Day 1: Following your home taxi collection, we head into North Wales to our hotel, the fabulous Tynedale for the next 7 nights.
Day 2: Today is a day at leisure to enjoy Llandudno. Set in a beautiful sweeping bay, Llandudno is enclosed by the headlands of the Great Orme and Little Orme, with 700 feet of sheer limestone that juts out into the sea. You can ascend to the top of the Great Orme in a cable car or Victorian Tramway and enjoy spectacular views across Anglesey and Snowdonia (cost not included). The tranquillity of Llandudno with its pleasant shopping centre and wide level promenade make it one of the most popular seaside resorts in Wales and a delight to explore.
Day 3: We journey over the Menai Strait to the Isle of Anglesey and visit the historic town of Beaumaris. The town offers beautiful views out across the Menai Strait with quaint shops, tea rooms and a historic Castle, considered one of the most technically perfect castles within the United Kingdom.
This afternoon we make our way to Penrhyn Castle. You can’t help but be taken aback by the vast luxurious rooms, Gothic carved stairways and art on display. Hear stories of sugar and slate fortunes and delve ‘below stairs’ in the Victorian kitchens.
Day 4: The highlight of this holiday is a trip on the Snowdon Mountain Railway. The trip which has been described as one of the most scenic railway journeys in the world offers stunning scenery and awe-inspiring views. Being Britain’s only rack & pinion railway, it takes us on a 2 hour round trip up the highest mountain in England and Wales. From the first views of the waterfall plunging into the gorge below at the start of the journey, to the breath-taking sights over the sheer edge of Rocky Valley, every moment is memorable. (This excursion is subject to weather conditions, therefore in adverse weather, alternative arrangements will be made).
This afternoon we visit Gwydir Castle, an ancient Welsh house situated in the beautiful Conwy Valley, in the foothills of Snowdonia. Regarded as one of the finest Tudor houses in Wales, the castle was formerly the ancestral home of the powerful Wynn family.
By 1994, the house and garden and fallen into dereliction. Its restoration has taken over twenty years to complete and is still a work-in-progress by its current owners.
A guided tour will take you through over 500 years of history as the castle shares its stories and secrets, followed by an included cream tea and further time to explore the gardens.
Day 5: This morning we travel through the Vale of Conwy and into the Snowdonia National Park to reach Blaenau Ffestiniog. Here we board the narrow-gauge railway for a dramatic scenic ride over the mountains to Porthmadog. The line climbs gently through some of Wales' most beautiful countryside, passing grass-platformed stations, isolated farmhouses and beautiful lakes. From here we continue to the stunning Italiante village of Portmeirion - said to be designed on the Italian fishing village of Portofino. Created by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis between 1925 and 1975, the unique and altogether magnificent village combines spectacular gardens and architectural surprises at every turn. Portmeirion has served as the location for numerous films and television shows, most famously serving as The Village in the 1960s television show The Prisoner.
Day 6: This morning, we travel to Bodrhyddan Hall, the home of Lord Langford and his family. Bodrhyddan has been home to successive generations of the same family and is one of the few remaining family-owned stately homes in Wales. You will get to explore the opulent Dean’s Dining Room, elegant White Drawing Room and other spaces that offer insights into the family’s heritage. The gardens cover around 12 acres and include a formal parterre, cascading lawns and a Japanese walk of life. On arrival, we enjoy a guided tour, which gives great insight into this beautiful family home. After the tour, we enjoy coffee and cake before exploring the gardens at leisure.
Later, we make our way to Bodnant Garden for an afternoon exploring at your own pace. Spanning across 80 acres and over 250 years of horticultural history, the National Trust’s Bodnant Garden is home to five Italianate terraces, wildflower meadows, woodland, and riverside gardens. From champion trees to national botanic collections, seasonal delights include daffodils, bluebells, camellias, magnolias, the laburnum arch and rhododendrons in spring, roses, water lilies and wildflowers in the summer, and rich autumn colours, which lead into a stunning display in the winter garden.
When Victorian industrialist Henry Davis Pochin bought Bodnant at auction in 1874, it was an estate with a walled garden, woods and plantations. It was Pochin's grand vision which originally shaped Bodnant into the world-renowned garden that we see today. Gifted to the National Trust in 1949, the donor family continue to maintain a link to the garden which has, in a new era of 21st-century developments, brought about the opening of previously private areas such as the Winter Garden, Old Park, Yew Dell, the Far End and Furnace Wood. After our visit, we return to the hotel.
Day 7: Today is a day at leisure
Day 8: Sadly, this morning we depart our hotel and make our way back to Norfolk, making suitable stops along the way. We arrive back in Norfolk late afternoon to re-join our door to door taxi service who will return you safely home.
Holiday Information:
7 Nights Dinner, Bed & Breakfast (Dinner will be table service)
Price: £1323pp
Single Supplement: £Nil (Limited Availability)
Tour Reference: AWE5264
Deposit Required: £50pp
Balance Due: 8 weeks prior to departure