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A pleasant, if unduly hard, paddle offering changing scenery and no car shuttle but with foul tides.

HWLB	12:07 bst 9.4m 20 July 1997
Embark	10:15
Egress	15:15
Distance	25 km
Wind	Light
Sea	Smooth

This journey can be started either from Deganwy (GR776792) on the east bank of the River Conwy or from the Beacons (GR774792) on the west bank. Both offer good parking and a reasonable access to the water at all tide levels over a steep and stony bank. The river flow at this part of the tide was about 3 knots, in the wrong direction, so once on the water dash for an eddy. Follow the right hand shore to the end of the headland. We arrived 11:20 against a 0.5 knot tide. This is the start of the high and steep cliffs. After a while a cove of about 100m in diameter is found, a cave may be found at the right hand end of the cove. If you get to the Old Lighthouse (stone house on the cliff, not a tower) then you missed the cave.

At a different state of the tide you may also miss the cave if the Clapotis is occupying your time. We passed Pen-trwyn point at 12:10 followed by an expectedly hard paddle to the lunch stop on a hot and busy LLandudno beach. WC in cliff near Grand Hotel.

The return started with a quick flow to the Lighthouse (Oh what Bliss). After we rounded the headland we were again into the foul 0.5 knot tide. Having studied the drying heights I led the group directly towards Penmaen-back to avoid the risk of being cut off by sand banks. This however resulted in a very hard 30 minute paddle up the river channel (2 knot minimum). On arriving back at the egress the group was keen to point out the narrow channel that followed the shore which would have avoided the hard paddle and the heavy traffic. The channel being paddleable till 17:15.

Variations

Try on the ebb tide with lunch on the Little Ormes Head.

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