Colwyn Bay
Colwyn Bay
From Penmaen Head in the east a great, sandy bay sweeps round 3 miles to the little Orme -miles of sun and sand and blue sea, of boating and bathing and laziness. Along the coast three towns, Old Colwyn, Colwyn Bay, and Rhos-on-Sea, merge into the magnificent resort of the Borough of Colwyn Bay, justifiably one of Britain's most popular holiday places. Two piers, 3 miles of promenade, three golf courses, half a dozen cinemas, good shops, perfect sands, tennis courts, bowling greens, a cricket ground, swimming pool, model yacht pond and boating pond - these are some of the amenities that make Colwyn Bay the ideal spot for everybody's holiday. And yet they do no more than add to the natural attractions of the borough, for Colwyn has all the delights of the seaside with the restfulness of hill and stream and the majesty of the finest mountain background south of the Scottish border; has, in addition, a remarkable climate, sunny and dry in summer and so mild in winter that it rivals Torquay as a health resort. For the children, there is the long sweep of sand, and the safe bathing, the model yacht pond in Eirias Park, and many other attractions. For the golfer, the 18-hole Colwyn Bay club, 530 feet above sea level, invites not only a grand trial of skill but offers a panorama of mountain and sea that is hard to beat. Or the club at Rhos-on-Sea, laid out in the old bed of the Conway river, provides its own contrast, with its smooth, velvety turf and flat but difficult fairways. For those who find a full round perhaps too strenuous, the Old Colwyn Club has nine holes of sporting golf, while the miniature course in Eirias Park can fill in a pleasant hour. The holidaymakers who like a lazy holiday will find much to entertain them here. They can watch the tennis, or attend the galas or exhibitions in the swimming pool, laze on the beach, or in the Dingle, a delightful little tree-shaded valley to the east of the Prom. While the amusement centre of the town, Eirias Park, offers countless attractions. Perhaps finer than these are the 50-acre Pwllcrochan Woods to the south of the town, a public park full of sun and shade. The angler can have his fill, either near at hand with the coarse fishing off the piers, or for salmon and trout in the rivers Clwyd and Elwy, within easy reach, or, farther off, on the Llugwy and Lledr near Bettws-y-Coed. For the walker there is the delightful surrounding country, or the great hills of Snowdonia, towering up in a magnificent background. The country around is full of historical associations. At Rhos-on-Sea are the remains of the old monastery of Rhos Fynach, founded in the twelfth century. To the west of the Pier can be seen the relic of a Fishing Weir, said to have been built 700 years ago by the Cistercian monks of Conway, who prayed in the little chapel of St. Trillo, 1/4 mile west of the Pier, for a heavy catch. The Parish church, called Llandrillo church, offers a fine example of the Perpendicular style, though the tower is of even older Early English architecture. To the east of the Bay, at Llysfaen, there is a charming sixteenth-century manor house.
To the west, Euryn Hill contains the ruins of the court of Ednyfed, one of the most famous of Welsh princes. At Penmaenrhos, somewhat to the south, history tells us that King Richard II was betrayed to Bolingbroke. While, to go even farther back in history, the district has traces of ancient Roman roads, and, in its place names, such as Mochdre, suggestions of an even older civilisation, that of the Druids with their sacrificial rites. Old Colwyn, a quieter place than its neighbours, is very well sited on a gentle slope, appealing to those who delight in a restful holiday. Among its attractions is the Fairy Glen, a picturesque spot beyond the village.
Useful Links:
www.bestofthebay.co.uk
