| Great Escapes: North Wales 1 |
The north Wales coastline is a world of fun, whatever the weather. The stretch of sea front from Llandudno, where a crescent of pastel-coloured Victorian houses lines the sea, to the twin resorts of Rhyl and Prestatyn, which offer all the kiss-me-quick fun of the fair and miles of golden sand, is one of the best and most popular seaside holiday venues in Britain.
Sand and sea, deck chairs and donkeys are a feature right along this stretch of the north Wales coast, and we don't blame you one bit if that's all you need for your caravanning holiday. But for those who want to explore a little further, we pick out some of the top attractions to be had on north Wales own gold coast.
Start here
The start point for our tour is the car park next to the Nova Entertainment Centre at Prestatyn. To get to the Nova Centre: from the west join the A55 north Wales expressway eastbound. From the junction with the A470 it's nine miles to the A548 Rhyl/Abergele turn-off. Follow the A548 east, passing Rhyl and enter Prestatyn. Turn left onto Bastion Road at 17 miles, then turn into the car park on Beach Road West.
1. Prestatyn
The twin resorts of Rhyl and Prestatyn lay claim to an average maximum temperature of 20º C
(68º F) and 173 hours of sunshine for the month of July, so here's sun, sand and sea in abundance.
Prestatyn town centre lies between the sea front and some good walking hills – indeed, it's the start point for the famous 168-mile Offa's Dyke Footpath. Visit the dedicated visitor centre, next to the Nova Centre, for more information.
Four miles of traffic-free promenade stretches from Barkby Beach in the east to Rhyl in the west, and cyclists can take advantage of the stretch of Sustrans National Cycle Route that runs along the promenade here, too. The flat, golden expanse of sand seems to carry on forever when the tide is out.
Starting at Central Beach walk a mile or so west (left as you face the sea) to Ffrith Beach, and visiting the Festival Gardens where you can walk among the displays of flowers and shrubs.
2. On days when the sun is nowhere to be seen, the Nova Centre has an indoor pool with a helter-skelter slide, a toddlers pool, a gym, restaurant and bar. For details, call 01745 888021.
3. Rhyl
Zero your trip meter and exit the car park. Join Bastion Rd and turn right at the traffic lights for Rhyl at 0.4 miles. Turn right in three miles, to Abergele/ Promenade/Sun Centre. This leads to Marine Drive at 3.3 miles. Pass the Sun Centre on the right at 3.8 miles. Continue through the series of roundabouts and turn into the Sky Tower car park on the right at 4.3 miles.
Rhyl is a brighter, brassier affair than its twin resort, Prestatyn. An all-singing, all-dancing array of amusement arcades lines the promenade – chance your hand at winning all manner of cuddly toys and jackpot prizes. And, of course, at every turn there's an ice cream vendor.
• The sky tower is Rhyl's most obvious landmark. A circular, glass-walled elevator rises 80 metres up a tower in slow-motion then drops, equally slowly, letting you enjoy a bird's eye view of the entire coast.
4. With the seafront on your left, continuing along the parade brings you to the Children's Village. A carousel, paddling pool, cinema and other fairground rides will keep even the most demanding children happy for hours on end.
5. Down at the beach there are sand castles to be made, mums and dads to be buried up to their necks, sunbathing, and swimming to be enjoyed in the waters overseen by lifeguards. Those of a more inquisitive nature should pay a visit to the Sea Life Aquarium where you can touch, look, hear and explore all sorts of marine life.
6. The Sun Centre is a further few hundred metres walk along the parade. It's a multi-million pound 'indoor tropical island' with all sorts of water features such as slides, pools, palm trees, a wave machine and more to enjoy.
7. Colwyn Bay
Turn right out of the car park. In half a mile, at 4.8 miles, is the Ocean Beach Fun Fair with roller coaster rides and everything you'd expect from an amusement park. Continuing on the West Parade, turn right at the roundabout at 5.1 miles, signposted Abergele A458. Cross the Foryd Bridge over the River Clwyd, turn left at the next roundabout, then left again onto the A55 for Conwy at 8.5 miles. Turn off for Old Colwyn (A547) at 13.7 miles, then immediate right, and left again onto the promenade. Turn left at 14.2 miles for Eirias Park and stop in the car park at the end of the road.
