LLANDUDNO. A Day At The Seaside.

LLANDUDNO. Craig Y Don. The paddling pool. Shelter. I have to say it wasn’t as warmas it may look. Bisk is the word that comes to mind.

So, as yet the weather is not exactly jumping for joy and skipping about in a warm and sunny mood but there have been occasional bursts of sunshine and the important thing is to grab them while you can. Think smash and grab with the weather.

Saturday just gone was one such day. The sky was blue, a big yellow thing was shining from it so I grabbed my gear and headed out into the cool, very cool day. I’d decided on Llandudno as my target, easy to get to, a lovely ride along the North Wales coast and plenty of shelter and diversions to occupy me should the weather go back on it’s word and try to pull a fast one.

It was the usual route out by train to Chester, where I changed to a Holyhead train to skoot my way out onto the Dee Estuary and the North Wales Coast. Prestatyn and Rhyl slipped by, the trolley service arrived and I treated myself to a coffee and one of those packets of the shortbread fingers, it’s a ritual of mine, as about the closest I get to the fine dining of The Orient Express. Before long Colwyn Bay was behind me and the train was curving around to arrive at Llandudno Junction, another change here that only took a few moments and it was along the River Conway and into the station at Llandudno proper.

LLANDUDNO. The Corner of Mostyn Street and St, Georges Place. To the left for theseafront and Pier, straight ahead for the shops. The sunshine was doing its best to tempt the people out.

Time was creeping up to eleven thirty so the idea of food seemed a good plan. The town was quite busy, I wasn’t the only sun seeker on the Welsh coast by the look of things. I took a look in the town’s Wetherspoon’s and found a free table and ‘Spoons Apped myself something to eat and drink.

LLANDUDNO. The Wetherspoons Pavillion Pub. Spicebag lunch.

From there it was walking time. I headed out and made my way along the main street and walked down through to Craig y Don, the genteel cluster at the Little Orme end of town. From a local bakery I picked up what later proved to be a very tasty sausage roll as a sort of edible hedge against the weather turning nasty. Then it was on to the Promenade and back up towards the Great Orme and the Pier. The sky was cloudless and bright but the wind was relentless, cold and sharp companion for the day. I broke my walk to hide in one of the shelters, to defrost a little and just watch the world go by. Then it was onward again along the curve of the Bay to the Pier. Which despite the cold was quite busy. I’ll be revisiting the pier in a couple of months time when I have a sailing on the Paddle Steamer Waverley when it starts it’s program of sailings for the year.

LLANDUDNO. Craig Y Don. The paddling pool. Currently awaiting water and the arival of warmer weather

LLANDUDNO. The Pier and the Grand Hotel. The sky was beginning to go a little more grey at this point and as the clocks haven’t changed it is still going dark quite early. Definitely big coat weather.

LLANDUDNO. The Pier Pavillion. It was a brisk walk down to the end of the Pier, the rain was starting to join in with a light pitter pat, the sot of one you couldn’t really trust.

I surprised myself by resisting the burgers and the smell of the fried onions and headed into town. The weather was turning grumpy by now so I checked my train times and headed to the TAPPS bar on Madoc Street to warm up before getting to the station for the train home. I like this place, not big but it has a decent atmosphere and a fine selection of beers. I enjoyed a pint of the Peerless Oatmeal stout and made my way to the station.