Cycling around the Great Orme gives you sea views, short climbs and an exposed coastal road within easy reach of Llandudno. Marine Drive follows the headland from the North Shore towards the West Shore, with a harder final pull to the Rest and Be Thankful Café on the ride described here. That café is the finish of this particular climbing effort, not the summit of the Great Orme.
I’ve always enjoyed riding in North Wales, from the hairpins at Stwlan Dam to the roads of Eryri, also known as Snowdonia. The account below comes from my 2017 visit to the Great Orme, when a short riding weekend gave me the chance to return to a favourite climb. The practical information has been refreshed to help plan a ride today.
Great Orme cycling route at a glance
Start by Llandudno’s pier and join Marine Drive through the North Shore toll entrance. Bicycles use the road free of charge. The council describes Marine Drive as a five-mile road, with the first three and a half miles one-way from the North Shore towards the West Shore. Follow the signs on the day, including any temporary restrictions.
The climb in my original ride notes covers about 2.1 miles (3.4km), averaging around 3% with short ramps reported at up to 12%. Those figures describe the segment towards the café, not the whole circuit or the separate summit ascent. The easier stretches and brief descents make the average look kinder than the final climb feels.
Riding Marine Drive from Llandudno
I love cycling round the Great Orme. Before that 2017 visit, I’d ridden it a couple of times, often towards the end of longer rides finishing in Llandudno Junction. Arriving with fresher legs made it a different prospect. My previous time of 9 minutes and 32 seconds was the target, although the pacing lesson mattered more than the number: save something for the steeper approach to the café.
The ride starts beyond the pier, where the toll entrance can interrupt your rhythm before the climbing begins. Give waiting vehicles space and pass through carefully. In my ride notes, the opening quarter-mile was around 5%, a steady enough slope to settle into a comfortable gear rather than attack straight away. There is a good view back towards the pier and along the coast towards Rhyl, best enjoyed from a safe stopping place.
Once the road rounds the headland, the view changes and the gradient briefly eases downhill. Use that respite to recover before the next rise. On my visit the surface was rough in places; whatever its condition when you arrive, leave room for parked vehicles and ride at a speed that lets you stop within the road you can see. Carrying a little momentum helps on the rolling sections, but blind bends are no place to chase a segment time.
The following rolling section suited me better than the steeper ramps. My notes put much of it around 2–3%, with short descents breaking up the effort. A short rise brings you to a give-way junction: slow down, check properly and give way as signed. Further round, the old lighthouse becomes a useful landmark on the cliff edge. The changing direction also means the wind can feel quite different from one stretch to the next.
The approach to the café was the part that exposed my pacing. I recorded the final half-mile at roughly 7%, and at around 90kg I felt the difference immediately. By the time the building came into view, my legs were burning and the earlier gentle sections felt a long way behind me. Leave yourself an easier gear for this finish and take care around the café entrance, where people and vehicles may be moving.
Marine Drive or the Great Orme summit?
Marine Drive runs around the headland rather than taking you to its summit. For the summit option, St Tudno’s Road branches left about a mile along Marine Drive. Choose which ride you want before reaching the junction: continuing around the coast follows the route described here, while turning inland adds a different climb. Do not treat the Marine Drive segment’s distance and gradient as a summit profile.
After the café, continue in the signed direction around Marine Drive towards the West Shore to complete the coastal route. It is not an out-and-back climb where you should simply turn around and descend the way you came. Allow for the onward ride and your return through Llandudno when planning the total distance.
Gearing, weather and café stops
A road bike is well suited to the tarmac route. Choose gearing that lets you stay comfortable on the steeper ramps, especially if this comes late in a longer ride. Change down before the slope bites rather than waiting until you are grinding. Our advice on riding short, steep climbs covers pacing and position in more detail.
The coast is exposed, so check the wind forecast as well as the chance of rain. A sheltered start in town does not tell you how the far side of the headland will feel. Carry a windproof layer, water and your usual puncture repair kit, and give yourself more time in gusty or wet conditions.
The Rest and Be Thankful Café is a convenient potential stop on Marine Drive, but check opening hours before relying on it for food or drink. Marine Drive is normally open year-round, though events, maintenance or weather can affect access; check local notices before setting off.
Making it part of a North Wales cycling trip
The Great Orme works as a short ride from Llandudno or as a climbing finish to a longer coastal outing. I have often included it near the end of rides finishing in Llandudno Junction, when those final ramps feel considerably harder. For a trip with more climbing, our guide to cycling climbs in North Wales and Snowdonia gives you other options to build into separate rides.
