I would be selling the region incredibly short if I were to say I had completed it all within my one-day visit
After 270 miles, 12 hours and a few thousand steps, I had completed what I set out to do – enjoy a one-day visit taking in all of what North Wales has to offer. I visited the region on a gloomy Sunday and indulged in all things Welsh thanks to the sightseeing company Busy Bus.
The North Wales Adventure tour, priced at £69 per adult, starts at 08:45am with the coach picking you up outside the World Museum on William Brown Street.
The excursion provides a snap-shot of the beautiful, and arguably overlooked part of the UK – with an hour of the trip being dedicated to Conwy, a pit-stop at some waterfalls, a walk along Llandudno Pier and a chance to gawk at the alluring Snowdonia.
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Here is everything I got to appreciate on the tour:
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Enchanting medieval town
The charming town of Conwy will catapult you back in time. The quaint cobbled market town is a popular Welsh destination – hardly a surprising statement when you see the beautiful estuary and marina for yourself. With a rain shower looming on my visit, I headed straight to the town’s ancient quay to see what it had to offer and it didn’t disappoint.
The laid-back atmosphere was contagious along the whole of the harbour with a string of boats rocking gently in front of the bumpy hills of Deganwy in the distance.
The Liverpool Arms, a relic of its time, was the ideal traditional pub to sit and watch the world go by. With an ice-cold Magners in one hand and heavily salted fish, chips and mushy peas straight from the wrapper in the other, the walled town was already starting to capture my heart.
Guinness World Record
Just a stone’s throw away from the Liverpool Arms tavern, and unbeknownst to me, was a Guinness World Record holder. Found wedged at the end of a row of cottages is the smallest house in Great Britain. Not knowing what I was in for, I joined the queue to see what was inside and for the entry price of £1.50, who could blame me?
The national treasure was well worth the few minutes of my time with a special atmosphere being felt inside. It’s fair to say there isn’t much to see – literally – but worth adding the unique piece of history to your must-visit list if you do find yourself in Conwy. Measuring just 122 inches tall, 72 inches wide and with 1.5m squared of usable floor, the unique home, is definitely worth ducking your head for, to step inside.
The quirky red house may be miniscule but it is extremely practical with the majority of things you would need to survive daily being able to fit inside. There’s enough space for a single bed, a fireplace and a coal bunker but you need to visit it to see for yourself as photos are rarely taken inside.
Conwy Castle
Of course, no visit to Conwy would be complete without a blustery wander around the exceptionally well-preserved castle. The famous fortress, which was £15 to enter, has plenty of photo opportunities – but be prepared to earn them as the steep, and at times questionable, steps can be a challenge.
Going at your own pace around the brainchild of Edward I, you can truly imagine how those sitting at the top of the hierarchy in years gone by used to live. There was so much more I had on my to-do list; Bodnant Gardens, The Albion Ale House and Aberconwy House to name just a few. It is definitely a location where you could easily spend all weekend soaking up all the historic sights and exploring the gorgeous scenery and cobbled streets. Until next time Conwy.
Waterfall walks
A dramatic movie-scene-like backdrop was also visited on my trip. Wales may not have Niagara or Victoria Falls, but it certainly competes in beauty with its white-water rapids and gushing cascades. One particular set of waterfalls, located in the Ogwen Valley of Snowdonia, I would say are a must-visit for any nature lover or photography enthusiast.
The waterfalls can be found along the Cwm Idwal Walk, which was recently named the top walk to do within a national park and thankfully for us, it is within easy reach of Merseyside. Although it offers a challenging circular walking route – the views make it all worthwhile.
The mountain views look out over the Cwm Idwal, a bowl-shaped hollow lake, and the misty air lured you in further as if you were compelled to appreciate the beauty up close. The hanging valley is surrounded by some of the highest peaks in Snowdonia. The glacial valley, renowned for its geology, was truly a natural wonder.
As you head around the trail, you can explore leisurely routes that include off-the-beaten-track highlights. Some of the scenes, ironically enough, reminded me of some of the scenes from Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson’s Twilight franchise. The dispersed, barely leafed and scrawny tree trunks could have easily been the backdrop for many of the vampire versus werewolf fights throughout the saga.
At the start, or end of the circular walk route depending on which direction you head in first, there is a car park, a visitors centre and a shop. For this reason, I would say it is more accessible than some of the other waterfall routes in and around Merseyside.
