Welcome to North Wales! We have some big shoes to fill after previous years fantastic (and perhaps slightly more exotic!) conferences. Please find below some information on the local area to hopefully give you a taste of what’s to come next year, and some ideas should you wish to extend your stay beyond the conference.
The conference will be held in 2 rooms in the Victorian sea front hotel, St George’s, in the heart of Llandudno. Accommodation can be booked through the hotel directly at a special INA19 conference rate if you wish to stay. A mixture of twin and double rooms are available, as well as roof top sea view suits with balconies overlooking the prom. More details to follow.
Llandudno
Llandudno has been chosen as the host town for INA 19 and is a traditional Victoria seaside resort located on a peninsula jutting out into the Irish Sea. The town itself is built on the flat land, once reclaimed from the sea, between two large Early Carboniferous limestone outcrops known as the Great Orme and the Little Orme.
The town has two beaches; the stunning West Shore, located about 1 mile from the centre of town with it’s long sandy beach, clear, shallow waters, and stunning views across to the mountains of the Snowdonia National Park and to the Isle of Anglesey. Seals, porpoise and dolphins reside in the waters here, so keep a look out! The sand and pebble beach at North Shore is located in town, flanked by the limestone cliffs of the Great Orme and the Little Orme, and home to a Victorian pier with all the traditional seaside attractions, including a Ferris wheel to take in the views! The grand promenade runs the length of the curved North Shore Bay, from the end of the pier down to the Little Orme, and is backed by beautifully preserved traditional Victorian hotels and restaurants, including the St Georges, INA 19 host venue, and Dylans restaurant – host for the gala dinner.
The town itself is a tourists haven, home to an array of high street shops mixed with independent outlets, traditional pubs and plenty of cafes, restaurants and coffee shops to suit all tastes and budgets.
As well as the host venue, the St George’s which will provide accommodation at a reduced conference rate, Llandudno is packed full of accommodation with something to suit everyone, and is just 5 miles away from the medieval walled town of Conwy, a UNESCO world heritage site, famed for its town walls and castle, with the stunning mountains of the Snowdonia National Park providing a fitting back drop.
Conwy
The small walled town if Conwy, with its impressive 13th Century castle stands on the west bank of the Conwy River, and is surrounded by the mountains on the Northern most edge of the Snowdonia National Park. Conwy castle and its town walls form part of the UNESCO World Heritage ‘castles and town walls of King Edward in Gwynedd’.
Conwy town is a fantastic place to spend some time wandering, with many attractions for such a small town. Aswell as the castle and walls, you can walk across the Conwy suspension bridge, visit the smallest house in Great Britain on Conwy quay, where colourful boats bob in the harbour as well as visit Plas Mawr, a beautifully preserved Elizabethan town house, built in 1576.
Conwy is also home to an array of independent shops, boutiques, small quirky cafes, restaurants and delis, as well as (in the author’s opinion!) the best ice cream shop, Parisellas! Just watch out for the seagulls if you do decide to try your luck eating outside, they are known to swoop on unsuspecting tourists from behind!
The local area
North Wales is home to some of the most beautiful scenery in the British Isles, with varied landscapes from the hills and mountains of Snowdonia National Park, with its glistening lakes, rivers and waterfalls, miles of forests and pretty traditional Welsh towns and villages. The industrial history of the park is seen all around, with ruined remains of mining villages and the mines dot the landscape.
The Isle of Anglesey is famous for its geology, with many outcrops of Precambrian and Palaeozoic bedrock to be examined, as well as its beautiful landscapes. Soaring cliffs, home to sea birds in the spring and summer, and hidden sandy coves are typical of the North and East coasts, with golden sandy beaches, home to surfers on a windy day, and miles of sand dunes and pine forests lining the West.
About 45 minutes by car or train from Llandudno is the Roman City of Chester. Chester was founded by the Romans in AD 79, and is a beautiful small city to explore on foot. Set on the banks on the River Dee with Roman ruins, amphitheatres, casltes and the historic 13th Century Rows to explore, as well as a gothic cathedral, museums and a complete city walls. Add to this a vibrate café and pub scene, with independent shops and restaurants, Chester is fantastic place to visit if you wish to extend your stay in the area for a day or two.
More information can be found in the following links.
https://visitnorthwales.co.uk/
https://www.visitconwy.org.uk/
https://snowdonia.gov.wales/visit/
https://www.visitanglesey.co.uk/en/
https://www.visitcheshire.com/chester
