RootsChat.Com
Wales (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Wales => Denbighshire => Topic started by: Brains on Monday 13 August 07 04:35 BST (UK)
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HI Anyone,
Does anyone know if people still walk up Conway Mountain,
I used to visit Conway when I was a young girl, My Grandma had a Caravan there, the Caravan site was opposite the Mountain, just wondered if the Caravan site is still there??
the last time I was there was when I was 17 in 1963. I am now 61. I spend many days climbing the mountain then going over the other side, and down through a farm cottage, and finished up at a little cafe near Conway Quay, where the Littlest house in Great Britain is.
Just wondered if any one has any old photos of arround that time of the caravan site, Unfortunately I dont know the name of the Caravan site. Or any photos of Conway Mountain.
I remember there was a long walk to the beach there, and there was swings.
Appreciate any help thanks.
Regards
Barbara Mcvey(Leah) from Australia.
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Barbara - if you do a google image search for "smallest house in Great Birtain" many images will come up. It really looks beautiful too !
This one looks very good:
http://www.francisfrith.com/search/gwynedd/conwy/photos/conwy_photos.htm
Have alook at the last paragraph on this page. Might this be your caravan park?
http://www.icaravans.com/tourist_attraction_14_Stunning%20Conwy%20-%20North%20Wales.html
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Hi Barbara
If you look on flashearth at this link you will see the caravan parks are still there!
http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=53.285711&lon=-3.846267&z=14.8&r=0&src=msl
I left the area in 1975 but a visit "home" last year confirmed it is still as beautiful as ever!
Heather
(in Vancouver)
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Hi Barbara
If you go to the link below and search on Conwy Mountain, there are several photds, Just make sure you use the top search field
Andy
http://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php
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The caravan park is called Pendyffryn Caravan Park and is still there, close to the A55 (which wasn't built then.) It is in a place called Dwygyfylchi, next to Penmaenmawr. The mountain you climbed to get over to Conwy is called Alltwen.
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Hi Barbara,
When I read your post, the memories came flooding back..it was during the 60's when I stayed at the caravan site, I recall it was on Morfa beach and I think that was the name of the caravan park at that time.
We would walk over the railway bridge, cross the road and climb the mountain, it was great. Simple pleasures then. :D
It has changed a lot with the A55 fast tracking through the area. Drivers still honk their horn when driving through the tunnel on the way to and from Penmaenmawr! Maybe someone can tell us what that is all about?
Jean
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Sorry, I was on the wrong side of Conwy mountain!
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Hello Brains,
I can confirm that Conwy Mountain has changed very little in the years I have been walking up it. It remains a beautiful place which is quiet and away from the madding hordes.
My father was up there with the army in the period 1943-45. They used to test explosives up there in the Second World War. He liked to venture there in the 1960s and recalled his bygone army days.
The favourite walk was up to the mountain along the road out of Conwy and all along the top down into Sychnant Pass, on to Dwygyfylchi and a cup of tea!
Jo
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Hi, I was just remembering about my holidays spent in Conway at the Morfa site and so I checked it out on the computer. I came accross this thread. The caravan site has now changed quite a lot. It is now much smaller.
In the 60s and 70s the place was crammed full of excited holidayers, trudging up and down Conway mountain, along the road or beach into the town. The beach was always full of people and the sun always seemed to shine. You could buy a "Nickerbocker Glory at the site Cafe, and fish and chips in the evenings.
Nowadays, the path up the mountain from the bridge is fenced off. the beach is usually deserted. and the caravan site is a much more quiet and reserved place.
It has lost some of it`s magic. Conway is still beautiful But I suppose everything changes, and not always for the better.
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My mum and dad had a van on the old Morfa. It closed in approx 1986 due to thE a55 being built Use dto be an arcade on it, chipshop, showers, shop, cafe and laundrette, Caouncil run site with no mains power or water. Really good site with loads of good memories. I am now 40 yrs old and we have a van on teh Bryn Morfa site, which us people on the morfa used t orefer t oa sthe posh site!!!!
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My family lived in Birkenhead in the early 70’s and we had a caravan at Morfa at that time until 1975 when we moved to Cornwall. I was nine years old when we left and have extremely fond memories of our stays at Morfa. We certainly made good use of the caravan. When the caravan was moved to its plot around Easter until early Autumn, we used to travel straight to Conway most Friday nights (picking my brother up from Cub Scouts on the way!). We would also stay there for most of the school holidays as well. My Dad was a co director in a large central heating company so was able to take the leave when he wanted (which was great for us kids!). He had other friends from the Wirrall that also had caravans on the site. Next to our caravan was Sid and Lillian Healey (Grandparents of Austen Healey the England Rugby player from recent years), and not far away were the Sampsons (Kevin Sampson now a well known author from the area). My Dad, Sid and the Sampons had speed boats that they used to launch from the slipway at Conwy and then travel down the river (always fast flowing and very treacherous) to the just off the beach where they used to water ski and fish.
