A trip to Conwy (I always thought it was Conway) found us parking in a free spot and making our way to the smallest house in Great Britain, after excellent coffees and a scone at the Illy Café.
Sadly the house was closed due to having been flooded at the end of October. So we proceeded along the waterfront, blessed again with fine but overcast weather, with views across the estuary and onwards to the Great Orme headland.
In the estuary next to us, we saw a Little Egret, a Curlew very successfully feeding on worms, and a flotilla of Wigeon.
We were soon climbing to the heights of Conwy Mountain.
There's a fairly long ridge with an assortment of Iron Age hillforts dating from 300BC to 78AD. There are also earlier Bronze Age remains.
On the descent to the Sychnant Pass, which used to be a main route into North Wales before the A55 road was built, we passed above a lovely valley.
We exchanged greetings with a cyclist who was toiling up the hill, and we encountered quite a few people out walking today.
After lunch on a concrete plinth at a water source, we enjoyed views across the Gwern Engen pond to the coast.
Quiet tarmaced lanes brought us back into Conwy, via some giant fungi and a horse-whispering episode. We also noted a few plants that are in flower. These include Red Campion (lots), Herb Robert, Harebells, Bramble and Bindweed.
Whilst not on Alex's prescribed route, we chose to return to the waterfront via the city walls, which offered good views to the castle.
The walls and castle date from around 1280 - they were part of Edward 1's invasion of Wales. Whilst not entirely sound, they are some of the most complete and impressive medieval structures in Europe.
Crevices in the towers give good clues as to the origin of 'pigeon holes'!
Heres a view back to the castle, the Liverpool Arms pub, and the smallest house, from the seaward end of the walls.
Back on the waterfront, before returning to the car, we passed this sculpture which presumably celebrates the local mussel industry
Here's our route - about 12km with 300 metres ascent. We were out for nearly four hours. That's as much as my damaged foot feels comfortable with...
2 comments:
Conwy Mountain is a delightful series of summits with great views, as you highlighted. I crossed it on the North Wales Coastal Path.
Enjoy your holiday.
Is your heel healing, Martin?
Thanks BC. The heel isn't getting worse, and it copes fine with these short walks. Physio visits are now every two weeks for ultrasound, massage, and exercise advice. I can also manage a slow jog, but proper running is out of the question. Cycling is best, but not this week!
I do hope yours is getting better.
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