 80 acres of land and 8 miles of paths to explore, and it has something different to display whatever time of year you come to visit. The famous laburnum arch, magnolias, and rhododendrons can be viewed in the spring, and the rose garden and wildflower meadow light the place up during the summer months. There is also a little river, a waterfall, a mill, and picturesque ponds with incredible water lilies and ducks splashing around. I thoroughly enjoyed exploring these gardens, and apparently this is another place that is run by volunteers – there were one or two people tending the flower beds when I visited.

It is likely that all the walking around will make you hungry and thirsty, so you will be pleased to know that gardens are not short on refreshment areas: there are three, in fact. I went to the main café where there is both indoor and outdoor seating. The food is good in here with a selection of lovely homemade cakes, too.

After some refreshments, I had a wander around the gift shops that sell a wide selection of local crafts that include paintings, jewellery, household crafts, homemade confectionary and preserves. There is also a garden centre attached. So, another good place to visit and spend a good half day or longer.

Hope you enjoyed your short trip to Wales with me - don’t forget to follow me on my next adventure…