For us kids we used to have the freedom to do what we wanted (unlike today !). We would go to the beach and jump off the sand dunes or make camps in the dune grass. There used to be fences (wicker ?) that were used to try to stop the sand dunes from moving which made great wind breaks for lying next to for sun bathing. Like a previous poster, we used to love getting a knickerbockglory in the cafe. I remember there was always the sound of the milk shake machine going almost non-stop making shakes .
We sometimes used to walk down the whole beach, passed the golf club and round to Conwy itself where would take our fishing lines and try to catch crabs and then buy a bag of chips. Maybe later we would climb the mountain. There was a sort of reservoir half way up where we would try to catch newts. We used to spend hours on that mountain and when it was time to go back to the caravan we would run, almost uncontrollably, down the hill, usually ending up head over heals. On the way back to the caravan we would stop at the railway bridge where we would look over to the road tunnel and play ‘Herby’. This was where the first one to spot a VW Beatle coming out of the tunnel had to shout ‘Herby’.
Although the caravans seemed to have ‘all mod cons’ in those days they probably seem a bit antiquated now. We had gas lights (always remember the ‘pop’ as they were lit when we arrived on a Friday night) and a gas hob. There was a large water tank under the caravan that had to be filled from a hosepipe connected to the tap at the ‘sluice pit’ when we arrived. A car battery supplied power for the water pump, the mini fridge and the 14” black and white portable telly. I remember lying in my bunk bed in my sleeping bag and hearing my Dad and brother watching Match of the Day or Kojak on the telly.
The toilet/washing block was a place that always smelt strongly of antiseptic cleaner and bleach. There was a cleaner chap that seemed to work there 7 days a week, always remember is big mop of grey hair. The place was teeming in the morning with people washing at the basins and ‘other’ morning activities. A Chip Shop was built at the site on our last season there (1974ish) and it was great to be able to get chips and gravey or curry sauce without having to walk to Conwy town.
My family and I still talk about our times at Morfa. They were such innocent, less complicated times where playing with a kite would fill your heart with joy for hours. Or, chasing the sheep, that had free reign on the site, made us laugh for ages.
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JONESYMAN, That is an excellent post!!!
We used to have a small black and white tv connected to the car battery. We also used to play near the golf course just behind the sand dunes There used to be an old army shooting range there with old bullets in the wall.
The people who owned the shops on the site also owned the chippy / cafe and arcade, They were a big family of loads of brothers and sisters. We used to walk to the White House hotel for a drink and used to ride our BMX's down marine walk to Conwy fo rcrabbing and chips!!! I was there at the weekend but weather was not great
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My family lived in Birkenhead in the early 70’s and we had a caravan at Morfa at that time until 1975 when we moved to Cornwall. I was nine years old when we left and have extremely fond memories of our stays at Morfa. We certainly made good use of the caravan. When the caravan was moved to its plot around Easter until early Autumn, we used to travel straight to Conway most Friday nights (picking my brother up from Cub Scouts on the way!). We would also stay there for most of the school holidays as well. My Dad was a co director in a large central heating company so was able to take the leave when he wanted (which was great for us kids!). He had other friends from the Wirrall that also had caravans on the site. Next to our caravan was Sid and Lillian Healey (Grandparents of Austen Healey the England Rugby player from recent years), and not far away were the Sampsons (Kevin Sampson now a well known author from the area). My Dad, Sid and the Sampons had speed boats that they used to launch from the slipway at Conwy and then travel down the river (always fast flowing and very treacherous) to the just off the beach where they used to water ski and fish.
For us kids we used to have the freedom to do what we wanted (unlike today !). We would go to the beach and jump off the sand dunes or make camps in the dune grass. There used to be fences (wicker ?) that were used to try to stop the sand dunes from moving which made great wind breaks for lying next to for sun bathing. Like a previous poster, we used to love getting a knickerbockglory in the cafe. I remember there was always the sound of the milk shake machine going almost non-stop making shakes .
We sometimes used to walk down the whole beach, passed the golf club and round to Conwy itself where would take our fishing lines and try to catch crabs and then buy a bag of chips. Maybe later we would climb the mountain. There was a sort of reservoir half way up where we would try to catch newts. We used to spend hours on that mountain and when it was time to go back to the caravan we would run, almost uncontrollably, down the hill, usually ending up head over heals. On the way back to the caravan we would stop at the railway bridge where we would look over to the road tunnel and play ‘Herby’. This was where the first one to spot a VW Beatle coming out of the tunnel had to shout ‘Herby’.
