LEWIS CARROLL'S WELSH WONDERLAND: LLANDUDNO

In the latter part of the 19^th century a little girl called Alice Liddell used to visit the Welsh resort of Llandudno, staying at the family holiday home Penmorfa on the town’s West Shore.  Like any young girl, Alice had her share of adventures while on holiday in the town.  The writer Lewis Carroll was a close friend of the Liddell family, and although he reputedly never met Alice there, he got wind of Alice’s holiday exploits and used them as the basis for a story which he recounted to Alice and her sisters on a rowing trip.  And so the famous children’s novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland came into being, followed by the sequel Through  The Looking Glass.



Llandudno has not forgotten its association with Lewis Carroll and Alice, and commemorates it in a number of ways, including a a town trail.  There is a statue of the White Rabbit character on the West Shore, and also just off the West Shore there are two big rocks which are said to represent the Walrus and the Carpenter from Through The Looking Glass.  Unfortunately, fans visiting the town will not be able to see Penmorfa.  After a few years as a hotel, in 2008 the building was demolished as it was deemed to be  unsafe.

Alice in Wonderland - geograph.org.uk - 580510. Photo by Steve F, via Wikimedia Commons

Llandudno is a typical seaside resort, with its long promenade and pier and its array of restaurants and shops, but what makes it stand out from other similar resorts is its position at the foot of the mighty Great Orme, a mountain which can be reached by tramway or cable car or, for the energetic, on foot.  There is a bar and restaurant at the top and the views out to sea are stupendous, only marred by the ‘forest’ of wind turbines on the horizon.  The sheep to be found on the mountain have been joined by 122 wild Kashmiri goats, who made the news recently when they headed down to the town during bad weather, stopping the traffic, nibbling plants in people’s gardens and generally causing chaos.

The Great Orme, from the Promenade.

Map of the area.