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BBC Homepage Beach and the Home Circular Walk From the beach at Llandudno to the wilds of the Great Orme. Take in the fantastic views of the area, and discover some amazing BBC Local geology, ancient history and North West Wales Llandudno from the Great Orme unique wildlife. More ... Things to do To start the walk click 'next' below People & Places the table. Nature & Outdoors History Walk details Religion & Ethics © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Arts & Culture Start point: The Cenotaph on the BBC licence number 100019855, 2004. Music promenade, Llandudno Click to enlarge TV & Radio Great Orme Country Park 01492 575200 Local BBC Sites and Visitor Centre Print map News Print this page Sport Ordnance Survey: Landranger 115 - Print the entire walk Weather SH781826 Travel Distance: 6 km walking + 1.5 km ride at each end Great outdoors Neighbouring Sites Llandudno life Mid Wales The history of Llandudno North East Wales Time: approx. 3 hours Great Orme Country Park Walks in North West Wales Related BBC Sites Extra info: Wales To see what the symbols mean, please Cymru visit the key Gogledd Orllewin More walks through time More on nature in Wales

North Wales Wildlife Trust 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Countryside Council for Wales Next The BBC is not responsible for the More info content of external websites You will see a wealth of wildlife and plants along the walk with possible sightings of guillemot, kittiwake, fulmar, cormorant and a herd of feral goats. Plants that you might spot along the way include some nationally rare species such as hoary rockrose and endemic cotoneaster. You may also see the endemic subspecies of silver More walks & places to visit in the studded blue butterflies. British Isles and amazing wildlife. Find another walk through time Getting there Explore wildlife habitats with 360 By Bus: For bus times to and from Llandudno call 08706 panoramas 082608 or click here for online information - The TV series: www.traveline-cymru.org.uk. British Isles, a Natural History

By car: There are a number of car parks in the Llandudno town centre, follow signs towards the promenade and pier until you arrive at the Cenotaph (approx. 5 minute walk). Get more from your walk, with the Open University. Walk conditions Get active - Paths are a mixture of pavements, tarmac paths and join the Great Snail Hunt footpaths that can be very muddy after rain. There are a What does that mean? - number of stiles, kissing gates and wooden gates. a natural history glossary Get into nature - Health & safety information the science you need to know How do they know that? - explore nature's secrets Become a Landscape Detective - 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Free Leaflets! Next 26 March 2012 Accessibility help Text only

BBC Homepage The Cenotaph and beach Wales Home Starting from the Cenotaph on the promenade head towards the pier, pass the entrance to the pier, cross the road and turn left into Church Walks. At the top of BBC Local the incline is the Great Orme North West Wales The beach and pierhead, Llandudno Tramway Station. Things to do People & Places 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Nature & Outdoors Previous Next History The Victorian town centre of Llandudno was created Religion & Ethics primarily for tourism between 1849 and 1912. Prior to this © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Arts & Culture the land of Llandudno was common ground used for BBC licence number 100019855, 2004. Music agriculture by local farmers and villagers. The land was Click to enlarge TV & Radio 'enclosed' by an act of Parliament in 1845, guided by the Local BBC Sites Mostyn family. In Welsh, the Enclosure Act was sometimes Print map News referred to as 'Deddf y Lladrad Mawr' which translates as Print this page Sport 'The Great Theft Act'. Print the entire walk Weather Travel The Mostyn family laid out the streets at their own expense after a design by Liverpool surveyor, Owen Williams. Owen Great outdoors Neighbouring Sites Williams was an Anglesey man who visited the town in 1846 Llandudno life Mid Wales and was impressed by the sweep of the bay. The town is The history of Llandudno North East Wales laid out on a grid pattern that curves to match the shape of Great Orme Country Park Walks in North West Wales Related BBC Sites the bay. Wales Cymru Before the arrival of the railway the first Gogledd Orllewin holiday makers to Llandudno arrived by ship from Liverpool and were rowed

ashore - to St Edwards Square. The growth of Llandudno accelerated with More walks & places to visit in the the arrival of the railway in 1858. British Isles and amazing wildlife. Find another walk through time The Pier was built in 1859 and then Explore wildlife habitats with 360 extended to its present length in 1884. panoramas The Promenade is built on a natural The TV series: shingle bank that had protected the British Isles, a Natural History agricultural buildings and farming land prior to the town's development. The shingle also prevented water draining out to sea which had encouraged marshy conditions inland.

