Conwy: High water is 15 minutes after high water at Holyhead Conwy Bay dries extensively at low water.
Dee estuary: High water is 12 minutes before high water at Liverpool
Llandudno Bay*: High water is 30 minutes after high water at Holyhead Tidal streams are negligible within Llandudno bay.
West Kirby*: High water is 10 minutes before high water at Liverpool
Greenfield dock / Holywell*: High water is at high water at Liverpool
Dee at Chester*: High water is 1 hours and 10 minutes after high water at Liverpool Tidal heights of 9m or more at Liverpool will cover Chester weir at high water.
Conwy Harbour: In Conway Harbour and beneath the bridges at Conwy: The south-east going stream begins at 3 hours and 45 minutes before high water at Holyhead. The north-west going stream begins at 45 minutes after high water at Holyhead. The flow reaches a speed of 6 knots at springs. The stream reduces to 3 knots south of the castle.
Between Great Orme and Point of Ayr: Offshore: The east going stream begins at 45 minutes after low water at Holyhead. The west going stream begins at 30 minutes after high water at Holyhead. The flow reaches a speed of 2 knots at springs. Tidal stream in Colwyn Bay are negligible.
Channel off Point of Ayr: The In-going stream begins 5 hours and 45 minutes before high water Liverpool, at which time it runs between north-east and east. By 2 hours and 55 minutes before high water Liverpool it is running east. At half an hour before high water, the stream swings to run north, before beginning the main out-going flow direction between west-north-west and north-west by high water Liverpool. The spring rate for the easterly flow is 2.5 knots. The spring rate for the out-going flows is 2 knots. Standing waves can form when wind opposes tide.
Dee estuary entrance: The tide flows south-east and north-west. The flow reaches a speed of 2 knots at springs. The average spring rate is likely closer to 1.5 knots, reaching 3 knots near Hilbre Island and Point of Ayr.
North of Hilbre Island: Overfalls develop here in wind against tide conditions.
Dee at Holywell Bank: The south-east going stream begins at 5 hours before high water at Liverpool. The north-west going stream begins at at high water at Liverpool. The flow reaches a speed of 2 knots at springs.
Dee at Connah's Quay: The east south-east going stream begins at 1 hours and 10 minutes before high water at Liverpool. The west north-west going stream begins at 50 minutes after high water at Liverpool. A bore forms on spring tides around a mile below Connah's Quay, with a height of 0.5m. Flows up to 8 knots may be experienced immediately after the bore.
Dee at Chester: The east south-east going stream begins at at high water at Liverpool. The west north-west going stream begins at 1 hours and 45 minutes after high water at Liverpool.
Great Orme *: The east north-east going stream begins at 45 minutes after low water at Holyhead. The west south-west going stream begins at 30 minutes after high water at Holyhead. The flow reaches a speed of 2.5 knots at springs. The strongest streams are at the North-west headland. Choppy seas can form here. Tidal streams can be paddled against at all points in calm conditions, especially if the paddler takes advantage of inshore eddies. The inshore eddies flow fast enough to kick up waves when they oppose the wind direction.
Little Orme*: The east going stream begins at 45 minutes after low water at Holyhead. The west going stream begins at 30 minutes after high water at Holyhead. The east going stream reaches a speed of 1 knots at springs. The west going stream reaches a speed of 2 knots at springs. Choppy conditions can form with wind against tide.
Rhyll Harbour entrance*: The tide flows north and south. The flow reaches a speed of 4 knots at springs. The entrance can be challenging in northerly winds.
Conwy Bay*: The south-east going stream begins at 45 minutes after low water at Holyhead. The north-west going stream begins at 15 minutes after high water at Holyhead. The flow reaches a speed of 1.5 knots at springs. Streams are weak away from the channel into the Conwy and headlands.
Conwy, Tal-y-cafn*: The north-east going stream begins at 1 hours and 15 minutes after high water at Holyhead. The south-west going stream begins at 1 hours and 45 minutes before high water at Holyhead. The flow reaches a speed of 3 knots at springs.
Conwy, Dolgarrog Bridge*: The tidal stream here flows north starting 1 hours and 45 minutes after high water at Holyhead.
Great Orme, Pen-trwyn*: The west going stream speeds up around this headland, with flows up to 2 knots. An eddy forms here from half way through the east-going stream, such that the flow here is almost permanently to the north-west. A small race can form here.
West of the Little Orme*: An east-going eddy forms here during the main west-going stream at the Little Orme.
Rhos Point*: The west-going stream runs around Rhos Point, going west-north west. The east-going stream has less effect here.
South-west side of Great Orme*: The south-east going stream begins at 45 minutes after low water at Holyhead. The north-west going stream begins at 15 minutes after high water at Holyhead. The flow reaches a speed of 1 knots at springs.
Point of Ayr, inshore*: The east going stream begins at 5 hours and 20 minutes before high water at Liverpool. The west going stream begins at 20 minutes before high water at Liverpool. The flow reaches a speed of 3 knots at springs.
Hibre Island*: The south-east going stream begins at 5 hours and 10 minutes before high water at Liverpool. The north-west going stream begins at 10 minutes before high water at Liverpool. The flow reaches a speed of 3 knots at springs. Streams are weaker in shallow areas. Turbulent conditions can occur, especially at the north end of the Island.
Port of Mostyn*: The area around the Port of Mostyn is best avoided. Fast vessels may go from here out to wind farms via to buoyed channel past Point of Ayr.
