Attractions and Places To See around Old Colwyn - Top 20

A beautiful harbour

You can even walk the city walls at night! But you should have a good headlamp, as it is of course not completely barrier-free... ;-) A good part of the circular route is currently closed, but you can see a lot on the open part.

West Shore Beach lies on the south-western side of North Wales’ Llandudno headland. It is less busy than the more developed North Shore and has lovely views over Conwy Bay and out towards Anglesey. At low tide there is a large expanse of golden sand which is suitable for ball games and kitesurfing. As the beach faces west it enjoys some spectacular sunsets. Cars can be parked along West Parade and there is a small car park at the southern end of the road. The beach has a cafe and toilets and there is a quiet promenade along which toilets and a cafe can be found. There is a boating lake and young children’s play area close to the beach. Dogs are not allowed on the main section of beach between the two stone groynes from 1st May to 30th September. However, there is plenty of beach to either side that is dog-friendly year round.

A great view of the Orme and superbly traffic free

Before the English built the town of Conwy, Aberconwy Abbey, the site was occupied by a Cistercian monastery favoured by the Welsh princes,[3] as well as the location of one of the palaces (called llys) of the Welsh princes. From Conwy: "the oldest structure is part of the town walls, at the southern end of the east side. Here one wall and the tower of a llys [palace/court house] belonging to Llywelyn the Great and his grandson Llywelyn ap Gruffydd have been incorporated into the wall. Built on a rocky outcrop, with an apsidal tower, it is a classic, native, Welsh build and stands out from the rest of the town walls, due to the presence of four window openings. It dates from the early 13th century and is the most complete remnant of any of his Llys." The location also controlled an important crossing point over the River Conwy between the coastal and inland areas of North Wales, that Deganwy Castle for many years had defended.

Built by Thomas Telford, the 99.5-metre-long (326 ft) suspension bridge spans the River Conwy next to Conwy Castle, a World Heritage Site. The bridge was built in 1822–1826 at a cost of £51,000 (equivalent to $4,701,000 in 2019) and replaced the ferry at the same point. It is in the same style as one of Telford's other bridges, the Menai Suspension Bridge crossing the Menai Strait. The original wooden deck was replaced by an iron roadway in the late nineteenth century and it was strengthened by adding wire cables above the original iron chains in 1903. The following year a six-foot-wide (1.8 m) walkway was added for pedestrian traffic. The bridge was superseded by a new road bridge built alongside and closed on 13 December 1958 when Henry Brooke, the Minister of Welsh Affairs, performed the opening ceremony of the new bridge. The suspension bridge is now only used as a footbridge and has been owned by the National Trust since 1965 who make a small charge for entry.

The Conwy Suspension Bridge is a Grade I-listed structure and is one of the first road suspension bridges in the world. Located in the medieval town of Conwy in Conwy county borough, North Wales, it is now only passable on foot. The bridge is now in the care of the National Trust. It originally carried the A55(T) road from Chester to Bangor.

Starting from the World Heritage Site of Conwy, with its impressive 12th-century castle and town walls, the path goes along the quay before turning away from coast and heading upwards. During summer, the mountain is blanketed in purple heather with speckles of bright yellow gorse. Whatever the season, you’ll enjoy spectacular views across North Wales. Look east along the coast and you’ll see the Great Orme headland above Llandudno, while Anglesey lies to the west. Turn inland to gaze down the verdant Conwy Valley to the foothills of the Carneddau mountain range (keep an eye out for the wild Carneddau ponies). The stones on this walk have many stories to tell. A short detour from the path takes you to the ruins of an impressive Iron Age hill fort, one of many ancient sites to be found here. Close to the path above Penmaenmawr, you’ll see a circle of around 30 stones which have stood on this spot for around 5,000 years, plus the remains of a Stone Age ‘axe factory’