Is better to visit the Little Orme or the Great Orme? What is the difference? The Little Orme and Great Orme finally compared. Which one deserves your visit?
Little Orme
Why you shouldn't miss the Little Orme while staying in Llandudno? The Little Orme is the new Great Orme! Did you know that Little Orme is also called Christmas Mountain by locals?
The Little Orme is more about nature, lovely walks, breathtaking views and unforgettable memories. You will not find any fancy attractions here. It's just a little hill at the edge of the Llandudno but do not judge the book according to the cover.
How to get there?
It can take you up to 30-60 minutes walk (depends on your speed) to the top of the Little Orme from the Llandudno's Promenade. Expected budget is 0£. Follow the Promenade in the direction from the Great Orme, after reaching the end of the Promenade switch to the sidewalk (or beach) and go alongside the main road leading from the Llandudno.
You should be able to see the little hill on the horizon right next to the sea (that is your target). After a while, you will be forced to leave the beach and switch to the sidewalk (on the left side of your direction). You will pass several houses and a stoned wall which will appear next to the sidewalk will become your guide. (Stay on the left sidewalk and do not cross the road as visibility is limited and might be dangerous.) You are walking uphill and after several minutes there will be a gate in the wall which is locked but keep walking and the next wooden gate is open. You found the Little Orme.
Reaching the top
You can now reach the top and explore hidden gems. Follow the path leading from the wooden gate where you will reach a crossroad in a few minutes where going to the left is a faster way but more challenging and involves a bit of climbing. The path on the right takes more time but is not as steep as the path leading to the left. The choice is yours, No matter which path you picked after another a few minutes you should be standing on the top of the Little Orme. If you are lucky and you have nice weather you should have a great visibility.
Wonders of Llandudno
You have the best seat in the nature cinema playing Wonders of Llandudno. You can see the whole Llandudno, the Great Orme, beach with Promenade and the Llandudno Pier and on the other side mountains from the Snowdonia National Park on the horizon and the Penrhyn Bay. If you have still some time you can explore the Little Orme more and walk around.
Hidden Gem
If you will wander around a little more you will find a path leading to the hidden gem. At the end of this path is a hidden beach where you can see sometimes seals. (Please do not enter the beach and stay above the beach so you will not scare seals.)
Great Orme
Why is the Great Orme the most popular attraction in Llandudno? It attracts many people every single day because it offers various adventures and attractions not just for families, couples and singles but everyone will find some activity there. It's not necessary to have a big budget. You can enjoy the Great Orme for free as well.
How to get there?
The Great Orme is a big hill at the edge of Llandudno situated on the small peninsula surrounded by the sea (you can't miss it). If your plan is to reach the summit there are many ways how to get there.
You can go by Cable car (station is on the hill behind the pier or next to the Happy Valley) or by Tramway which has a station below Kings Head pub. These two options will take you directly to the summit.
Walking to the summit
If you decide to walk up to the top you have even more options. If you will start from west shore you can just follow a path going up to the Great Orme or you can also start from Lovers Walk and just keep going as path will lead you to the top as well. You can also start from Happy Valley where from its top is leading a path to the summit. Another option is to follow the road leading from the pier going along Happy Valley and going through the gate around the whole Great Orme. You will reach the road going to the top of the Great Orme after 2 km. If you will take this road you will be passing St Tudno's Church and you will reach the summit after a while.
Hidden Gems
The Great Orme is quite large and it can take about 2,5 hours to walk all the way around which makes a lot of space for several hidden gems which are spread all over the Great Orme. Don't miss St Tudno's Church which was built in 12th century. On the second side are copper mines offering a great adventure and not far away is Hill of Names (names and signs are made from stones). If you will walk all the way to the end of the Great Orme you can find there coffee/tea shop called Rest & Be Thankful with unforgettable sea views, not far away is a historical lighthouse (nowadays used as a hotel with three unique rooms). If you will explore that part a bit more you can find a few rocks which were used as tables for merchants to show and trade goods several centuries ago.
Great Orme Attractions
Other available activities are the Tram, Cable Car, Great Orme Summit, Copper Mines, Happy Valley, land train (two land trains are running there, where one will take you around the Great Orme and the second just to the West Shore) and artificial ski slope with toboggan & tubing situated above Happy Valley. How great is that to ski in the middle of the summer?
Comparison
Great Orme is more popular because of its size, several hiking trails, nature and nice views, easy access, many attractions and a few places where you can buy a meal/snack or a drink. You can enjoy Great Orme for as low as 0£ and if weather conditions are not pleasant there are still places or attractions for you to enjoy. You can easily spend there the whole day or even more.
Little Orme is not overcrowded and can offer breathtaking views and nature. You will not find any attractions on Little Orme which means you have to walk all the way up by yourself and the access is not all the way easy (especially at the beginning is path moderately steep). The size of Little Orme is much smaller than Great Orme so it will take you just about two hours to explore the whole little Orme (if you are in a hurry you can explore it in an hour). You can enjoy it for as low as 0£ as there are no opportunities where to spend money at all. If the weather gets bad there are no shelters. If you like nature, breathtaking views and not overcrowded places then Little Orme is a grate place to visit.
Visit full photo gallery of Great Orme and Little Orme
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