There had been hopes that Llandudno would become the Get more from your walk, with the major Welsh port to Ireland, but after a great storm in 1859 Open University. Get active - which destroyed the pier and damaged the waterfront, plans join the Great Snail Hunt didn't go ahead and the town continued to develop as a What does that mean? - resort. a natural history glossary Get into nature - Pick up a leaflet from the Llandudno Tourist Information the science you need to know Centre on Chapel Street for more information on the How do they know that? - Llandudno Town Trail. explore nature's secrets Become a Landscape Detective - Free Leaflets! 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Previous Next 26 March 2012 Accessibility help Text only

BBC Homepage Take the tram! Wales Home Take the tram to the summit of the Great Orme, changing at the Halfway Station. The tram runs between April and October, 10 am - 6 pm. Alternatives include walking BBC Local or driving following the North West Wales Little Orme, Llandudno marked signposts. Things to do People & Places 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Nature & Outdoors Previous Next History The Great Orme is composed of limestone rock formed which Religion & Ethics formed between 300 and 350 million years ago when much © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Arts & Culture of was under a shallow sea. This was the BBC licence number 100019855, 2004. Music Carboniferous Period, when rocks were formed from the Click to enlarge TV & Radio skeletons and shells of the creatures living at this time. Local BBC Sites Gradually the fragments have been compressed to form solid Print map News limestone rock. Print this page Sport Print the entire walk Weather The Orme has many of the Travel classic features associated with limestone landscapes Great outdoors Neighbouring Sites including impressive crags and Llandudno life Mid Wales sea cliffs, limestone The history of Llandudno North East Wales pavements, sink holes and Great Orme Country Park Walks in North West Wales Related BBC Sites blow holes. Wales Cymru The name 'Orme' is thought to Gogledd Orllewin derive from the Old Norse or Viking words 'Horma Hava' meaning dragon or sea monster, and when the Ormes are

viewed from a distance in the mist, the name appears quite well suited. More walks & places to visit in the British Isles and amazing wildlife. The Tram Find another walk through time Explore wildlife habitats with 360 The Great Orme Tramway panoramas carried its first passengers in The TV series: 1902, on the lower section of British Isles, a Natural History the line to what is now the Halfway Station. In the following year, the upper section to the summit was completed, taking passengers to the Summit Station. The Get more from your walk, with the tramway is unusual as it is the only cable hauled tramway Open University. Get active - that crosses public roads and still uses the original Victorian join the Great Snail Hunt carriages. What does that mean? - a natural history glossary Attached to the Summit Tramway station is the Country Get into nature - Park Visitor Centre, featuring an exhibition about the natural the science you need to know history of the Great Orme. How do they know that? - explore nature's secrets The summit of the Great Orme has been used for a variety Become a Landscape Detective - of different purposes throughout recent history, including a Free Leaflets! telegraph station, hotel, golf course, RAF radar station, back to hotel, and presently as a privately owned complex with a café and gift shops. In 1969, a opened between the summit and Llandudno Pier.