Although the caravans seemed to have ‘all mod cons’ in those days they probably seem a bit antiquated now. We had gas lights (always remember the ‘pop’ as they were lit when we arrived on a Friday night) and a gas hob. There was a large water tank under the caravan that had to be filled from a hosepipe connected to the tap at the ‘sluice pit’ when we arrived. A car battery supplied power for the water pump, the mini fridge and the 14” black and white portable telly. I remember lying in my bunk bed in my sleeping bag and hearing my Dad and brother watching Match of the Day or Kojak on the telly.
The toilet/washing block was a place that always smelt strongly of antiseptic cleaner and bleach. There was a cleaner chap that seemed to work there 7 days a week, always remember is big mop of grey hair. The place was teeming in the morning with people washing at the basins and ‘other’ morning activities. A Chip Shop was built at the site on our last season there (1974ish) and it was great to be able to get chips and gravey or curry sauce without having to walk to Conwy town.
My family and I still talk about our times at Morfa. They were such innocent, less complicated times where playing with a kite would fill your heart with joy for hours. Or, chasing the sheep, that had free reign on the site, made us laugh for ages.
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I also have many wonderful memories of the old Morfa site. I spent my holidays there from 1960 to 1970. From age 10 till I was about 19 years old. Fabulous times I remember my first pint at the Ship Inn along the road towards the tunnel, The pubs long gone now. I must say thanks for the picture of the site. I have been looking everywhere but can`t find any old photos of Morfa and I appreciate the one posted here. Any more would be very much appreciated.
Bob
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I remember the ship, my dad used to have a walk there in the evenings
I have a lot of old morfa pics so will dig some out.
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Thanks for the reply Tunster. I would love to see any photos from the old site. I spent most of my holidays on Morfa from age 11 in 1960 up to age 20 in 1969-70 when unfortunately, my Grandad died and the Caravan was sold. I have many fond and treasured memories of that time. Always seemed to be sunny! And Radio Caraline and Luxembourg were the stations of the day.
Look foreward to the pics. Bob.
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Hi Tunster
If you could post up some pics that would be brilliant. My family has no general pics of the site just close ups of us and the caravan etc. It would bring back so many memories :)
Andy
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Spoke to the parents at the weekend and they are going to dig some old pics out
Watch this space over neext week or so.
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Cheers for that . I am looking foreward to the pics. Hope they post on this site O/K!! :)
Many thanks, Bob
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I am still trying to dig some pics of the Morfa out, I know my parents have a lot of them.
I will post some before THE MONTH IS OUT!!!!!
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Hi Tunster. Can't wait to see the pics :)
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The caravan park in question was not called Pendyffryn because i owned a caravan on that site for many years until recently and it is not facing Conwy Mountain. The caravan site mentioned by the poster was probably the one on the other side of the A55 just near the beach. Years ago before the construction of the A55 you could actually walk onto the Conwy Mountain from that caravan site but then the A55 cut through the site and you now have to cross the A55 to gain access to the mountain. Years ago myself and parents used to camp on the site facing the mountain which has now became an upmarket park and is also expensive to own a caravan on there.
You can gain access to the Conwy Mountain via Pendyffryn Hall which is situated in Dwygyfylchi but it entails a steep climb up through a bank of huge conifers until you reach the top and many times we encountered grass snakes. Once at the top there are stunning views and you can then walk down into Conwy town itself.
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Hi , my name is mike Dewar , my mum and dad had a caravan on this site , behind the office. Near the beach entrance, we had it from about 1973 till 1982. I had a good mate from kids grove near stoke called mike moors , his family had a caravan to. Does anyone remember us ? So many memories . Climbing the mountain , speed boating up Conway river . Just messing on the beach . Had my first crush on a girl also on that site. It's not the same now . Mountain looks deserted now , overgrown . Dad sold the caravan in 82 due to A55 planning.
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Still waiting for Tunster to upload his parents pics. Only been 5.5 years ;D !! He He
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Hello all, is there still anyone following this thread about the caravan site?
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Still waiting for Tunster’s pics ;D ;D
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Yes thats some wait! :) I was on that site for a few years mid to early 80s.
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Still waiting for Tunster’s pics ;D ;D
Tunster was last online 2012 🙂
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The caravan park is called Pendyffryn Caravan Park and is still there, close to the A55 (which wasn't built then.) It is in a place called Dwygyfylchi, next to Penmaenmawr. The mountain you climbed to get over to Conwy is called Alltwen.
My Nain - Gwendoline Roberts - lived on the top road, opposite this mountain which I climbed every day I was there. For a short time I went to Dwygyfylchi school............