Distance: 10.71 miles
Max Altitude: 129m
Min Altitude: 5m
Height Gain: 265m
Height Loss: 266m

I had a late start today due to having no mobile phone signal and needing to find somewhere with wifi in order to upload my blog. As soon as I managed to get it online, I was off.  I started where I had left off on the promenade at Rhôs. Foreboding clouds billowed above me.

The first landmark I walked past was the tiny St Trillo’s Chapel, one of the smallest in the British Isles with enough seating for just six people.

In a kilometre or so, I entered Penrhyn Bay, where I could have walked along the beach had the tide been out. As it was at high tide, I was routed into a suburb, and from there got on to Little Orme, the smaller of the two headlands that flank Llandudno. Little Orme is a pretty pedestrian name but the Welsh name is utterly spectacular – Trwyn y Fuwch, which means ‘the cow’s nose’.

I walked to the edge of a cliff and saw the head of a seal bobbing below. Sadly, I didn’t manage to get him on camera.

I got a bit lost after that due to missing waymarks. But a very kind woman who was visiting her sheep (yes, really) showed me the way, and on I went down into Llandudno.

As I strode along the promenade, I marvelled at the Victorian architecture.

I headed towards the Great Orme (y Gogarth in Welsh). From a certain angle it looked like a giant sleeping crocodile. I came upon the pier and decided to sample the delights.

https://instagram.com/p/BHiV7vsh-O7/

When I saw this, I couldn’t resist –

It wasn’t granting wishes, so I couldn’t wish ‘to be big’. Instead, it told my fortune –

Half way down the pier I saw an ice cream vendor so in I went for a cone. Rum ‘n raisin – beautiful. As I was leaving I got dive bombed by this chancer of a seagull so had to duck to get out of the way. A few seconds later a seagull (not sure if it was the same one or if they work in gangs in these parts), swooped down on me like a pterodactyl, grabbed the cone out of my hand and flew off with it in its beak. I stood there with my mouth wide open, gobsmacked. A couple from Liverpool were sitting nearby; the woman shook her head in dismay, “Ahhh, disgusting, look at that. It’s the fourth one we’ve seen today”. I started wondering about the possibilities of disguising a hand grenade as an ice cream but remembered that (a) I don’t have a hand grenade, and (b) I’m a vegetarian.

I decided against getting a replacement ice cream on health and safety grounds. I got off the pier, still in disbelief, and started the ascent up the Great Orme with the pier and Llandudno behind me.

I needed to get a move on as my plan was to watch Wales v Portugal in Deganwy. But the ascent was making my progress slow, as was the fact that I kept stopping every 30 seconds to marvel at the view. But you can’t blame me.

I rounded the tip of the Orme and suddenly had views over to Conwy, Penmaenmawr and the eastern side of Ynys Môn (Anglesey). I looked at my watch. Time was ticking. It was a straight descent into Deganwy from here, all the way down the Orme. So I decided to jog the rest of the way in order to be there in time for kick off.

My knees coped well and I got there just in time for the anthem. And although the result didn’t go Wales’ way, I felt nothing but pride for the team. They’ve done more for our country in the past three weeks than many people realise. Together stronger.

Daeth i ben deithio byd

Ond bydol yw ein bedydd…