What & where are the Great Orme and Little Orme?

Visiting the Ormes of Llandudno! It’s not difficult to find reasons to visit Llandudno. However, if the great outdoors is your favoured place for activities, don’t miss ‘the Ormes’. Or, to be more specific, the Great Orme and the Little Orme.

What is the Little Orme?

Little Orme is a headland situated on a small peninsula in Llandudno. It can be reached a little under two miles from the centre of the town, out to the east along Colwyn Road. The postcode for access is LL30 3AL.

Some think of Little Orme as a mini mountain, and it could certainly be tackled as such. However, its official status terms it as a HuMP. This stands for Hundred Metre Prominence (or more). Llandudno is sandwiched between this headland and another, which is called the Great Orme.

What can you do at the Little Orme?

One of the best ways to experience the Little Orme is to tackle the walking path that takes you right around it. The location is home to a nature reserve and is a sanctuary for various sea birds. Your camera is certainly required, as are stout walking shoes or boots. The summit is at 463 feet.

You can begin your walk from the promenade down in Llandudno, before heading out onto Little Orme and following the path. Head up to Copa Summit to enjoy the views and consider progressing around the headland to take in the Chwarel Quarry and various appealing viewpoints. Take care near the cliffs.

What is the Great Orme?

The Great Orme is, as the name suggests, the bigger brother of the two headlands. Located out to the west of Llandudno, the Marine Drive takes you out to the location in around 15 minutes if travelling from the heart of Llandudno.

What can you do at the Great Orme?

There are various attractions out on the headland, such as:

• Great Orme Country Park and Visitor Centre
• The Hill of Names
• The Orme Rock Pile
• The Lighthouse Hotel (situated right on the cliffs)
• The Great Orme Victorian tramway
• The Great Orme Copper Mines

The Great Orme reaches to 679 feet above the sea and is larger than its little brother. It spans a two-mile length out to sea and is a mile wide. As with the Little Orme, pulling on your walking boots gives you an ideal opportunity to get out into nature and experience the headland up close.

There are various trails you can take around the headland, including these:

• The Haulfre Gardens Trail – one mile
• The Zig Zag Trail – one mile
• The Happy Valley Trail – 1.5 miles

One of our top picks is the Great Orme Nature Trail, a four-mile route that begins at the Great Orme Summit car park. This is a waymarked walk using yellow markers, with the first one just beyond the car park. Once you’ve completed the stunning trail, you can head for the appropriately-named Rest and Be Thankful Café for well-earned refreshments.