Date walked: August 13th 2015
Distance: about 8 miles
Map used: OS Explorer OL17 Snowdon/Conwy Valley
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Paul and I had stayed last night at the Castle Hotel; I had been very comfortable in my 4 foot single bed, the room equipped with a shower and a bath. Paul had taken an Executive Decision that we should have the full breakfast (a £10 plus pop); it was fine. The Castle has a very “up-market” feel to the place so it was inexplicable that their manager was content with hanging baskets at the entrance that looked like they had died last year.
A right turn from the hotel took us down to the promenade, where crabs were being caught by the bucket-load.
At £3 for a kit I was tempted.
The path crosses the Conwy river by one of several bridges taking all manner of traffic from Llandudno Junction to Conwy.
Looking back we had a good view to the castle.
Ahead, was a blindingly white stretch of concrete, which, thankfully stopped after a few hundred yards.
The path keeps closely to the edge of the (man made, I think) shore…
…. and then curves north, bordered on the water’s side by Conwy sands. There were some rather nice reeds and grasses that had colonized the dunes….
…..and a few specimens of sea-holly that provided a subject for me to demonstrate to Paul how to take close ups (he has the same camera as mine).
It was a warm, sunny day and we opted to walk on the sandy beach for a while.
The last tide had deposited several items of interest.
As we approached the neck of Great Orme we decided that we were due for a stop and a cup of coffee. This gave rise to some exasperation on Paul’s part as I am rather particular about choosing The Right Place (his wife, Sue, seems to be equally discriminating) when I stop. Anyway, we found somewhere not far from a rather ugly building of unknown function and which appeared (to Paul at least) to have had a bit of ART embedded in its weedy land.
The promenade gave me several opportunities for people snapping.
I think Paul became slightly anxious at my interest in taking pics of children.
However, this interest was quickly displaced by being struck by the frequency with which we were seeing bunches of flowers in varying states of decay attached to the benches on the front.
It began to feel slightly competitive.
I don’t know why but I still find myself surprised when I see Hasidic Jewish families at the seaside. I remember at Rhossilli we found that a whole community were there, camping nearby.
The path around the peninsular of Great Orme takes the pavement that borders a little road.
We passed some quite smart houses….
…. but they were nothing compared with a string of houses below us when we reached the settlement of Gogarth. Ian has told us about this “millionaires row”.
As we contemplated why all this expensive property was there, a vintage bus swung round the corner.
We waved to the happy occupants.
After Millionaires Row was a scrubby piece of land; we passed a board about which gave an account of a WWII Gunnery School that had been situated there. At its peak in 1942 around 800 people were based here.
At about the furthest point on the western edge of the peninsula we stopped for a shout. Paul had been getting horribly stressed by arsonists in his village and I had suggested some cathartic ranting. He felt better after one good bellow.
Just around the corner we found the Rest and Be Thankful café, where we decided not only to rest and be thankful, but have a cup of tea. Paul admired some battery-assisted bicycles and I found some people to photograph.
Rested and thankful the road now rounded Great Orme’s Head, just below which was a castellated building that Paul recollected seeing on Grand Designs. This was the old lighthouse, built in 1862 and decommissioned in 1985. It now runs as a Bed and Breakfast.
We also saw some goats which Paul reckoned belong to the Lighthouse people.
I didn’t realize this at the time but this part of the road is tolled and one way.; it was quiet, anyway.
I think Paul got the hump around here at my photographing him so he dropped back a bit.
We passed an emergency phone box which appeared not to be connected to any means of making such a call.
It wasn’t.
Rounding the next bend gave us our first view of Llandudno Pier. – the longest in Wales, it seems.
As we got closer we could hear music coming from the Pier. Paul declared that it was live; I opined that it wasn’t since if it was live you would hear muffled speech between songs. As we got closer still those muffled intros were more apparent. One up to Paul.
The Pier was lively in many respects, having a mini fun-fair at the end nearest the shore with a bouncy castle…..
…. and all sorts of rides.
