The Ultimate Guide to Spaces for Playing in Conwy This guide has been produced by The Conwy Play Development Team. The Conwy Play Development Team do loads to support children’s play. If you have any questions about this guide or play in general please get in touch: [email protected] or 4 ............. So What’s This All About? 01492 523 857 5 ............. Benefits of Playing Outdoors 6 ............. Top Tips for Getting Outdoors There are loads of great play spaces that we didn’t have room for, tell us your favourite at www.facebook.com/conwyplaydevelopment 7 ............. Inclusive Play Spaces 8 ............. Map This is the second edition of the guide and the first edition can be found here: http://cvsc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/ 9 – 14 ...... Destinations Go-and-Play-Conwy-English-1.pdf 15 – 19 .... Beaches 16 ............ Top Tips for playing Safely by Water 20 – 31 .... Playgrounds 32 – 40 .... Woods and Walks 33 ........... Top tips for playing in the countryside 41 ............ Children’s Rights What do the pictures mean? The space is good for: History/ Tree Climbing Fixed Wheelchair Adventure Equipment Users Culture Parking Ball Games Water We have been Wildlife Dens Sand Wheels helped by: design: viewcreative.co.uk We found that lots of people think children We think it is important for children to have time to play outside should be outside playing more and inside with their families and equally important to spend time with less but adults often find it difficult to friends exploring their local community. We think the best type of play is when children are given the time, space let children go out to play. and permission to choose what they want to do. We call this play that is freely chosen, intrinsically This second edition of the guide aims to motivated and self directed. give you some new ideas about where you can go and what you can do when playing Engaging in freely chosen play outside. This guide includes some of the can have some of the following best beaches, parks, playgrounds, woods amazing benefits; and nature reserves in Conwy. All the entries are labelled with facilities that the space offers although there are loads of activities we haven’t included and Extending skills Developing physical its up to you to come up with them! and emotional capacities Challenging ourselves in new ways and gaining direct We hope that with the help of this guide you will put experience of the consequences of our your wellies on and run, jump, splash, climb, hide and actions Building resilience Attachments to people and places Increased well being seek, paddle and crawl your way through some of the and mental health IT’S REALLY FUN !!! best play spaces Conwy can offer. 4 5 Getting Outdoors Within this guide we have included children to explore on their own Put on your warmest coat or best information on physical access to terms. Some sites allow for greater the play spaces and what you will exploration by giving good lines of sunhat and take some snacks and find there. We recognise however, sight so adults can supervise children a drink, adventuring is hungry work! that these are not the only barriers from a distance – beaches and parks to access for children and that are good for this. Some children Take a watch/phone/alarm: if you set it for however long you have to access is only about children prefer to be in quieter spaces and play you will know when it is time to go home. Make it clear where your physically getting somewhere - here woodlands can provide the the term ‘inclusion’ is about children opportunity to create their own safe boundaries are and stick to them. If you decide to go somewhere different feeling that they want to be in the haven. Some children prefer more tell whoever is looking after you first. Take stuff to play with like cardboard space once they are there. direction to their play in order to help boxes, rope, old tyres, wooden planks and material but make sure you them settle into an environment, the bring it home again! Good things to do to get you started: The outdoor environment offers a playgrounds within this guide provide range of play opportunities that do this direction through traditional play Here are some good things to get you started from the National Trust’s list of 50 things not dictate to children how they equipment but also allow exploration to do before you’re 11¾: should play or interact with them. around the boundary of the site as Climb a tree Make a daisy chain Natural materials like leaves, pine children become more comfortable in Roll down a really big hill Set up a snail race cones, water, sand, grass and mud the space. Build a den Create some wild art can be played with, touched, smelt Skim