Colwyn Bay is a traditional Victorian resort with three miles of golden sandy beaches, a busy town centre and stunning mountain scenery for a back-drop. All this adds up to making it a holiday favourite for caravanners of all ages.
• The Eirias Park Dinosaur World is a short walk across the pleasant park from the car park. More than 30 full-sized models of dinosaurs are on display here on a mock prehistoric setting.
8. The model yacht pond and the boating lake, also to be found in Eirias Park, are usually full of leisure craft owned by children and serious enthusiasts alike.
For those interested in the natural world, another big attraction in Colwyn Bay is the Welsh Mountain Zoo up in the hills (see p92).
9. Rhos-on-Sea
Exit the car park and turn left along the promenade towards Rhos-on-Sea. At 17 miles turn in to the Puppet Theatre car park.
Colwyn Bay's long promenade runs into neighbouring Rhos-on-Sea, a pretty harbour town with a 'laid back' feel to it. All along the seafront you will see various watersports as jet skiers, water skiers, windsurfers and sailors cut white swathes of foam across the surface of the sea.
Visit the Harlequin Puppet Theatre here if you can spare the time: a must see for kids big and small.
10. Lunch stop
Exit the Puppet Theatre and turn left onto the promenade. Turn next left onto Rhos Road, then right at 17.5 miles onto the B5115 Llandudno Road. Continue on the B5115 for Llandudno, then turn left in Llanrhos Road at the roundabout at 19 miles. Take the first left, signposted Glanwydden, bringing you to the Queens Head at Llandudno Junction.
The Queens Head looks for all the world like a little village pub but it serves up an excellent variety of food, with the chance to sample fresh local produce.
11. Llandudno
Return to the B5115 and head for Llandudno, arriving at 22.5 miles. Turn left at the first island at 23 miles, then right onto Mostyn Broadway. The car park is on the right.
The resort of Llandudno boasts two lovely beaches: the bustling North Shore, and the tranquil West Shore. It's a walk of a mile or so from the car park to the Tram Station for the 679ft cable-operated tramway ascent of the Great Orme. Take your time and enjoy the walk: there are Punch and Judy shows along the pedestrian promenade, and a stretch of beach that invites you to take off your shoes, and feel the sand tickle your toes as you relish the elegant architecture.
12. For the Tram Station, turn left at the end of the promenade, up Church Walks. At the top of the tramway there's a visitor centre and a bar/restaurant from which to savour the panorama.
After the descent, walk the few hundred yards back down the Church Walks and along the Happy Valley Road to the 700-metre-long Pier, generally regarded as one of Britain's finest.
On your return to the car, try The Rabbit Hole in Trinity Square (turn off the promenade up Clonmel St, left onto Mostyn St, then right onto Trinity Square). It's a celebration of Llandudno's literary ties with Lewis Carroll: a wonderful grotto features an exhibition of Alice's adventures in Wonderland, as this was the place Alice Pleasance Liddell spent her holidays as a child and where she met the author himself. |
|
|
Distance 23.5 miles driving, four miles walking (approx).
Time Seven hours.
Start Beach Road West car park, Prestatyn.
Finish Mostyn Broadway car park, Llandudno.
Suitable for All the family.
REFRESHMENTS
Queens Head, Llandudno Junction. Tel 01492 546570
Mountain View, Colwyn Bay.
Tel 01492 544724
INFORMATION
Tourist Information
Tel 01745 889092 (Prestatyn);
01745 344515 (Rhyl)
ATTRACTIONS
Nova Entertainment Centre, Prestatyn. Tel 01745 888021
Ocean Beach Fun Fair, Rhyl.
Tel 01745 343246
Rhyl Sun Centre
Tel 01745 344433
Dinosaur World, Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay.
Tel 01492 518111
Harlequin Puppet Theatre,
Rhos-on-Sea.
Tel 01492 548166
Alice in Wonderland Centre, Llandudno. Tel 01492 860082
Great Orme Tramway, Llandudno. Tel 01492 574237
Llandudno Pier,
Tel 01492 876258
TIP
For a good time, look out for this year's Line Dancing Extravaganza in Rhyl on 7-8 July. Tel the tourist Information Centre on 01745 344515 for details.
|
|