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BBC Homepage At the Summit Wales Home Walk to the back of the summit buildings and follow the wooden way markers to the left of the cable car lift building. Follow the markers towards the left, over the BBC Local track and down to the road. North West Wales Great Orme summit Things to do People & Places 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Nature & Previous Next Outdoors The path towards the road takes you down across limestone History grassland. Close to the buildings, the grassland is not as Religion & Ethics © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. rich as in other places on the Great Orme, although you can BBC licence number 100019855, 2004. Arts & Culture still expect to see common rockrose, salad burnet, dropwort, Click to enlarge Music tormentil, common milkwort, and the more nationally scarce TV & Radio hoary rockrose and spiked speedwell. Print map Local BBC Sites Print this page News Archaeological finds on the Print the entire walk Sport Great Orme indicate that the Weather headland has been used by Travel man at least since the Stone Great outdoors Age and there are more than Llandudno life Neighbouring Sites The history of Llandudno Mid Wales 100 sites of archaeological and historical interests. The local Great Orme Country Park North East Wales Walks in North West Wales discovery of flint scrapers, Related BBC Sites stone axes and decorated Wales animal bones have revealed that Stone Age people lived in Cymru caves around the Orme. Gogledd Orllewin At this time, it is likely that Conwy Bay - visible to the west - was dry land, and during warmer periods it would have More walks & places to visit in the been covered by dense forest. British Isles and amazing wildlife. Find another walk through time The nearby Kendricks Cave Explore wildlife habitats with 360 (now on private land) has panoramas been extensively excavated The TV series: and the findings indicate that British Isles, a Natural History the Great Orme has been home to civilisation since Palaeolithic Stone Age and later Neolithic Times.

Looking down over the slope you may be able to pick out Get more from your walk, with the Open University. the ridge and furrow lines. These are the remainders a much Get active - later civilisation - early medieval farming communities who join the Great Snail Hunt ploughed the land here (700 -1000 AD). What does that mean? - a natural history glossary Get into nature - 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 the science you need to know Previous Next How do they know that? - explore nature's secrets Become a Landscape Detective - Free Leaflets! 26 March 2012 Accessibility help Text only

BBC Homepage St Tudno's Church Wales Home At the road, turn left and continue past the cemetery to St Tudno's Church. To enter the churchyard and explore the church, take the second archway through the BBC Local stone wall. North West Wales The cemetery at St Tudno's Church Things to do People & Places 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Nature & Outdoors Previous Next History Back on the road, continue on past the church, and follow Religion & Ethics the way marker to the right, sign posted 'Ski Llandudno'. © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Arts & Culture Continue along the path to a sign 'Ffynnon Powell'. BBC licence number 100019855, 2004. Music Click to enlarge TV & Radio The churchyard is near the sea cliffs of the Great Orme Local BBC Sites which provide a great habitat for sea bird colonies of Print map News guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes cormorants, fulmars, herring Print this page Sport gulls and choughs and it is possible to spot spiked Print the entire walk Weather speedwell, dark red helleborine, wild sea cabbage and wild Travel cotoneaster. Great outdoors Neighbouring Sites St Tudno Llandudno life Mid Wales The history of Llandudno North East Wales Legend suggests that Tudno, a Great Orme Country Park Walks in North West Wales Related BBC Sites Welsh Christian Missionary Wales arrived on the Orme in the Cymru 6th century to build a church. Gogledd Orllewin There are no remains of the original building, however the oldest part of St Tudno's Church dates back to the 12th More walks & places to visit in the century. Tudno was canonised British Isles and amazing wildlife. for his good works promoting the Christian faith. Look out Find another walk through time for the outdoor pulpit. Explore wildlife habitats with 360 panoramas The route passes though an area of bracken as it leaves the The TV series: road just past St Tudno's Church. Bracken is a great habitat British Isles, a Natural History for birds expect to see meadow pippets, stone chats and white throats - although these may be a little more difficult to spot.

The bracken creates the effect of a canopy - somewhat like a miniature woodland - underneath the bracken there are Get more from your walk, with the often violets. In late May and June it is possible to spot the Open University. dark green fritillary butterflies whose caterpillars feed on the Get active - join the Great Snail Hunt violets. What does that mean? - Looking down towards the sea to the a natural history glossary left of the bracken is an old reservoir. It Get into nature - the science you need to know was built in the 1860's to supply the How do they know that? - increased demands of the growing town explore nature's secrets of Llanduno. The area around the Become a Landscape Detective - reservoir is predominantly scrubland Free Leaflets! and provides a good habitat for kestrels, buzzards, peregrines and sparrow hawks.

