A snake’s head of limestone, more than 200m at its highest point, rises from the sea off the coast of north-west Wales. The Welsh name Y Gogarth has no easy English equivalent, so in this case the Viking word from which the English is derived gives us a more descriptive name: ‘orme’ means a sea serpent or dragon, reflecting the appearance of this rocky headland as seen from the sea.
Better known for its feral goats and connections with deep history, the imposing limestone headland of the Great Orme is also an exceptional place for wildlife, including one plant found nowhere else in the world; James Robertson describes its natural riches.