Kate Humble's Coastal Britain

In this fourth episode, Kate walks a hilly coastline that is home to two of north Wales's most popular tourist destinations — the medieval walled town of Conwy, and the Victorian resort of Llandudno, once dubbed the Queen of Welsh resorts. 

Starting on Conwy Mountain, Kate can view her 14-mile route ahead, and discovers the purple flowering heather that has produced fragrant honey for over 700 years, dating back to the 12th century when Conwy was granted an annual honey fair by Edward I under its Royal Charter. From here, Kate crosses the river to the opposite shore where she detours off her path to climb another hill, to the former fortification of Deganwy Castle, established by Edward I's father Henry III, when the English battled the Welsh for control of this coastline. 

The Wales Coast Path then continues alongside Conwy Sands and Llandudno's West Shore for another two miles. This expanse of beach and shallow water contains several important habitats, including subtidal sandbanks, extensive mudflats and limestone reefs. It is also popular with kite surfers and flyers, and Kate tries her hand at taming a wild offshore wind with a stunt kite. Kate's walk continues into Llandudno town. Her destination is the summit of the 679ft limestone headland called the Great Orme, which can be reached by road, footpath or by Britain's only cable-hauled tram system permitted on public roads. 

Here, Kate happens across a herd of Kashmiri goats, who found international fame during lockdown in 2020, when they invaded Llandudno and were snapped roaming around the town's streets and squares. She also discovers the ancient Christian site of St Tudno's, once home to a Celtic monk and now the location of a 12th-century church that still holds open-air congregations, with stunning views over the Irish Sea, where Kate is headed next. Catching a boat, she visits a group of offshore wind farms that dominate the horizon along this part of the north Wales coast. Back onshore, her 14-mile journey ends on Victoria Pier overlooking the sea in Colwyn Bay.