Powell's Well is one of the many springs rising on the Orme, and never seems to dry up. A local story tells how one day the spring rose from nowhere. After a family dispute, the Powell family were in great need of water, and went to pray at St Tudno's church. On their return they found the spring!

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BBC Homepage Limestone pavements Wales Home Following the signs to the Ski Llandudno, continue along the path through Pink Farm through a number of gates. The path emerges into open land, and leads down some BBC Local steps to the top of the ski North West Wales Steps down to the ski slope slope. Things to do People & Places 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Nature & Outdoors Previous Next History After the farm, look to the right and notice a small area of Religion & Ethics limestone pavement. The limestone pavements of the Great © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Arts & Culture Orme contribute to its designation as a Site of Special BBC licence number 100019855, 2004. Music Scientific Interest (SSSI). Click to enlarge TV & Radio

Local BBC Sites Look out for dog's mercury, sanicle, ferns including black Print map News spleenwort, wall rue, and maidenhair spleenwort. The shrubs Print this page Sport associated with the pavement are wild privet and blackthorn Print the entire walk Weather - which are characteristically flattened across the surface of Travel the pavement due to both winds and grazing. Great outdoors Neighbouring Sites Just before turning down Llandudno life Mid Wales towards the ski slope there is The history of Llandudno North East Wales an area of limestone Great Orme Country Park Walks in North West Wales Related BBC Sites heathland. The limestone Wales heathland of the Great Orme Cymru is of international importance Gogledd Orllewin and occupies approximately one quarter of the site.

Characteristic species of heathland are heather, bell heather More walks & places to visit in the and western gorse. Even though this is an area of species- British Isles and amazing wildlife. poor heathland there may still be a chance to spot the local Find another walk through time variant of the silver studded blue butterfly. Explore wildlife habitats with 360 panoramas Management of the heathland The TV series: by mowing or burning is British Isles, a Natural History thought to encourage the species-rich heath, although fire can be a danger to the local environment when fires started by members of the public are not controlled. Get more from your walk, with the Open University. Get active - Look out for the herd of feral Kashmir mountain goats, join the Great Snail Hunt which have grazed the headland since their introduction in What does that mean? - the early 1900's. a natural history glossary Get into nature - the science you need to know 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 How do they know that? - Previous Next explore nature's secrets Become a Landscape Detective - Free Leaflets! 26 March 2012 Accessibility help Text only

BBC Homepage Archeology on the Orme Wales Home Once at the top of the ski slope bear right, down along the path which runs behind the summit of the ski complex. You can make a short detour to Pen Dinas BBC Local just past the ski slope car North West Wales A view of Llandudno from Blackgate park on the left. Things to do People & Places 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Nature & Outdoors Previous Next History The path meets a road which continues until you reach the Religion & Ethics traffic lights at Blackgate. At the junction turn right and © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Arts & Culture follow the tram tracks up the hill, then turn left into Tyn-y- BBC licence number 100019855, 2004. Music Coed road. At the post box, cross the small green and follow Click to enlarge TV & Radio the track to the left of the cottages; continue up the steps. Local BBC Sites Print map News The area known as Blackgate, near to the traffic lights, is Print this page Sport was where the road to the Great Orme was gated to Print the entire walk Weather prevent animals from straying into town. Travel Human history Great outdoors Neighbouring Sites Llandudno life Mid Wales The Great Orme is rich with human history throughout the The history of Llandudno North East Wales ages. Alongside evidence of Neolithic and Iron Age activities, Great Orme Country Park Walks in North West Wales Related BBC Sites there is the opportunity to see the impact that modern man Wales has made on the landscape. Cymru Gogledd Orllewin 'Llety'r Filiast', loosely translated as 'lair of the female greyhound', is the earliest known archeologically site on the Great Orme. It is a burial chamber used for collective burial during the Neolithic period between 3,500 and 2,500 BC. It More walks & places to visit in the is thought that the most important or prominent member of British Isles and amazing wildlife. the community would have been buried here. Find another walk through time Explore wildlife habitats with 360 You can take a detour at this point to visit the Cromlech - at panoramas the top of the track turn right and then left into Cromlech The TV series: Road, continue to the end of this dead end, climb over the British Isles, a Natural History stile and follow signs to the Cromlech. Retrace your footsteps, and turn left into Pyllau Road rejoining the main trail.

