Short break from Ireland to Chester, Conwy and Llandudno advice

[palrano]

Hello,

I'm in Ireland and am unable to fly due to illness, but I need a little break. I am hoping to take the ferry to Holyhead on sail and rail and spend a couple of days in Chester and another few days around Conwy (to see the castle!) and Llandudno to be by the sea.... I will be with my partner. We are both in our sixties now. But very young at heart!

I am ok walking, but not mad distances and it needs to be relatively flat. I see Snowdon is not too far away, and if the train is running I'd take that up and back. Is that doable, and if so where is the best starting point?

Is there anywhere I am missing out on, and are the above destinations ok for a short trip.

Thank you so much.

Llandudno is nice, we often go therefor a night or 2. You can take a tram, little train or cable car up the Great Orme, obviously nothing like Snowdon but still great views. We try to find a seafront B&b with seaview, loads to choose from. Walk along the prom and the pier. Conwy is pretty but has many less hotels so for us is a day trip.
I'm not sure how to get to the Snowdon railway station from there as we drive, but I think you need to book ahead and you don't get long at the summit, but it's spectacular. Check the website. You can also take short boat trips around the Orme. Or from South Anglesey, to the local island along Menai Strait.

All of that sounds absolutely lovely.

I can recommend eating at the market on Chester. Go early though as it gets busy especially at weekends and School Holidays. Marmalade is also decent as it the Jaunty Goat for coffee and cake. The Cafe in the Refectory at Chester Cathedral is an oasis of calm usually too.

If you can walk a little then a stroll along the river and an ice cream is usually pleasant.

Llandudno is fairly flat with a lovely long promenade. I usually try and fit in a trip to Barnacles Chip Shop as it caters for allergies and vegans.

The smallest house in Conwy is interesting. I would check the accessibility for the castle though. It’s many years since I’ve been but I seem to remember a lot of steps. A few days in Conwy might be a bit much, if it were me I’d spend more time in Llandudno or Chester.

Have you thought of Beaumaris on Ynys Mon? I think that’s fairly flat?

We’ve done a boat trip from Caernarfon along the Menai Straits. It was lovely.

When you say around Conwy, do you mean the specific town or further inland/afield? The town itself is lovely but a day or max two there would be enough, it's quite small.

Anglesey/Ynys Mon area would be worth your time, as you're passing through. PP mentioned boat trips. They have loads round there, the Puffin Island cruise is also another one if you like wildlife. There's also one in Conwy actually, you can go upriver.

Will you go up the Great Orme in Llandudno? It's a big hill but the top is quite flat. The views are spectacular on a good day.

I found Llandudno quite depressing but the Mostyn art gallery there had a fantastic cafe.

Bodnant Garden is beautiful but steep - there are step free routes but not flat ones.

I agree with all the previous Chester food suggestions but would add in Chez Jules - a great traditional French bistro. Check out what is on at Storyhouse theatre - or you might be there when the open air performances have started in Grosvenor Park? Alternatively there’s a Picturehouse cinema in the city centre which is v nice (oh! And a branch of Maray has opened nearby - lots of great food options in Chester!!)

Sorry just re read that and it sounds a bit rude re Llandudno. Am sure it’s a lovely town to live in but there are a lot of seaside tat type shops - maybe that’s just me being grumpy or the fact we were there on a wet cold day. Might be delightful in the sunshine!! (And view from end of pier back across the town with hills in distance was lovely!)

Thanks everyone, it all sounds so nice! I think we might spend three nights in Chester, two in Llandudno, and take a day trip to Conwy from L. Or maybe the other way around, I'm not sure what's best. I think we will skip Snowdon and do Great Orme instead (It's a new one on me, and I love to see places that I hadn't been aware of!). I see there is a tram all the way up and back, sounds like a plan!

I love the foodie/cafe/culture recommendations for Chester. We will be there mid week in July or early August so hopefully we can catch something interesting. I'll check the websites closer to the time.

We will be on the train and local buses. Neither of us is cleared to drive or fly for a while due to surgeries and so on. I can walk easily but not uphill or steps, and Mr. palrano is recovering from two knee surgeries and will be a bit restricted. But we will be ok, and work around it. I am sure there are Ubers/taxis in the bigger towns if needed?

The ferry includes return rail from Holyhead to Chester. I can use the return ticket, and get out at L, and buy another ticket from L to Holyhead. I think!

All sounds great. I'll keep an eye out for any more tips, you are all so good to take the time.

I think it probably is a lot better in the sunshine. Let’s hope it’s sunny for the OP

Llandudno I think is quite interesting because it's such a mixture. Part of it is proper British seaside tacky, and part of it is sweeping Victorian faded grandeur, within a few yards of each other sometimes. I would say people are most likely to enjoy it if they're prepared for the dichotomy. But I do think the best thing about it is the Orme! Glad you're going to have a look OP, I think you will enjoy it. Give the goats a wave if you see them.

