Saturday 27 July 2019

27/07/19 - Conwy - An Adventurous Pub Walk

Distance - 7.5 Miles
Walk Inspiration - Walk 36, AA Walks through Britain's History
Geocaches - 3
Pubs - 4 Good Beer Guide 2019 Entries - Liverpool Arms, Albion, Bank of Conwy, Erskine Arms



A lot to love on this walk - not least the fact that it heads past the front door of four Good Beer Guide 2019 Pubs.  In addition to quality beer, we can throw in a postcard perfect castle, a lovely stretch along an estuary, an optimistically labelled mountain and some wild moor land.

This ramble has it all - and the only thing we regret is parking in the 4 hour maximum stay Short Stay Car Park beneath the castle walls.   There's so much more we could have done.

The first 20 minutes of the 4 hours are spent taking photos.   Conwy is that sort of place.

Conwy Castle
All Walks should start at a Castle
Liverpool Arms
Too Early for the GBG Liverpool Arms
Britains Smallest House
Welsh lady hurrying up the tourists.  20 Japanese Tourists booked in.


We've gained a delightful walkaway along the estuary, passing what is marked on the OS map as a "Butterfly Jungle" before cutting inland on the Wales Coast Path.

Estuary Walk, looking back to the Castle
Views back to the castle, along the estuary
The Coast Path is going to take us over Conwy Mountain.   At 800ft, its a stretch to give it such a serious name but its a joy to climb through the purple heather, along remote paths and with views to the proper Snowdonia mountain ranges.

Climbing Conwy "Mountain"
Mrs M, not sure if she signed up for Mountain Walks
Conwy Mountain - Purple Heather
Gorgeous paths, views and colours

The rest of the walk is gorgeous but with similar views to those presented.   Wild moorland, views either to mountains or over Anglesey.  Many photos but they are mostly the same.

Wild Views
Rest of the Walk is either this, or the sea
A drop down back to the town, the only drama of the day navigating a field of bulls.   Mrs M sends me first but after I make it successfully across, refuses to come, heading off in a direction that won't get her to the three remaining pubs of the day.   If she want's lunch she's going to have to man up.

Of course, the bovines bellow to greet her bravery.

Into the town and entering through the town walls is suitably epic.

Back down through the Town Walls
How to end a walk
In December, there will be a look back and a review of my adventures.   Here we have 2019 "Walk of the Year".

Onto Refreshment.

With three remaining pubs and only an hour left on the Parking ticket - its going to have to be whittled down to 2.

As a Baggies fan, the Albion Ale House, was always likely to be a winner.   From the outside, its doesn't look much - a slightly down at heel old mans pub that Mrs M needs all of North Wales Camra's recommendation to enter.

Albion Ale House
We're the Albion

North Wales Pub of the Year (but 2016)
Advertising from 2016
Any concerns dissipate on entry.   The decorating budget has been spent inside this two roomed boozer.  All soft wooden hues and lighting more suited to a 1920's ballroom or the lounge on an ocean cruiser.

Superb decorations
Home of the Lovely Lamp Shades
Two friendly and knowledgeable bar ladies explained their wares and pointed me to a Purple Moose Lifeboat - which a beer that I couldn't find on UnTappd and must have been a renamed pale from their range - presumably with contributions to the appeal.

Successful first stop and we have 30 minutes for lunch.

The Bank of Conwy looked like it was doing a roaring trade but we bypassed for the more traditional Erskine Arms.

Banc of Conwy
Bank of Conwy
The Erskine Arms is a huge, smart hotel.   With tourists, families and a wedding party in the main lounge, a touch of exploring was required to find tranquility in "the study"

Erskine Arms
Good Beer Guide Goes Posh
Erskine Arms
My sort of space

Timothy Taylor Bolt Maker and a top quality fish finger sandwich rounded off a superb walk.

And we were back to the car two minutes before trouble.


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