Conwy

Located within the town walls, made possible in one direction by a tunnel taking the line under the wall, and in the other through an archway constructed with sensitivity, at least by Victorian standards, to the ruins of the castle, Conwy station was opened in 1848. It is barely a ten minute walk up the hill from the station to the YHA, which was built in the nineteen sixties, and which became a youth hostel in 1997.

Conwy is most easily reached from Birmingham, Manchester, and Chester, with connections from Liverpool. The calling pattern has been increased, with a train in each direction roughly every two hours. If that still sounds like a long gap between trains, then there is plenty to do in the nearby town. Local shops, museums, pubs and the bustling quayside with boat trips, provide plenty of diversions.

The part of the journey from Chester to Conwy and beyond towards Bangor and Holyhead is particularly scenic, with the line running alongside the North Wales coast for long stretches.

Although the station is served only by Transport for Wales, a twice daily Avanti service passes through the station, on a route from London Euston to Holyhead. Here is one of the Avanti Voyagers passing through the station; these trains have now all been replaced by new 800 series ‘Everos’.

Once at Conwy, several other destinations are reached easily by train. Llandudno is reached by catching the train one stop to Llandudno Junction, and changing onto a service for Llandudno. Several trains each day are timed to connect at Llandudno Junction, in both directions. Llandudno is a famous Victorian seaside town, which has its own cable drawn tramway, taking passengers on a journey to the summit of the Great Orme. The summit can also be reached on foot via several routes, one being past the pier and through Happy Valley Gardens.

In the other direction can be found Penmaenmawr, once and still the site of a major roadstone quarry. Both the railway and the A55 North Wales Expressway hug the coastline at Penmaenmawr.

Walking up from the village, the quarry workings can be explored, albeit from a safe distance.