Snaking out into the Irish sea the two Ormes stand glorious and proud. Their rocky feet cascade into the ocean in gorgeous natural columns, with craggy caves found all over their structure. So named ‘Orme’, as it come from the Norse word for ‘Dragon’ or ‘Sea-Serpent’, is it appeared to them when they sailed around the coast in their longboats in search of settlements to raid. They stand on either side of the gorgeous seaside town of Llandudno, called the ‘Queen of Welsh Resorts’.
These Ormes were the cause for settlement in this area for a long time, the Great Orme is home to ancient mines, in fact these are the oldest mines in Europe, dating back over 4,000 years! The Great Orme is also the residence of a herd of Kashmir Goats, these descend from a pair of individuals which were originally a gift to Queen Victoria from the Shah of Persia. The Great Orme’s fame and location has afforded it some development, such as its summit-tourist centre, dry ski slope, cable car, and happy valley park area. However the natural beauty of the Orme rings true regardless, with large swathes of grassland, and crags suitable for rock climbing. The View from the Orme is quite staggering, with the not-so-distant mountains of Snowdonia, the isle of Anglesey, along the north coast of wales, towards the Wirral, don’t vast ocean leagues as far as the eye can see, and on a clear day you can even see the Isle of Mann, and
The Little Orme’s sea-level caves are famous for their kayak-friendly environment. A hidden gem, these tunnel caves make for a beautiful trip. Make sure you check the tides though. The Little Orme’s seabird and seal life make their home there, its prominence and seclusion from surrounding towns make it a natural oasis for wild oceanic life. The Orme has a few bays and rocky shores which are a beautiful sight to behold.
The Ormes are world famous, recently the Great Orme was mentioned in Thor the Dark World, as one of the Norse-centric locations (along with Snowdon) integral to triangulate the site that the Elf Lord Malakith would try to enact his evil plan – this turned out to be London – big surprise there Hollywood! We personally think that the cliffs of the Orme or the Mountains of Snowdonia would make for a much more interesting backdrop for a mythological/alien invasion.