The rail journey along the North Wales coast is interesting too. It's quite a marvel of engineering. For parts of it, there's this tiny gap between the end of the mountains and the sea so they had to shove it right there!

And agree with Patty about checking what’s on that the Storyhpuse.

Just note the Chester Market closes on a Monday. I would also recommend the Cathedral for breakfast. They do a fab bacon butty and coffee deal.
The trains along the North Wales coast can get busy.
There is a Vineyard in the Llandudno area which I think do tours.
Be mindful of seagulls. They are vicious!

Oh yes the Seagulls in Llandudno are thugs! DFIL had an icecream bought for him and the Seagulls stole it. This was many years ago and I don’t think he ever stopped mentioning it. The trauma was real m

And I didn’t know there was a vineyard. Off to google that one.

They’re still doing it.
You've got to keep your cone or tub very close to your chest when not eating it!

I actually live not far from the sea in Dublin. The reason I mentioned this is because I am well used to predatory seagulls the size of turkeys along the seafronts here. They swoop on people's fish n chips, take them away and gorge themselves. As locals we know the score, but the poor tourists get an awful fright!

OP, you’ll be able to get to Liverpool city centre in 50 minutes on Merseyrail from Chester station if you want a day trip. Think the day return ticket is £6 something.

Conwy - The Erskine Arms is directly across the road from the train station and as well as nice food , has rooms. There’s plenty of cafes, we like ‘2 The Square’ not 50m from the Arms.

Enjoy! The Great Orme at Llandudno is fab, and if you're visiting soonish, their glow worms will be out in force. (I met this woman walking it and she was fab: https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/glow-worm-sex-lights-llandudno-9811822)

Mostyn art gallery as a PP suggests is lovely, and the little museum was charming when I visited.

It doesn't sound like the Bronze Age copper mine on the Great Orme would suit, but I keep meaning to go, so any feedback would be welcome. https://www.greatormemines.info/

I've been in a few years back, and enjoyed it, but it's not for OP given the step issue. You're basically wandering around inside an old mountain, so it's only for people who are totally sure on their feet.

It’s a great plan. Chester is excellent. There are steps up to the top level of the Rows if you can manage a flight, and also the walls walk. But otherwise pretty flat and very lovely. You could take the open topped bus to get a feel for the place.

As a pp said, you can get to Liverpool easily too. All level access or escalators in Chester and the Liverpool stations.

And check out the Cottage Loaf in Llandudno. I’d have a look at their menu before you go and book if you fancy it as it usually gets booked up pretty quickly.

I had a long weekend in Llandudno with dd earlier this month. We travelled by train from the West Midlands changing at Chester. Public transport is excellent in Llandudno, with frequent buses to Conwy. Beautiful views from the castle but there are a lot of steps up the towers. We went to the smallest house. It only cost £1.50 to get in and was good for a photo. You can’t go upstairs but you can go halfway up the stepladder and have a peep at the bedroom.
We also went up the Great Orme by tram and although it was just a little breezy in Llandudno, up on the Orme it literally nearly blew us over. It’s a few mins walk uphill to the tram station in Llandudno but there are also buses that go up there, both normal buses, I think, and red open top sightseeing buses.
We stayed at the Travelodge which was handy for the town centre and the seafront. The Wetherspoons opposite is worth seeing in terms of decor like an old fashioned music hall or theatre but we found the food poor - bread which wasn’t toasted properly for breakfast even when we sent it back. There are lots of independent cafes in Llandudno (and Conwy) though.
On last day we had a wander round Llandudno and a paddle in the sea.
Llandudno station is a few mins walk from
the town centre so on the way home, as we were tired and had luggage, we got a bus to Llandudno Junction.

You can get a hop on hop off bus between Llandudno and Conwy, so that is one idea. There in the tram up the Great Orme and also a little train that goes around and stops off to see the seals. I live a wander up the pier too and a drink in the bar at the end!
Conwy Castle has a steep walkway, it's ok and there is a bench half way up. Watch out for the seagulls in both!
Chester is great, the Leonardo Hotel is central and really pleasant if you get a good deal. Lots of amazing places to eat and lots of Roman history. If you are doing three nights you could visit the zoo or Cheshire Oaks (if you are a shopper!).

It’s actually a really boring town to live in! I lasted a couple of years and was glad to leave.

Just checked my bank account to remind myself of where we had nice meals and can recommend the Bay Tree Hotel in Llandudno for Sunday carvery, the Lemon Tree cafe in Llandudno for breakfast, and the Galleon fish and chip shop in Conwy (we ate in). There were lots of lovely cake shops in Conwy too.
Forgot to say we saw glimpses of the Alice in Wonderland statues in Llandudno but didn’t do the trail.

If you eat in Llandudno I recommend The Cottage Loaf. I would personally pass on eating at the pub by the tramway.

In Conwy there is an excellent fish and chip shop tucked away on the harbour front with a little seating outside it - locals will know it, and one or two nice cafes.