NCI Llandudno*: NCI Llandudno can be contacted on VHF 65 or 01492 463083.
Beacons car park, Conwy Estuary: (SH 774 791) g Large car park north of the marina. Easy access to the sea over the beach of sand and shingle (steep at low water). Height barrier at the car park, but it should be easy to find a place to leave the car to drop boats.
Llandudno west shore: (SH 769 822) g Beach, with lots of roadside parking. At low water, the tide goes far out and there will be a long walk to the water. It is best to launch or land here above half tide. The best launch point seems to be just to the west of the breakwater.
Llandudno East shore: (SH 782 825) g Access via the beach and lifeboat slipway. Pay and display parking along the promenade and nearby, often very busy. This location will hence mostly be of interest only to those walking the shuttle from the west side of Llandudno. A small side road opposite the slipway provides a place to load boats quickly.
Llandudno lifeboat station: (SH 802 822) g Parking may be quieter (and cheaper / free) to the east of Llandudno by the school fields. Shingle beach, 100m carry at low water.
Rhos on Sea: (SH 843 808) g Beach and shallow harbour, accessed by steps. Usable in the top half of the tide only. Limited roadside parking near Rhos Point at the north end of the harbour and on the promenade further south. Public car park 200 m west from Rhos Point along Abbey Road.
West Kirby Sailing Club slipway: (SJ 215 859) g Best with at least a 9m tide at Liverpool. Possible to launch 2 hours either side of high water. Parking on the promenade, or, failing that, in nearby streets.
Penmaenmawr sailing club*: (SH 711 764) g From a roundabout off the A55, a road leads down to the sea front. Access to the beach where it reaches the sea front (space to drop boats). Continue round to the left to access a free car park (height barrier).
Conwy Morfa*: (SH 762 787) g Car park by beach. Likely to be a very long walk to the sea at low tide.
Delaney Beach*: (SH 777 791) g Roadside parking along Marine crescent, access to beach by level crossing.
Conwy slipway*: (SH 785 773) g Slipway, usable at all states of the tide. Limited parking along the south side of the road - it is better to drop boats here and leave cars in the car park at Morfa Bach (pay & display) 350m to the west.
Tal y Cafn*: (SH 786 719) g 100m north-east of the road bridge, a small track leads to the river from a small layby. Usable 2 hours either side of local high water.
Colwyn Bay, Western Promenade*: (SH 850 793) g Car parking along the Promenade, ramps lead down to beach
Rhyll Harbour north*: (SH 995 808) g Parking near slipway, with height barrier, pay & display. Access to sea likely easiest 2 hours either side of high water.
Talacre Beach*: (SJ 124 851) g The road lead over the sea defence ridge to a free sandy parking area by the beach. At low water, there may be a 500m carry to the sea across the sandy beach. This parking area floods at tidal levels greater than about 8 to 8.5m and is (sometimes) then closed off by a barrier. Alternative parking on right 100m before sea defence, pay & display, 350m carry from here to the beach - may be possible to shorten this a little by dropping boats at the turning point before the barrier.
Prestatyn Barkby Beach*: (SJ 068 840) g Car park by the beach. Height barrier 2.1m, pay & display. 300m or more walk across sand at low tide.
Prestatyn Beach Road East*: (SJ 061 838) g Car park by beach, height barrier 2.3m, pay & display. 300m or more walk across sand at low tide.
Prestatyn Nova West*: (SJ 058 837) g Car park with height barrier, pay & display. 300m or more walk across sand at low tide.
Greenfield Dock*: (SJ 200 780) g Parking around the dock, with height barriers, may be possible to park taller vehicles on approach road. Slipways on both sides of the dock, with the slipway on the south side likely usable across more of the tidal range. Usable only in the top half of the tide as the slipways end in mud. There are 2 knot tidal streams immediately outside the harbour.
Queensferry*: (SJ 321 687) g A muddy track leads into a field, just downstream of the old bridge. Parking in the field. The river banks are steep and muddy, making this an imperfect launch site at best - likely only of interest to those seeking the Dee bore.
Saltney Bridge*: (SJ 369 659) g Small parking area to the north of the footbridge. The best launching spot is on the north bank, west of the bridge, but this is still awkward.
Chester, Sandy Lane*: (SJ 420 660) g Car park with 2 slipways into the River Dee. Note that this access point is over a mile upstream of the normal tidal limit at Chester weir. The weir can be run by those with whitewater experience at some levels on river left, but can be very hazardous in high flows. Tidal heights of 9m or more at Liverpool will cover the weir at high water.
Great Orme: With less interesting coastline to the east and the draw of Anglesey to the west, the Ormes are often overlooked. However, it's well worth taking the time to paddle here - the limestone cliffs providing stunning scenery unlike anything else in North Wales. With the shelter of the mountains, this area can often be a good option when southerly winds limit options on Anglesey - and many paddlers will find themselves an hour or so closer to home when they get off the water. The Great Orme can be paddled from one side of Llandudno to the other, leaving only a short walk back to the car. Parking is far easier on the west side, and east of Llandudno on the north side, beyond the lifeboat station. If at all possible, time your departure or arrival on the west side to be in the top half of the tide to avoid a long walk. Eddies around the north side of the Great Orme provide some flexibility in tidal planning, with some eddy flows strong enough to kick up race waves. The trip might be extended by launching from Conwy, or by taking in the Little Orme and landing at Rhos on Sea.
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