Easy hikes and walks around Colwyn Bay

Colwyn Bay Beach is a golden, three-mile playground perfect for seaside strutting! With its sleek, modern promenade and soft sands, it’s a haven for: Watersports: Ideal for jet-skiing or kayaking. Relaxation: Plenty of space for sunbathing and sandcastles.

The reference to "Ednyfed's Castle" is related to Ednyfed Fychan (c. 1170–1246), a powerful Welsh nobleman, warrior, and ancestor of the Tudor dynasty. He was the distain (seneschal or chief minister) to the Princes of Gwynedd, Llywelyn the Great and his son, Dafydd ap Llywelyn. Ednyfed's vast landholdings and manors were scattered across North Wales, and he is associated with at least two sites where a defensible residence or "castle" of a Welsh lord would have stood. What it was: This site, on Bryn Euryn hill, is traditionally believed to be the location of one of Ednyfed's main manors (or llys, a native Welsh court). The "Castle": The structure associated with Ednyfed would have been an earlier, probably timber, defensive structure like a motte and bailey castle, typical for a Welsh lord of the 13th century. Current Site: Today, the site is dominated by the ruins of the later 15th-century fortified manor house known as Llys Euryn, which was built on the same spot.

"This fascinating building is thought to be the smallest church in the British Isles, seating only 6 people. It is named after St. Trillo, a 6th century Celtic saint who built his cell here. The age of the present building is not known, as it has been heavily repaired over the centuries. St. Trillo’s original cell is more likely to have been made of wood and wattle, although he may have built a wall of stones gathered from the beach to protect it from the wind." You can find out more here; Source: https://colwynbayheritage.org.uk/st-trillos-chapel-rhos-on-sea-heritage-walk/

Rhos on Sea is described as neat, pristine and peaceful. There is a long seaside promenade and great views.

Panoramic views of Penrhyn Bay, the little orme, conwy valley and all the way over to denbighshire.

The tranquillity of Bryn Euryn hill, 365 feet above sea level, belies a dramatic yet little known past. Iron and Dark Age strongholds, the medieval castle of a notable Welshman and a later fortified mansion have all been built here, and a Roman expeditionary force disappeared nearby. Bryn Euryn rises above the North Wales town of Colwyn Bay, dominating the old Welsh kingdom of Rhos. The ancient fortresses stood on its summit and the ruins of the fortified mansion are on its seaward slope. Historical records hint that Ednyfed had a castle here but where was it? The site commands extensive views of the Conwy Valley and coast, and was once the location of a hillfort, which was initially excavated in the autumn of 1997 for the Gwynedd Archaeological Trust. The excavations revealed a "massive, well-built" wall formed from quarried limestone, believed to have once been 3 m (9.8 ft) high and to have been fronted by 3.5 m (11 ft) of rubble. There were no archaeological discoveries permitting a certain identification, but the pre-Norman layout led David Longley, the study's director, to connect it with the early-6th century king of Rhos Cynlas the Red on the basis of the "Bear Den" (Latin: receptaculi ursi) mentioned in Gildas's passage on him and the surviving local name of the area as Dinerth, "Fort Bear" The hilltop was used again in World War II first as an observation post by the Home Guard; it was then used by the RAF as one of the first radar posts used to detect German bombers heading to Liverpool.[

The ruined remains of Llys Euryn sit upon a wooded shoulder of Bryn Euryn — Three sides of the building remain, with the remains of interior walls, a complete fireplace and chimney stack rising to around 50 feet, two other fireplaces and windows. More than anything else, its history makes this one of the more intriguing and important historical buildings in north Wales. Llys Euryn was one of the local estates in the Dinerth area owned and occupied by Ednyfed Fychan (d. 1246) — full name Ednyfed Fychan ap Cynwrig — who was seneschal to the Kingdom of Gwynedd in northern Wales, serving Llywelyn the Great and his son Dafydd ap Llywelyn. He was the ancestor of Owen Tudor and thereby of the Tudor dynasty. It is thought that the house was burnt in 1409 during the revolt of Owain Glyndŵr and restored or rebuilt shortly afterwards. The present structure is late medieval and may be the house occupied by the Conwy Family until 1629 when it was sold to Sir Peter Mutton. During the working life (end of the 19th century) of the nearby limestone quarry, a small hut was built against one of the walls which was believed to house the blasting materials. An amateur attempt was made to demolish the distinctive chimney stack and although a hole was blown in the side of the fireplace, the chimney remained standing. The site was left overgrown and largely overlooked until the late 1990s. During 1998/1999 the site was subject to a serious conservation project. Much of the vegetation was stripped away, the interior walls and a large fireplace were uncovered, the blasting hut removed and the hole in the chimney filled-in. Finally, stone chippings were added to prevent further vegetation growth and an informative sign about the sites history was erected.

Stretching over three miles, Colwyn Bay can boast a longer beach than Rio’s Copacabana! The sandy & shingle beach has seen big developments over recent years, with the addition of new sandy areas and a state of the art water sports centre. The promenade stretches the length of the beach, overlooking the miles of sand beneath. Dogs have restricted access to the beach – although some parts are dog friendly. There’s plenty of parking on the promenade.