Today should have been a day off. Instead, I will nip a bit off of tomorrow's walk and combine it with the walk round the Great Orme headland that I should have done yesterday. This means I take in both Great Orme and its sibling, Little Orme Head, both over four hundred feet elevation, on the same day. Little Orme lies on the coast between Llandudno and Penrhyn Bay. Apart from the climbs up the headlands, the walk is at or close to sea level.
It was mixed early morning with patches of clear, blue sky, but some heavy cloud dotted around. On the shore at Colony Bay it was slightly chilly but not what you could have called cold. While I could, I walked on the sands coming out of Colwyn town heading for Rhos-on-Sea. When the sands gave out, I moved over on to the concrete pedestrian walkway that runs just above the rocky, pebbly beach. The walkway can become a little 'crowded' at points where the rock armour and beach shrubbery reduce the width of the path. Walking towards Llandudno there were lovely views capturing both Little & Great Orme's Heads' against a lightly clouded sky.
If the tide is with you, just before you reach the small chapel you may just see the scant remains of a medieval fishing weir (Rhos Fynach), one of two that functioned at this Point. The fishing weir was established by monks of the Cistercian Aberconwy Abbey in the 12th C. The weir fell into disuse during WW I and most traces of it have disappeared.
Little Orme's Head is another area of great antiquity with a number of caves where Mesolithic and Neolithic remains have been found. In the one of the caves the first book to be published in Wales was produced by during the persecution of Catholics in late 16th C Britain. The headland was also heavily quarried for limestone on the Penrhyn side for a number of years. This included a 3-foot narrow gauge industrial railway (1889–1931) that operated at a number of levels on the headland. Much of the area has protected status of one kind or another, the North Wales Bird Trust reserve (Rhiwledyn) is located on its slopes and the cliffs on the seaward side are an important location for sea birds including Kittiwakes, Guillemots, Razorbills and Shags.
When you are ready to leave the Wales Coast Path dips down at the back of the hill and exits on to the main B5115. From the trig point on the hilltop this is the route I took to head back to Llandudno and on to Great Orme's Head. I tried to go off in a more forward direction but found the hillside too steep and a bit dangerous in places. Heading to town, walking initially on the road, later on the pedestrian / cycleway, there were nice views out over Llandudno Bay.
Just by Craigside, I took to the beach, walking along the pebbles and sands, chatting to fishermen wielding serious looking, long length beach caster rods. For all their impressive looks nobody had caught anything.
Walking round the sweep of Llandudno Bay there are very clear views to Great Orme's Head. If you have never visited Llandudno the beach front and pier have a wonderful Georgian / Victorian elegance to them. Although there are signs of wear and tear on both the front terraced housing and the pier, they are still delightful to see.
Just before you reach the Great Orme's Head, Llandudno Pier stretches out into the bay, roughly facing in the direction of Lancashire and Dumfries and Galloway. Building work on the pier was completed in 1878 and its main section is 1,234 feet long (the whole pier is 2295 feet). The pier has been owned by numerous companies over the years and in currently in the hands of Tir Prince Leisure Group. Following a major fire in 1994, extensive renovations were required.
Cloes to the pier is the main station for the cable car ride that rises up 679 feet over the town side of Geat Orme's Head. Opened in 1969 they are an easy way to reach the summit. Like its littel brother Little Orme's Head, there are numerous pathways and attractions on Great Orme's Head including the Great Orme Country Park and various historical and cultural interests from the Neolithic graves to St Tudno's and other wells and the 12th C St Tudno's church, built on the site of a 6th C church. A local saint, the name of the town is said to have originated from St Tudno's name.
Mining was an important activity on the headland and there are various sites that can be visited. There is also a herd of wild Kashmiri goats in the country park that dominated the news during Co-vid lockdown when they invaded the empty streets of Llandudno.
Walking on the north side of the headland there are nice views to be had over Llandudno Bay and over to Anglesey. Once you round the headland to the other side, views over Conwy Bay and Conwy Sands and the south side of the Creuddyn Peninsula open up. By the time I started the climb on the north side it was a very hot day and I was suffering in the heat before even the half-way mark. After taking one or two photographs my camera stopped working. I had forgotten to charge it the night before and the battery had ran out. So, apologies for the lack of photographs on the south side of the headland.
Of the two headlands, based on the routes walked, I much prefered Little Orme's Head. That view might be different had I walked on the top of Great Orme's Head rather than follow the lower road route. Exhausted by the time I returned to the B&B, I was happy to use the microwave in my room to heat up some food as opposed to going to the bother of changing and going back out. Fed and watered, I retired to bed early and slept the sleep of the dead!