But best of all, when we got to the front we found a Punch and Judy booth. Paul insisted that we waited for the next show.
Which we did and then both agreed that it wasn’t as much fun as we had hoped, so we went and found our hotel. Which was opposite the Pier. We were staying at Lawton Court, which had had a fantastic write-up- in the Telegraph and claims on its website to be the “World’s Best Bargain Hotel”. Which is quite a claim. I liked my room. No bath, though.
This was a goodie. Enjoyed it a lot. Great having Paul along. Shame about the Punch and Judy though. You’re taking good people shots – a substitute for sheep? (maybe the goat was that)
XXxxx
Thanks. Here to please. Nasty violent thing, Punch and Judy. Surprised it’s not banned. Think of goats as sheep substitutes.
The blinding promenade at Deganwy will darken with age of course. It’s very new (see http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/storm-damage-minister-visits-extraordinary-6682299 for what it looked like in February last year). That funny red thing is part of the flood warning system. If it’s underwater, the locals know they need to head for the hills! Given your penchant for going off-piste, I’m surprised you didn’t make a little detour up the Orme. I have a couple of fuchsias grown from cuttings I knicked from there years ago. Chop ’em to ground level every year and they regrow to about 7 feet. Nice to see that Paul has a frontside as well as a backside!
Yes, I guess. Just could have been nicer to start with. Thanks for researching the link. I wonder how effective a flood warning system is that is based on being alarmed if you don’t see something! Take the short days when you can is my motto. I had four long days to follow this amble. Nicking wild flowers eh! You is Bad. All Paul’s sides are good.
ah, quite prosaic with a good mix of humour, the judgmental in your own charming manner and descriptive images.
Hmm. In my book, “prosaic” could only be received as a criticism. But somehow I don’t think you meant that I was being unimaginative, uninspired, pedestrian, vacuous, banal or vapid. I like the idea of being charmingly judgemental, though. xx
meaning literal/factual and allowing the reader in. Good one.
Charmingly judgemental …yes ! My frontside looks grumpy – perhaps I was a bit grumpy even after my cathartic shout over the Irish Sea. I think the property on the Orme was featured in a restoration program – not Grand Designs but it was too long ago to be sure. Despite my appearance in the photographs – I really enjoyed this walk and the evening that followed.
I notice that Charles is unusually quiet about the “evening that followed!” No “We had a good night” mentions. Was it an evening of drunken debauchery?
And that photo of you beside the Punch and Judy thing! Looks like you’re flaunting some black thing between your grabbing fists.
I retire to avoid mind-boggling!
Ah, there’s no getting away with anything with some people! We found a very nice English tapas restaurant where we had a deep and meaningful discussion about what it means to be men. We saw a vision of loveliness and afterwards we drank whisky back at the hotel.
Hi
I’ve followed your blog for a while & I’m a big fan of the Welsh coastline. As a child spent many happy holidays in Llandudno & still love the place. We stayed in the Lighthouse B&B for my wife’s birthday a few years ago. We stayed in the lamp room suite; as the name suggests the lamp room has been converted into a sitting room with fantastic sea views. I believe the establishment has changed hands since but highly recommend the place. Cheers.
Hey Paul, Thanks very much for this feedback!
I see that today’s Punch and Judy comes with a merchandise caravan: it was bound to happen.
You didn’t hang around for a performance, so I’m having to imagine the product promotion and whether the policeman now has a Taser. As entertaining as ever, but are you missing the sea?
Haha; I didn’t pick up on that. I love the idea of the policeman with a Tasar. Sorry if the sea has gone a bit background. It is there, of course, but they’ll be no more cliff top views or edges to peer over.
Bit late to the party here, Charles. I chortled at a few things in your post and particularly liked the cafe photo. How annoying it is that I didn’t take that shot. Very nice indeed – hmmph. I fancy that lighthouse B&B. Arrange a visit would you? Ta. D
You’re forgiven as long as you brought a good bottle. I’m sure if you had been there you would have got that shot. Look mate, I’m a busy man. Book your own B&B.