In relation to our long weekend in Llandudno, if you hoped that one blogpost - including three images - was all that you were going to get, then you are sorely mistaken. As Oliver Twist said, "More please!"
The Great Orme headland rises steeply above the town. To get up there you have a few options to pick from. Famously, you can ride in a Victorian tramcar and that is what we chose to do. Transport buff Andrew from Melbourne would no doubt have been wetting himself with excitement.
Close to the triangulation pillar at the very summit, we met a retired lone traveller from Brisbane, Australia. She had never seen a trig point before and I had to give her a rudimentary explanation before she handed me her smartphone to snap her souvenir picture.
Within sight of the summit I was keen to locate Lletty'r Filiast which is an ancient burial place that dates back in time some 5,000 years. Translated into modern English, the Welsh name means Lair of the Greyhound Bitch. However, I guess that when it was first constructed the site had no name. The great stones would have concealed the deceased and then earth would have formed a mound over the structure.
With some difficulty, we found the ancient "cromlech". Two donkeys were grazing nearby and one of them was drawn to my whistling. He brayed loudly at the sky before staring suspiciously at the intruder in his field... 
Lletty'r Filiast
On Sunday morning, we paid a voluntary toll of £5.60 to drive Clint round The Great Orme's five mile long perimeter road - Marine Drive. Fortunately, it's one way traffic only but in any case we hardly saw any other vehicles. As well as detouring up to St Tudno's church, I also spotted the old Great Orme's Head lighthouse building. Nowadays it offers B&B accommodation with spectacular views over The Irish Sea...
On Monday morning, I woke early and decided to stroll round the corner from our accommodation to the hospice where John Gray works. On the off-chance of success, I thought I would just see if his trusty vehicle Bluebell was in the car park but - as on Saturday night - it wasn't there. However, I thought that blog visitors might like to see the hospice itself - situated on a quiet back street in the lee of The Great Orme... Finally, here's a sunset picture taken from West Shore - where we were staying - as our orb sinks yet again behind The Isle of Anglesey, travelling forever westward...
Lovely photos.
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked them my dear.
DeleteI always fancied the idea of sitting on a balcony in a Llandudno seafront hotel enjoying an evening gin and tonic, a strong one, but never did.
ReplyDeleteWell I did it for you Tasker.
DeleteLovely scenes there. It all seems very much like home to me.
ReplyDeleteIs that because of the donkey?
DeleteLovely photos, especially the one of the Irish Sea! Donkeys are funny creatures. We had several of them for a while and they were entertaining.
ReplyDeleteDid you ride upon them Kelly?
DeleteI can think of one occasion I climbed aboard Buster (bareback), but he didn't seem enthusiastic about taking me anywhere. They were meant to be "guard donkeys" for our goats.
DeleteGreat photos and lovely travelogue!
ReplyDeleteThanks for coming along Debra.
DeleteGreat scenery and history.
ReplyDeleteOn The Great Orme there is the oldest known copper mine in the world.
DeleteI can only echo, lovely landscape.
ReplyDeleteI can hear your echo bouncing over the ocean.
DeleteThe Great Orme lighthouse building is spectacular. And what a view it has!
ReplyDeleteThe men who built it were both daring and brave..
DeleteGorgeous rugged coastline.
ReplyDeleteThe Great Orme is a wonder in so many ways.
DeleteYou ragged rascal, you!
DeleteI didn't think for a minute that the one post with three pictures from your Welsh Weekend was going to be the only one!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures, and the idea of staying at that lighthouse for a holiday appeals - only that one would certainly need a car, as I can not imagine any shops, bakery etc. to be close enough to nip out on foot in the morning to get some fresh rolls for breakfast.
It's unfortunate that you didn't have the opportunity to meet John.
You would not need to walk out to get breakfast rolls as you would be paying for a cooked breakfast. I hope that old house has strong foundations!
DeleteWe took the cable car up and the tramp down, the tramp was the bumpier of the rides.
ReplyDeleteI hope that the tramp didn't mind carrying you. He must have been very strong.
DeleteI love Victorian seaside resorts with piers. The fabulous weather makes everyone happy.
ReplyDeleteI felt like ripping my clothes off and diving into the bay.
DeleteThank you for these photos, it looks a beautiful place to holiday in.
ReplyDeleteIn that sunshine you couldn't go wrong.
DeleteNot quite wetting myself but very interested in the tram trip. Where are the overhead electric wires for the poles that are under their hooks. Is it rolling down the hill? I suspect there may be a diesel motor involved.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like such an interesting area to visit, and I rather wish I could.
So where is the elusive John Gray of Wales?
Andrew - this tramway is funicular. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Orme_Tramway
DeleteAndrew, re "elusive John" and it's a benign suggestion (only saying because I can't so much as open my mouth and John is left gasping): Maybe he got stage fright. Neil isn't exactly a pushover to anyone's charms. And maybe John felt he may not be able to live up to expectations. Or maybe he couldn't find a stained jumper with holes (if that was Neil's expectation).
DeleteIf anyone wants to meet up with me: I currently sport an absolutely fabulous birds nest (I do have long curly hair). Don't ask how that happened. It's so big, so seemingly impenetrable, people don't mention it. Though, on request, I'll sport a burka or a widow's veil. Never tread on others' sensitivities.
U
Andrew, it seems there was an emails misadventure.
DeleteWrong again Ursula
DeleteNeil was using my old email address now defunct
My new address is jgsheffield@icloud.com
And I was working nights that Saturday x
There was also the Great Orme Bronze Age mines to visit as well but I suppose you did not have time. Your photos are as always good, My memory of Llandudno as a child is we went for Xmas and stayed at a hotel and it was very bleak and cold. So I have never wanted to go back but I am sure both of you enjoyed the trip.
ReplyDeleteWe did walk by those ancient mines - a well-worked cleft in the earth - but we were on our way to the cromlech.
DeleteThe B&B lighthouse would be a wonderful place to stay. What a spectacular view!
ReplyDeleteIt was an amazing place to build that lighthouse. The men who did it were so brave in my opinion.
DeleteWhat a lovely break for you and glorious weather too, which is so unpredictable in our fair isles. In your previous post I was interested to read how Llandudno is made up. Place names fascinate me.
ReplyDeleteNeil, your accounts of Llandudno are exquisite, enticing. I learnt more about the place in two posts than reading years of ... never mind. Facts are facts, and sometimes it's best to keep them under wraps.
ReplyDeleteGoogle [and you] willing I'll comment some more, occasionally. For some reason Google makes it difficult to break into your comment box; and then there is always border control.
U
It all looks very enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised your Brisbanite hadn't seen a trig point, we do have them in Australia.
Now you know how easily you can get to Llandudno, you must go again and meet John
Your photos are giving me the travel bug, but as an American, I am not sure if I want to travel out of the country for fear of people associating me with the orange felon.
ReplyDeleteJust beautiful! You chose the exact right place for a little get-away. I mean- you had the sea AND a donkey! I would have been so charmed. And on top of all of that- The Lair of the Greyhound Bitch!
ReplyDeleteExciting places to see. Most likely you were using John's old email address, he said he tried to reach you. I believe he worked overnight shifts a couple of nights last week. We met him for dinner in Conwy a few years ago.
ReplyDeleteDonkeys always sound as if they need oiling!
ReplyDeleteStaying in a lighthouse would be fun.
looks alright..... the donkey and the old pile of rubble look particularly nice
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you put that lighthouse B&B on my radar. That looks like a place I'd like to stay!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Oliver Twist! :)
ReplyDeleteI don't think I ever heard the word cromlech before, but it resembles remains of similar ancient burial places that I've seen here in Sweden.