Llandudno, Wales

The stay in Edinburgh was brief, but it was time to move on to a new adventure.  We took a day-long train trip south to the small town of Llandudno, southwest of Liverpool.  The Welsh language is challenging, and I struggled to pronounce the name, so feel free to use an English phonetic version.  I did.

West Shore Beach

With only two days to see everything, one doesn’t know where to explore first.   We chose the Great Orme, a headland that towers above the town.  We followed the road outside our B&B and arrived at West Shore Beach.

The busy playground and safe dog area gave me a pang of longing for the pup I left at home.  This area seems like a neighborhood beach where families bring their kids (and dogs.)  I seldom saw anyone who looked like a tourist.

Towering about the beach is the Great Orme.  Feeling energetic, we decided to take the trail that winds around just above the town.

The steepest climb was only in the beginning as we zig-zagged away from the beach.

Alice in Wonderland

We didn’t climb to the summit, instead opting to keep to the lower path called Lovers Walk, a name that indicates it wasn’t strenuous.  It was a pretty trail that eventually led us to Tweedledum and Tweedledee!

Lewis Carroll based his main character on Alice Liddell, who spent many summers vacationing at her home on West Shore.  At least, that’s what I was told.  In 1933, the Prime Minister unveiled a White Rabbit statue in Llandudno, which was the beginning of the Wonderland theme.  The town is now dotted with carved replicas of Carroll’s characters.

Tram Ride

The trail brought us back to town, where we wandered toward North Shore Beach, a more commercial area.

We climbed the hill behind the hotel, but that short distance was enough to convince us to take the tram to the top of the Great Orme.

I’m glad we did.  The view was tremendous!

Those white dots are sheep.  If you wander the pasture paths, be careful where you step!

We had a great day exploring the sites of Llandudno.  To see more images from that day, please click here.