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The Essence of Wales
Golwg ar Gyfrinach
Cymru
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A mixture of visiting historical sites and country
walking
The Essence of Wales is a two-centre
holiday with a half day walking and a half day
sightseeing giving maximum insight into what makes Wales
so unique.
Each group is small - never more than eight - treading
lightly through the landscape and visiting sites
inaccessible to large buses. Accompanying visitors
will be a qualified guide experienced not only in
revealing Wales' historical secrets but also in leading walking groups in remote areas. |
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The Programme
Everyday Half a day walking, half a day site visiting
Saturday - Relay and Enjoy
Arrive during the afternoon. We'll meet you at the
railway station or arrange for your car to be parked at
our base and then introduce you to your hotel. You then
have some free time to explore before one of us joins the
group for dinner to get to know each other and discuss
the week's plans.
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Sunday - Celts, Castle and the coast -Anglesey
Today is devoted to exploring the island that is
described as the Mother of Wales - "Mam
Cymru". A title given since the island was
the heartland of the druids and also the
breadbasket of Wales during the time of the old
Princes of Gwynedd.
We'll be visiting Beaumaris Castle and talking
about Edward I's impact upon the Welsh in the l3th
century. Then we'll go further back into
the mists of prehistory to look at a Neolithic
burial tomb and the remains of a village dating
back to the Roman era. On our walk we'll also
enjoy the bracing air of the Anglesey coast where
we can chat further about Wales' maritime history
and enjoy the rich coastal wildlife.
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Monday - A barrack town for Romans and English -
Caernarfon
A day devoted to this magnificent town is a must. We'll
include a beach stroll in our walk with with a local
naturalist. She's also a town resident and will guide you
on an exploration of the walled town with its interesting
buildings - including its ghostly tales! You'll
also visit the extensive remains of the Roman barracks of
Segontium and, of course, the magnificent medieval castle
- another of Edward I's ring of stone around Wales and a
World Heritage Site.
Tuesday - A people hewn from the rock - Llanberis
and Penrhyn Castle
We'll spend half a day in this little mountain village
nestling at the foot of Snowdon (the highest mountain in
England and Wales). Nowhere else so personifies the fact
that the whole history of Wales lies in its fascinating
geology. Welsh slate from here covered roofs all over the
world. We'll explore the fascinating industrial
archaeology and social history of the old quarries.
Of course, we'll also enjoy a good walk through the
surviving remnants of the sessile oak forests that once
covered Snowdonia. To finish we'll drink in the
magnificent views of the mountain and lakes from the
tower of the 13th century castle of Dolbadarn - this time
a castle built by the Welsh rather than by the English to
subdue them!
We'll also be investigating the other extreme of
social history with a visit to Penrhyn Castle. This huge
country house - disguised as a Norman castle! - was built
from the fortunes of the slate quarries.
Wednesday - Legends Ancient and modern -Portmeirion
and Beddgelert
A visit to the world-renowned fantasy Italianate
village built by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis in a
beautiful coastal setting. It's very hard to
classify but Sir Clough probably achieved his
mission which was to prove it was possible to
improve on what nature had already provided. It
was used to film that series remembered by the
older amongst us - The Prisoner Our walk today
will be from the alpine-like Beddgelert. There's
a famous legend about Llewelyn and his dog which
we can tell you on our walk! We'll also see Dinas
Emrys - with its associated legends of Arthur,
Red & White dragons and much else - again,
you'll have to wait to hear them as we walk and,
again you are promised great views of mountains
and lakes!
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Thursday - Forests, waterfalls and a hidden church -Betws
y Coed and Gwydir
Today starts in the village that grew around Telford's
London to Holyhead road. This historic mail coach route
was the first new road in Britain since the Romans! The
pretty forest village has a rich industrial heritage of
old mines now merged into the landscape and softened by
trees, streams and pretty lakes. We'll visit some of
these on our walk along with a lovely tiny hill top
church dating from the 13th century and the fine old
Tudor mansion of Gwydir Castle.
Friday - The Gateway to a Mountain Kingdom - Conwy
This bastide town of Edward I has the most complete
original town walls in Britain and we'll walk round them
and, of course, visit the castle! We'll take a look at
Plas Mawr a wonderful example of a Tudor Town House,
cleverly restored. Then we'll hike up Conway Mountain
where the ascent will reward us with an Iron Age fort and
magnificent views of the sea, the estuary, the
mountains, the castle and town.
Saturday - Depart after Breakfast
We hope you go home relaxed and happy and as much in love
with Wales as we are.
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Your Accommodation
A Welcome in the hillsides
In this two-centre holiday your evenings will be spent in
welcoming, high quality country house hotels that we've
searched the area to find.
Great Welsh Cooking
Here you can enjoy great meals that rely on fresh local
ingredients - the best Welsh fish, meat and cheeses with
summer vegetables and herbs straight from the hotels'
gardens.
Quality Rooms
The spacious bedrooms have quality furnishings and
fittings and, at the very least, all will have 'en suite'
facilities, direct dial telephones and tea making
equipment. A stroll in the gardens will let you see sheep
cattle and horses contentedly grazing. |
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