CONWY TO LLANDUDNO. A Trip On Another Sunny Day.

Down by the harbour at Conwy, the Liverpool Arms snuggles up by the town’s walls at Lower Gate Street. It’s bright but it was cool.

Right another North Wales photo bomb. The weather has been curiously kind lately, I’m hoping it’s not getting summer out of the way early so it can disappear away for a holiday when the good weather arrives.

The days are still short though so I’m not minded to go too far, it’s not very exciting when the world outside the train carriage window is dressed in various shades of black.

I chose another rail trip out to North Wales, it’s a decent bet, if the weather behaves itself then there’s the scenic run along the coast through to Llandudno followed by a bracing walk along the Promenade, followed by a bite to eat and perhaps a restorative drink. I the weather is being uncooperative then I just miss out the bracing walk bit and go straight to the food and a drink. This time I was in luck, the weather had its friendly head on for most of the day, though the average temperatures encouraged a bit of brisk walking.

I broke the journey at Llandudno Junction station and walked across to Conwy, it’s a shortish walk and you get to approach the town past the castle that formed part of the defensive ring the Edward Ist built around Wales.

The Afon Conwy flows out into its estuary under the modern road bridge, Stephenson’s railway bridge and Thomas Telfords suspension bridge

The River Conwy heading out to sea at low tide.

The Ivy May lies in the harbour at Conwy patiently waiting the next tide.

A forest of masts wait for a fair wind and the call to duty.

People making the most of what the weather has to offer, getting out of the house and into the sharp, fresh air, making the most of the sunshine after the Winter doldrums.

A telephone box on a corner is now a defibrillator and a convenient landing place for the local gulls to keep an eye on anybody passing with their fish and chips.

On Conwy’s Castle Street, few sights beat a cake shop window.

Lunch was eaten in a sunny window in the Archway Fish 7 Chips shop on Bangor Road. Feed my face and watch the world go by. Had the pot of tea as well and the traditional bread and butter for the chip butty to finish off the last of the chips.

Lunch sorted I walked back over to Llandudno Junction to work off some of the chips and took the short train journey up to Llandudno itself. The train travels alongside the estuary through Deganwy before dropping you at the railway station just of the town centre.

Llandudno, town centre on Mostyn Street. The trees are still a bit threadbare but hopefully the warmer weather isn’t too far away. Fingers crossed on that one.

I took a walk up to the promenade and then headed along to the pier. Despite the still short days and the cool, sharp temperatures there were plenty people about, doing their best to shake off the remains of the Winter blues.

The day was beginning to lose its shine as the evening slid into the driving seat, the shelters were starting to empty as people started to make their way back to their hotels or home.

The Grand Hotel, not sure what the state of play is with it at the moment, the remains of the Winter Gardens to its left have been bought up for restoration, or so I read. I hope that’s right, it would be a waste for it just to disappear.

Candy floss, fish & chips, burgers, etc. At the landward end of the pier. Hardiet souls headed out to the pavilion at the seaward end. Gave that a miss this time. The wind was getting a bit too boisterous by now.

There be dragons, cute little Welsh ones.

Looking back from the pier to the elegance of the promenade. The pebbled beach still dotted with the hardier types of day trippers.

It was time to head back inland now, time to let the sea breezes pick on someone else. Plus I wanted to pick up some supplies for the train journey home and perhaps a drink.