Pen-y-Dinas Get more from your walk, with the Dating from 550 - 43 BC, Pen-y-Dinas is the site of an Iron Open University. Age hill fort, where there are the remains of at about 50 - Get active - 60 hut circles. The Iron Age people arrived in Britain from join the Great Snail Hunt the Hallstatt region of the Alps in about 550 BC. The fort What does that mean? - overlooks Llandudno and its position would have afforded a natural history glossary the people natural defences in unsettled times. Get into nature - the science you need to know How do they know that? - 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 explore nature's secrets Previous Next Become a Landscape Detective - Free Leaflets! 26 March 2012 Accessibility help Text only

BBC Homepage The Copper mines Wales Home At the top of the track turn right, then left into Pyllau Road, following Summit Trail signs. Go through the gate and continue to the Great Orme Mines complex. Return BBC Local to Llandudno from the North West Wales The rock face of the Copper mine Summit tram station. Things to do People & Places 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Nature & Outdoors Previous History The copper mines on the Great Orme were first worked over Religion & Ethics 3,500 years ago. The complex is recognised as being the © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Arts & Culture most extensive Bronze Age mine workings found so far in BBC licence number 100019855, 2004. Music Western Europe. Click to enlarge TV & Radio

Local BBC Sites In the Bronze Age, copper was the first metal to be used, Print map News although as a tool it didn't have any significant advantages Print this page Sport over stone. Later on, the technique of combining copper and Print the entire walk Weather tin to produce the alloy bronze was developed. Due to its Travel strength, bronze was used for making axes, swords and also more personal items such as jewellery and ornaments. Great outdoors Neighbouring Sites Llandudno life Mid Wales The nearest source for tin would have been Devon and The history of Llandudno North East Wales Cornwall, and with much of Britain covered with trees, the Great Orme Country Park Walks in North West Wales Related BBC Sites tin would probably have been transported to the Great Orme Wales by sea. Cymru Gogledd Orllewin Bronze Age people led a more stationary life than those during the Stone Age, they farmed, hunted, fished and More walks & places to visit in the lived in circular huts. Evidence British Isles and amazing wildlife. of a number of these huts can Find another walk through time still be found on the Orme Explore wildlife habitats with 360 today. panoramas The TV series: Mining on the Great Orme seems to have declined after the British Isles, a Natural History Bronze Age and did not begin on any scale again until the 17th century. On resumption, mining operations concentrated on surface deposits, but as these were exhausted deeper mines were excavated.

By Victorian times techniques for mining had developed and Get more from your walk, with the vertical shafts and horizontal adits were created using gun Open University. powder enabling access to deeper veins of Malachite. Get active - join the Great Snail Hunt Malachite is the ore from which copper is extracted. The mines fells into disuse again around the 1860s. What does that mean? - a natural history glossary Today the mines can be visited by the public where it is Get into nature - the science you need to know possible to explore the underground passageways and old How do they know that? - mine workings. explore nature's secrets Bishops Quarry Become a Landscape Detective - Free Leaflets! On returning to the summit look out for Bishops Quarry on the left. The rock from here was used to build the old Bishop's Palace, which stood on the west of the headland, overlooking Conwy Bay and was built towards the end of the 13th century.

The Visitors Centre attached to the Summit tram station has an interactive exhibition about the history and wildlife of the Great Orme.

Thanks to Sally Pidcock, Great Orme Country Park Warden, and to Tom Parry, local historian - click here to read more about the history of Llandudno.

For more Historical and Nature Walks look out for the series of booklets published by Conwy Countryside Service.

Click here to return to the beginning of the walk.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Previous Llandudno Beach and the Great Orme Circular Walk

© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. BBC licence number 100019855, 2004. Map not reproduced to scale.