GBP
I promised you more North Walian explorations a few months ago, so here's a few more of our favourite places.
We finished up last time hugging the Llangernyw Yew, so time for a trip to the coast. Only 12 miles North takes you to the beautiful seaside town of Conwy. The drive from the East, across the suspension bridge that crosses the River Conwy, always fills my heart, it's so picturesque and dominated by the 13th century walls and turrets of Conwy Castle. Here's a little picture from the air that at least captures some of the colours of the scene; the lush green woodlands of Coed Benarth , the sandy estuary & blue strait heading into the Irish sea.
A trip to Conwy for me usually starts with walking the Conwy town walls that run for three quarters of a mile and take in 21 towers and three original gateways.I like to grab coffee and a sandwich at Casa Illy https://m.facebook.com/illyconwy/
and then wander down to the Quay to watch the birds and pass "the smallest house in Britain". It measures just 72 inches across, 122 inches high and 120 inches deep, plenty of room for me haha! It's bright red and such a cute space.
The other spot in Conwy that I enjoy is Bodlondeb Woods which overlooks the estuary in Conwy. There's several acres of woodland to explore with paths through the woods and views across the water.
One last stop in Conwy visits a Welsh hero, the statue of Llywelyn Fawr (Llywelyn the Great) which sits in the Main Square not far from the train station. Llywelyn was Prince of Gwynedd in North Wales and eventually the last Sovereign prince of Wales before it's conquest by Edward I. Llywelyn is often referred to as Llywelyn Ein Llyw Olaf, 'Llywelyn, Our Last Leader' and is remembered as a strong, independent leader & diplomat who dominated Welsh politics in the Middle Ages. Lots of great reading on Welsh History & Llywelyn's role in Wales' fight for independence here:
https://www.sarahwoodbury.com/llywelyn-fawr/
As you can see Conwy is a lovely place to spend some time & enjoy the Welsh coastline.
This might be a bit more controversial, but I'm also very fond of Bae Colwyn (Colwyn Bay) which is about 10 minutes East of Conwy. I used to come here for Judo tournaments when I was a younger, so there may be some sentimental nostalgia about the place, but I love it's Victorian architecture and access to Rhos Beach. It's had it's ups and downs , with lots of shops on the high street closing but I feel like it's starting to be appreciated again as a place to live and visit.
Theatre Colwyn is the oldest working theatre in the UK built in 1885 & still going strong with regular features and shows. It's also home to Oriel Gallery which showcases local, national and international photographers
I also want to give a shout out to TAPE which is based just outside of Colwyn Bay and is a charity that offers community art events and workshops in areas such as filmmaking, music, design, writing and much more. They are a fantastic resource & I'm looking forward to visiting when I head back to North Wales X
https://tapemusicandfilm.co.uk/
Finally, some of the best food in North Wales is just a few steps away at Bryn Williams' Porth Eirias. https://portheirias.com/
I usually come here for breakfast and enjoy views out to see with toast and coffee. The menu is full of Welsh produce and it's a beautiful setting for a Romantic dinner too. Check out Bryn's other restaurants too in London, he's very talented and creative and we're lucky to enjoy his culinary talents here in North Wales.
