The two squares (transect numbers 923 and 924) provided some contrasting features and were interesting to survey. The squares were dominated by the rocky headlands of the Great Orme and the Little Orme reaching out from the North Wales coast with the ‘Victorian’ seaside resort of Llandudno sitting grandly between the two. Rhos-on-Sea to the East was a much smaller and quieter resort that provided a striking contrast to the traffic and human activity at Llandudno. To the West, the coast faced the Conway estuary and was a lot quieter.

Llandudno is a busy resort with a splendid beach front and wide promenade. There was evidence of development along the front in the form of new street furniture and improved access for bicycles and wheelchairs. There were few vacancies in the long row of hotels and Bed and Breakfast establishments. The beach was very stony and there was little sand. The traffic was heavy along the sea front and the surveyors disliked the effect on air pollution levels and hoped that traffic would be diverted away from the front in future. There was some litter in this area, mainly along the promenade. The seagulls were a problem too, swooping down for titbits of food. There were some spectacular views when driving along the coastal road on the Great Orme. There had been several landslips / rockfalls and many areas had to be extensively defended to protect the road. The sheer cliffs of most of the Ormes meant that the coast was inaccessible.

On the West of the Great Orme the survey team found the remains of the Royal Artillery’s Coast Artillery School. Here, huge guns fired out to anchored vessels and training in radio direction finding took place. Only a few concrete bunkers remain. To the East of the survey squares, the surveyors likes the cycle paths recently developed at Rhos-on-Sea. The stretch of the coast has had to be heavily defended.

Transects 919. 920 and 921 covered the tidal Conway Valley and the 3 squares proved rather difficult to survey, especially the one to the far north. This was because there were few access points to the river from either side. However, there was a track on top of a levee that was accessible for a reasonable length. The railway line that runs close to the river to the East also proved to be a barrier at times.

There was little variation in land use, the majority being agriculture. The surveyors saw little farming activity. Away from the main road, the whole valley seemed undeveloped, quiet and empty. The valley floor was broad and it was surprising how far upstream the tidal limit was. There were opportunities to fish here for a private angling club.

Flooding is obviously a problem, hence the extensive levees and drains. Many areas remained marshy and there were occasional thick banks of reeds. Rubbish had been deposited upstream of fences after floods.

In parts the scenery was picturesque and there were glimpses of wildlife – sand martins were spotted nesting near the banks. There was scope for the occasional picnic table but access needs to be improved if this part of the river is to be developed for walkers. It is little visited at present.

To the North, it was difficult to get close to the river, especially to photograph it at the edge of the square. The river had changed in character by this time and had broadened considerably. There were many areas of mudflats.

Prassonissi in Rhodes is where the Aegean Sea joins the Mediterranean Sea. I went there on holiday in May. I put one foot in the Aegean and one foot in the Mediterranean. The Aegean is colder, has more waves and is a darker blue than the Mediterranean. The Mediterranean is turquoise and very flat.   Adam

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