Growing up in the Midlands as part of a working-class family, our yearly holiday adventure consisted of a three or four-night trip to North Wales.
A few weeks into the school summer holidays, my two brothers and I would bundle into the back of our navy blue Ford Escort Estate and tease each other the whole two and a half hour journey — playfully on the way there, but cruelly on the way home. We’d be exhausted from the sea air and evenings spent catching crabs with cracked open mussel shells on LLandudno’s old wooden pier.
Nearly 25 years since I last visited on family jaunts and with memories of penny arcades, Punch and Judy shows and fresh-out-of-the-fryer fish and chips served in vinegar-soaked newspaper swirling around my mind, my mum and I decided to make the journey back to North Wales to see how it fares as a multi-generational destination in later life.
At 39, my Punch and Judy days are behind me, but I’m still partial to a nostalgia-inducing jaunt to the great British seaside, and my mum, 58, was fully on board too.
Here’s how we spent the weekend, without too many disagreements.
What to see and do
First and foremost, we wanted to see how well Llandudno had aged, so we drove from the cute countryside cottage we’d rented an hour or so away to the Victorian seaside town and its 19th-century pier. Upon arrival, it dawned on me that childhood memories maybe shouldn’t be revisited too often since Llandudno was heaving and the images I’d long harboured of fluffy pink candy floss, long evenings crab catching, and fun strolls along the wooden Grade II listed pier quickly evaporated.
Lesson number one: avoid visiting Llandudno on a weekend. Still, we managed to make the most of it by taking a walk around the Great Orme, now a local nature reserve that’s covered in pretty heathland, plenty of sheep, and pretty uninterrupted sea views.
Swerving the jam-packed promenade that curves round Llandudno Bay, we refuelled on fish, chips, mushy peas, and classic chip shop curry sauce from Fish Tram Chips and enjoyed them sitting on the pebbles of West Shore Beach. Here, the only interruptions to the whimsical views came from squawking seagulls, who not only seem bigger than I remembered but more aggressive, too — eat at your peril.
Outside of Llandudno, we enjoyed visiting some of the hidden bays on the coastal drive towards Pen-y-ffordd, where we were staying — highlights for both of us included tiny Angel Bay, where gorgeous grey seals laze languidly in the sun and Talacre Beach to photograph the iconic 1776 Point of Ayr Lighthouse nestled amid the dunes.
Since we both like hunting out obscure or little-visited attractions, we also made a detour to the ominous-looking Duke of Lancaster, a colossal former passenger ship that was purposely run aground by its owners. Now abandoned, the ship looms above the horizon, giving off an eerie air.
Inland, we sought out Maen Achwyfan Cross, the tallest stone Wheelcross in the UK, standing at 12ft high. Believed to be over 1,000 years old, it’s covered in ancient carvings depicting animals, chains, Celtic crosses, and knot work and juts out of the middle of a field close to the village of Berthengam.
What to eat and drink
We mostly explored by day, stopping along the way for fish and chips, light bites, or the occasional scone with jam and clotted cream at places like Tu Hwnt I'r Bont, before hunkering down come evening time to cook in the spacious farmhouse-esque kitchen at our Airbnb.
Of the meals we had out, our favourite was the Sunday roast at White Lion Inn in Holywell, a gem of a pub decked out with old copper kettles, roaring fires, mounted antlers on walls and a few startled stuffed foxes. Traditional, homey and comfortable, this is the sort of pub we both adore and the menu didn’t disappoint either, with Welsh beef, Welsh leg of lamb and roast pork with crackling all featuring on the menu, each served with dripping roast potatoes.
Where to stay
Our digs were the highlight of our break since we booked the cutest three-bedroom cottage with its very own stream and outdoor fire pit, all set in eight acres of idyllic woodland. Available to book on Airbnb, it was a toss-up between the quaint former Miller’s cottage, a well-designed seafront holiday apartment in Conway close to Bull Bay. But after much deliberation, my mum had the final say and opted for the sweet cottage, Garth Mill, that dates back to at least 1743 — I just hoped it wasn’t haunted.
The three spacious bedrooms, decorated in pastel shades and pretty wallpaper, ensured the home was ideal for our multi-gen break (we had enough space if we needed a little time apart, yet the cosy lounge was ideal for lazing in), but it would equally suit groups of friends travelling from London, too.
Brimming with history, the owners have kept many of the cottage’s original features, including a large flagstone that sits outside the front door, as well as an old paraffin lamp and a church pew.
It’s extremely quiet, well-decorated and well equipped for longer stays, plus everyone, from all generations, will adore the selection of local walks spanning out from the cottage’s front door.
Garth Mill cottage starts from £159 a night and is listed on Airbnb