a stone Play pooh sticks and experienced alongside natural We have tried to include information Fly a kite Jump over waves features like trees, boulders, mounds about the accessibility of each Catch a fish with a net Make a home for a wild animal and plants in many ways and this play space including its facilities. Play conkers Build a raft versatility helps children to experience However, because these are public Go on a really long bike ride Hunt for bugs these play spaces on their own terms. spaces they can change, so if you are Make a trail with sticks Go bird watching concerned about accessing a space Make a mud pie Make a grass trumpet When taking children to outdoor we would recommend researching Dam a stream Go on a walk barefoot play spaces, we encourage adults to some more before you go. If you would like to find out more, then check outwww.50things.org.uk support the play process by allowing 6 7 Llandudno Rhyl 5 16 Kinmel Bay 6 Colwyn 8 15 24 Bay Llanddulas 9 11 12 1 Abergele 14 9 10 Llanduno 22 21 Junction 2 Llysfaen 4 Bodelwyddan 7 Dwygyfylchi Glan Conwy 13 Llanfairfechan Rowen Trofarth 19 Llannefydd Eglwysbach Llanfair Talhaiarn Llanbedr-y-Cennin Llangernyw Llansannan Maenan Llanwrst Trefriw 17 Bylchau 20 Melin-y-Coed Capel Curig 23 Capel Betws-y-Coed Garmon Nebo SNOWDONIA NATIONAL PARK 18 Rhydlanfair Pentre-llyn- Cymmer Dolwyddelan 3 Pentrefoelas Penmachno Cerrigydrudion DESTINATIONS BEACHESCwm Penmachno playGrounYsbyty Ifan DS WOODS & WALKS 1 TAPE Community 6 West Shore Beach 13 Gyffin Park 20 Llyn Crafnant Maerdy Music and Film 7 Penmaenmawr Prom 14 Morfa Park 21 Fairy Glen 2 Adventure TrailBlaenau Abergele Ffestiniog 8 Kimnel Bay Dunes 15 Cwm Howard Green Space 22 Nant y Groes 3 Dolwyddelan Castle 16 Queen’s Park Nature Reserve 4 Conwy Castle 9 Wynn Gardens 17 Pen y Dre Park 23 Betws Y Coed River Walk 5 Oriel Mostyn Gallery 10 Cae Derw Park 18 Pentrefolas Park and 24 Little Orme 11 Tir Prince Park Picnic Site 8 12 Pentywyn Road Park 19 Eglwysbach Park 9 1. TAPE CommuniTy MusIC anD FiLM 2. aDvenTure Trail aBEGeLE ADDRESS: TAPE Community Arts Centre, Berthes Road, Old Colwyn, ADDRESS: Adventure Trail, Primrose Hill, St.George, Abergele LL22 9BU Conwy LL29 9SD COST: Adult 1: with each paying child / Child: £8 / Under 3’s: COST: Some projects: £2.50 10% discount on entry if you present this guide FACILITIES: Creative and Art Projects, Community Cinema, Youth Clubs, Recording Studio, BFI Film FACILITIES: Toilets, Baby Changing, Academy, Podcasts, Animation Club. Picnic areas, Adventure Trail. ACCESSIBILITY: Fully accessible and inclusive. ACCESSIBILITY: The trail is generally pushchair friendly but in wet weather, it may TAPE supports people of all ages to explore their creative ideas and interests become more difficult (ring ahead to check). through inclusive workshops, projects and events. Check out the website to find out what’s going on!www.tapemusicandfilm.co.uk The trail winds through beautiful woods with over 50 games and challenges along the way, ‘A surprise around every corner’. A perfect adventure for all the family. They have events and new additions throughout the year so check out www.adventuretrail.wales or AdventureTrailAbergele 10 11 Crown copyright (2018), Cadw Crown copyright (2018), Cadw Crown copyright (2018), Cadw Crown copyright (2018), Cadw 3. DolWydDelan Castle 4. Conwy Castle ADDRESS: Dolwyddelan Castle, A470 LL25 0JD ADDRESS: Conwy Castle, Rose Hill Street, Conwy LL32 8AY From Dolwyddelan head west towards Blaenau Ffestiniog on A470. Parking for the castle is 1km outside of Dolwyddelan village on the right hand side COST: Adult: £9.50 / Family: £27.50 / Member: Disabled Person and companion: / Student and children under16: £5.70 COST: Adult: £4.00 / Family: £11.60 / Member: Senior Citizen: £7.60 / Children under 5: - Prices valid until March 2019 Disabled person and companion: / Student and Children under16: £2.40 Senior Citizen: £3.20 / Children under 5: - Prices valid until March 2019 FACILITIES: Castle, Pay and Display Parking, Toilets, Baby Changing, Café, Gift Shop. FACILITIES: Castle ruins, Walk, Toilets, Parking. ACCESSIBILITY: Castle is on high ground with access from visitor centre via timber road bridge and steep concrete ramp and steps. Wheelchairs restricted to ACCESSIBILITY: Lots of steps and uneven paths. Steep climb to the castle from carpark visitor centre only. Buggy access difficult. approx. 500 meters. Breathtaking Medieval Castle. Two barbicans (fortified gateways), eight massive 13th century fortress built by the Prince of Gwynedd, Llywelyn Fawr (Llywelyn the towers and a great bow-shaped hall all sit on a narrow rocky outcrop. Explore Great). The castle is partly in ruins which means you can explore every inch of it.