Discover a collection of holiday cottages, farmhouses, barn conversions, and glamping pods, set on working farms within 10 miles of the coast in Conwy. A farm stay by the coast gives you the best of both worlds – laid-back rural charm and beautiful countryside with easy access to coastal walks, beach days, watersports, and stunning sea views.
The Conwy coast runs along the northern edge of Wales, where the peaks of Snowdonia meet the Irish Sea and the Great Orme, a massive limestone headland, rises from the water like the prow of a ship. This is a coast of contrasts with the elegant Victorian resort of Llandudno sitting in the shadow of one of the most dramatic headlands in Wales, while the medieval walled town of Conwy is dominated by its imposing castle reflected in the estuary. Beyond these well known landmarks lie quieter beaches and dune systems, rewarding visitors willing to venture a little further. Farm stays in Conwy are typically found the Conwy Valley or on the lower slopes of the surrounding hills, within easy reach of both the coast and the mountains of Snowdonia behind.
Llandudno’s North Shore is the county’s best known beach, a wide, gently curving bay of sand and shingle, backed by a Victorian promenade and one of the finest piers Wales. Combined with the historic tramway and cable car that climb to the summit of the Great Orme, it makes for an excellent family day out. Conwy Morfa Beach, nestled under the historic town walls is a quieter sandy and pebbly beach with stunning views of Conwy Castle and across to Anglesey. It’s dog-friendly throughout the year, and considerably less crowded than Llandudno. Colwyn Bay’s beach stretches for a mile of sand popular for range of watersports including jet skiing and windsurfing while Kinmel Bay has an attractive harbour with ideal conditions for paddle boarding and kayaking. Sea fishing is excellent from several points along the coast, and the Conwy Marina serves as the gateway to the Irish Sea for sailing boats and motor cruisers.
The Great Orme is also one of north Wale’s most important sites for wildlife. Its limestone grassland supporting a wide variety of butterflies in summer that feed on the wildflowers growing on its warm, sheltered slopes. It is also famous for its herd of wild Kashmir goats, one of the largest populations in Britain, which has roamed the headland for more than a century. Little Orme, to the east, is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its wildlife and provides good opportunities for seabird watching with fulmars and cormorants regularly seen along its cliffs. Just east beyond the county boundary, Gronant Dunes is home to Wales’s only breeding colony of little terns, protected and monitored throughout the nesting season by dedicated RSPB volunteers.
The Great Orme summit also offers some of the finest coastal walking in north Wales, with panoramic views over the Conwy estuary and the mountains beyond. The section of the Wales Coast Path from Llandudno to Conwy is one of the most dramatic stretches on the north Wales coast, passing beneath the Orme and arriving at the walled town with its castle and quayside. Conwy Mountain, on the inland section of the Coast Path, stands proud to the west of the town and gives wide views over the estuary and the Carneddau beyond.
Conwy mussels have been harvested from the estuary since medieval times and remain one of the Wales’s finest local delicacies. The mussel fishery on the Conwy is one of the oldest in Britain, producing shellfish renowned for their sweet flavour, shaped by the cold, clean tidal waters of the estuary. Enjoy them as a takeaway as you stroll along the castle walls taking in the wonderful views towards the mountains beyond.
