Conwy
County stretches from the Great Orme on the Creuddyn Peninsula
in the north to Llyn ( Lake) Conwy in the South, and from the mountain
known as Glyder Fawr, near the Pass of Llanberis
in the west, to Llyn Brenig near Denbigh in the east. The geographical
feature of the county and indeed the landmark that gives the county its
name is the River Conwy.
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The river rises on the Migneint moor at Llyn Conwy (Lake Conwy), then
flows toward
Betws y Coed in a
series of rapids and massive waterfalls. The tributaries Afon Machno
and Afon Lledr join the Conwy at the eastern end of the Lledr valley
prior to the Conwy reaching Betws-y-Coed, where it is also joined by
the Afon Llugwy. All three tributaries are turbulent 
and
consist of rapids and picturesque waterfalls before their confluence
with the Conwy. From Betws-y-Coed the river continues to flow north
in a more sedate manner through Llanrwst,
Trefriw and Glan Conwy before reaching the Irish Sea at Conwy.
During high spring tides the river is tidal as far as Llanrwst and
when combined with heavy rain the river floods the lower reaches of
the Conwy Valley.
To the west of the river Conwy is the Snowdonia National Park including
the Lakes of Llyn Eigiau, Llyn Cowlyd, Lyn Crafnant, and Llyn
Geirionydd. The lakes are found on the high lands between the mountains
of the county of Conwy : Tal y Fan 610
metres, Foel Fras 942m, Carnedd
Llewelyn 1062m, Carnedd Dafydd 1044m, Y Tryfan 917m, Glyder Fawr 999m,
Glyder Fach 994m and Moel Siabod 872m. There are several delightful villages
along the western bank of the Conwy including Trefriw, Dolgarrog, Tal
y Bont, Ty'n y Groes, Rowen and Henryd. Each and everyone of these villages
is a gateway to delightful walks among the foothills of Snowdonia.
To
the east of the river Conwy the county takes on more of a lowland agricultural
look and there are many small villages scattered about the verdant landscape.
But the green fields are cut deep by steep river valleys. If it was possible
to travel in a straight line from the river Conwy to the river Clwyd in
the east the ride would be like a fairground roller coaster. As it is
the roads twist and turn up and down and round and round the hills and
valleys making lengthy journeys of the shortest trip, but they are well
worth it for the fantastic views. Head further south and the scenery takes
on a moor-ish look, not camels and sand dunes but heath and moorlands.
Here are the bleak windswept lakes of Llyn
Brenig, Llyn Aled, Llyn Alwen and the Alwen reservoir, choose the
day of your visit carefully or, unless you are a hardy angler, you may
regret the visit.
If it's sunshine your after for your holiday...head to the north coast
of Conwy. It is a proven fact that the towns on the north coast of Conwy
and Denbighshire are some of the sunniest places in the United Kingdom.
From Llandudno, and Colwyn
Bay through Rhyl to Prestatyn
the sunshine records show how the " Föhn effect "
delivers much longer hours of sunshine and warmer temperatures than would
be expected for seaside resorts on the north coast of Wales. ( Föhn
Effect : Bad 
weather
ascends a mountain, when it descends on the lee side, it is drier and
also warmer. In north wales this happens when the south westerly winds
travel over the Snowdonia Mountain range and descend toward the coast.)
Llandudno is known as the "queen"
of the welsh resorts. This probably alludes to the resort being the top
Welsh seaside resort rather than the town having a "gay old time".
But Fred (Flintstone) and Barney (Rubble) would feel at home in this Conwy
holiday resort, especially on Llandudno's Great Orme limestone headland
pocketed with many caves, ..................some still occupied in the
early 20th century.
