Great Orme Country Park

The Great Orme is Llandudno’s mini-mountain and it’s rich in natural and man-made history.

You really can’t miss it. There it is, at the end of the prom, next to Wales’s longest pier.

The Great Orme headland is a massive chunk of limestone that rises 207m/679ft straight out of the sea. Little wonder that its name, given by the Vikings, means ‘sea monster’.

It may be big and bold, but it’s a friendly kind of place too. A long-standing Llandudno favourite, along with Punch and Judy and donkeys on the beach.

Hop on the cable car or the Great Orme tramway and you’re soon at the top where you’ll find a Visitor Centre (closed in winter). You can reach the top by walking or driving too.

The top of the Great Orme is the best place to explore the fascinating geology, archaeology, wildlife and the history of this headland. It is thought to be over 350 million years old.

The Great Orme is recognised as a Country Park, Special Area of Conservation, Site of Special Scientific Interest and Heritage Coast. Its different habitats range from rich heathlands to sheer sea cliffs and limestone grassland to woodland. They support a wide variety of plants and wildlife.

Some species, such as choughs, are very rare. Others, like the silver-studded blue butterfly, are unique to the Great Orme.

You should have no problem in spotting its most famous residents, the wild Kashmir goats with their shaggy white coats and fearsome horns.

To learn more about the Great Orme’s history, you can follow the nature trail from the Great Orme Country Park Visitor Centre. There are information points along the route which tell you all about the story of the headland.

The Great Orme Ancient Mine, the world’s largest Bronze Age mine, is also well worth a visit.

And the quickest way back down to sea level? Ski, snowboard, sno-tube or toboggan from the Llandudno Ski Slope and Snowboard Centre (no snow needed).