Marl Woods

The marl pits here are the real draw - these shallow, chalky excavations have filled with water over decades to create a landscape that's genuinely unusual for North Wales. You're walking through woodland that's been shaped entirely by industrial history, now gone quietly back to nature. It's the sort of place where you notice things: dragonflies skimming the water, patches of lichen on old concrete, willows leaning into the pools.

This is fundamentally a walker's reserve rather than a destination for sitting about. Allow an hour minimum if you're doing the main loop properly, longer if you stop to watch birds or sketch. The paths are muddy after rain - proper waterproof boots essential - but well-marked enough you won't get lost. Children can manage it easily, though under-fives might find the distance tedious.

The reserve sits barely a mile from Llandudno Junction, so it works brilliantly if you're camped at any of the parks dotted round Conwy - Tan Y Bryn or Bryn Morfa are practically on the doorstep. Unlike the honeypot attractions round Conwy Castle itself, you'll have the place to yourself most days. It's free to access and there's no specific visiting hours to worry about.

Worth a morning if you're in the area and like bog walks and industrial archaeology. Not a showpiece, but genuinely interesting if you bother to look.