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THE GREAT ORME SUMMIT EXPERIENCE

..... NEXT Summit Complex
Compiled by Noel Walley


As one approaches by road from the Marine Drive and Saint Tudno's Church, one sees the long low range of buildings that makes up the halfway station on the famous Great Orme Tramway, which is quite the easiest way to climb the Great Orme. The half way station is just a short walk from the famouse Bronze Age Copper Mine and tramway passengers can break their journey to visit the mine.


Above is the entrance to the world famous heritage site, the Great Orme Bronze Age Copper Mine. 
Pyllau Farm seen in the distance have recommended tea-gardens.
The road from Saint Tudno's crosses the tramway just as it starts to climb the one in ten upper section.



Trams passing at the midway loop on the upper section -
 note the modern aerial cabin cars on the left and the public road on the right.
(photo © Adam Brown, August 2008)



Approaching the summit and looking back at the superb views of Llandudno town and bay and beyond.





Car number 7 leaving the summit. The ice cream kiosk is very busy in Summertime.





Car number 7 departing the summit and passing the children's adventure playground.
If you came via the marine drive your toll includes free parking at the summit - otherwise a parking fee of £2 is payable by pay and display. The Summit Complex building was originally 'The Telegraph Inn' from where messages were relayed between Holyhead and Liverpool advising of the imminent arrival of sailing ships laden with valuable cargo. Later, much re-built as 'The Summit Hotel', it served as the 19th hole for the Great Orme Golf Club that closed in 1939. The site of the golf course is now a sheep farm. During the second world war it reverted to a signalling purpose and became the RAF Great Orme Radar Station.  Attempts to revive the Golf Club after the war failed and the restored Hotel was purchased by the middle-weight boxer, Randolph Turpin.  Since when, despite Turpin's bankruptcy and suicide, the hotel has continued to be associated in various ways with his name (e.g. Randy's Bar) and there is considerable cult publicity. But it is now also called 'The Summit Complex'. 



Discretely hidden behind the Summit Complex is the upper terminus of the Great Orme Aerial Cable Car, which (at more than a mile from its Happy Valley base station) is the longest aerial cabin line in the British Isles.
Just below the summit is the semicircular face of The Bishop's Quarry (on land given to the Bishop of Bangor by King Edward I in 1284 - the church sold the land in 1891) and in which many ancient fossils have been found.  People are forbidden to climb and the removal of fossils is naturally also forbidden, however, many traces of fossils are still visible and, with all that quarry debris lying around, this is the perfect adventure playground. Yet, when I visited in late April there was not a scrap of litter. There are several excellent well marked walking routes and descriptive leaflets and maps are available from the Summit Visitor Centre. Click this link for more information on the Great Orme Country Park.
PEACE - This is text messaging with a difference! Expensive equipment not needed!

All this wonderful outdoor activity on a nice sunny day is fine, but for:
 'how to dodge the occasional shower'
click the above link for the Great Orme Summit Complex and Visitor Centre,
which together with the many outdoor facilities make the summit a great experience.
The Great Orme Summit is in good order and ready to receive visitors.



View from the top - Llandudno

Photographs © 2005 Noel Walley last updated February, 2009.

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