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.

Entrance to the Castle Hotel Conwy, photographed by Charles Hawes

I mean, really!

A right turn from the hotel took us down to the promenade, where crabs were being caught by the bucket-load.

Crabbing on the promenade at Conwy, photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

I bet they don’t eat the ones they catch

At £3 for a kit I was tempted.

Stall for crabbing, photographed from The Wales Coast Path at Conwy by Charles Hawes

Cheap way to persecute crabs

The path crosses the Conwy river by one of several bridges taking all manner of traffic from Llandudno Junction to Conwy.

Conwy bridges photographed by Charles Hawes

Looking back we had a good view to the castle.

View to Conwy Castle photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

Another of Wales’ fabulous castles

Ahead, was a blindingly white stretch of concrete, which, thankfully stopped after a few hundred yards.

Promenade by River Conwy, photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

A sunglasses moment?

The path keeps closely to the edge of the (man made, I think) shore…

Breakwater near Llandudno Junction photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

Actually I don’t know what this is; any suggestions?

…. 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….

Dunes of Conwy Sands, photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

Nice combination of greens

…..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).

Close up of Sea Holly, photograpged from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

Actually I find the macro facility a bit tricky

It was a warm, sunny day and we opted to walk on the sandy beach for a while.

Sailing boat off Conwy Sands, photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

Red is such a good colour against the blue/grey of the sea

The last tide had deposited several items of interest.

Beach at Conwy Sands, photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

Hey get the art!

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.

Building on coast near Great Orme, photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

Not exactly an enhancement to the seascape

The promenade gave me several opportunities for people snapping.

Boys on the sea front near Great Orme, photographed from the Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

Chips!

I think Paul became slightly anxious at my interest in taking pics of children.

Girl on the sea front near Graet Orme, photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

Still liking this snap

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.

Wilted flowers tied to seat on sea front near Llandudno, photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

I have seen this elsewhere but not in such concentration

 

flowers tied to seat on sea front near Llandudno, photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

It began to feel slightly competitive.

Commemoration tied to seat on sea front near Llandudno, photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

Is this going a bit far?

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.

Hassidic family on the sea front near Llandudno, photographed by Charles Hawes

I do feel slightly uncomfortable about this snap

The path around the peninsular of Great Orme takes the pavement that borders a little road.

Road around Great Orme, photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

High time for a pic of Paul’s back

We passed some quite smart houses….

House on Great Orme, photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

…. 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”.

House on Great Orme, photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

I like the chimneys on this one

House on Great Orme, photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

Very silly little pergola on the front

House on Great Orme, photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

This one is a bit weird- especially with the tower behind!

As we contemplated why all this expensive property was there, a vintage bus swung round the corner.

The Great Orme Tour Bus, photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

Nice

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.

Explanatory board for the Great Orme Gunnery School, photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

Noisy neighbours to have!

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.

Great Orme, photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

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.

Inside the Rest and Be Thankful Cafe, Great Orme, photographed by Charlesd Hawes

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.

The Old Lighthouse, Graet Orme, photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

I would love to hear from anyone who has stayed there.

We also saw some goats which Paul reckoned belong to the Lighthouse people.

Goat on Great Orme, photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

Very pretty goat

I didn’t realize this at the time but this part of the road is tolled and one way.; it was quiet, anyway.

Road around the Great Orme, photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

I think Paul got the hump around here at my photographing him so he dropped back a bit.

The road around the Great Orme, photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

I think he is making a V sign at me

We passed an emergency phone box which appeared not to be connected to any means of  making such a call.

Emergency phone point on the Great Orme, photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

No more emergencies here, please

It wasn’t.

Emergency phone point on the Great Orme, photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

Rounding the next bend gave us our first view of Llandudno Pier. – the longest in Wales, it seems.

View to Llandudno Pier, photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

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.

Llandudno Pier, photographed from the Wales Coast Path on Great Orme by Charles Hawes

They were doing covers

The Pier was lively in many respects, having a mini fun-fair at the end nearest the shore with a bouncy castle…..

Bouncy Castle on Llandudno Pier, photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

I’m sure that there are dozens of bouncing weenies in there

…. and all sorts of rides.

Ride on Llandudno Pier, photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

This one looks dead boring

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.

Puncvh and Judy booth on the front at Llandudno, photographed by Charles Hawes

An expectant Paul

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.

Room in Lawton Court, Llandudno, photographed by Charles Hawes

 

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