Taking in majestic mountains, sweeping coastlines, ancient castles, industrial heritage and a little island life – this tour gives a real snapshot of North Wales in a single day and is the tour to take if you have limited time available.
We start the day in the beautiful estuary town of Conwy. The views of Edward 1’s 12th-century castle towering over the town as you approach over the sandy estuary are breath-taking – with the backdrop of Snowdonia’s high mountains only adding to the drama of the setting. With the smallest house in Britain, a quaint quay, medieval town walls and one of the finest surviving Elizabethan townhouses in Britain you could easily lose a day in Conwy.
Heading up narrow roads and over a mountain pass, the golden sands of the North Wales coast and the Island of Anglesey stretch out in front of us. Dropping back down to the coast we cross the impressive suspension bridge over the swirling tidal waters of the Menai Strait onto the island of Anglesey. Here we have time to visit the village with the longest place name in Europe or the 5000-year-old prehistoric burial chamber at Bryn Celli Ddu before taking in the stunning views back over the Menai Strait to Snowdonia.
From Anglesey, we turn back inland taking the road less traveled through Nant Ffrancon and onwards to the Ogwen valley. The 3000-foot-high mountains of the Carnedd and Glyder ranges tower above us as we head south before a westerly turn opens up to spectacular views of Mount Snowdon itself (with compulsory photo stops of course!) Our route takes us over the flanks of Mount Snowdon before dropping down into the Llanberis Pass with its foreboding rock walls and boulders strewn valley floor.
Before long, the full impact of Wales’ industrial heritage opens up in front of us as the vast Dinorwig slate quarry appears to eat away at the mountains themselves. In Victorian times, the slate mines of Gwynedd were said to ‘roof the World’ with more slate being exported from this small part of North Wales than the rest of the world put together. We visit the National Slate Museum set in the old workshops of the quarry where it feels as if the quarrymen have only just put their tools down and gone home for the day.
If time allows, we can visit Dolbadarn castle sitting at the head of Llanberis lake or discover how the slate mine has been turned into one of the biggest hydro-electricity power plants in Europe.
Your personal guided tour timetable
Your touring day starts at your accommodation at 9:30 am. Your day will include rest, coffee and a lunch stop in addition to stops for the listed sites, attractions and activities. Along the way, your driver will tell you all about Wales’ history, culture and myths and legends whilst pointing out places of interest and recommending the best stops for food, refreshments and photos. We aim to have you back at your accommodation at about 6:00 pm.
We will endeavor to visit all locations listed on this tour however, Start/Finish times, order of itinerary and places we visit may change depending on your pickup and drop-off location, weather, road conditions or other events out of our control. Therefore, all tour timings are approximate, and we reserve the right to change the tour itinerary at any time.
What is Included in your tour
Pick up and drop off at your hotel or cruise berth within North Wales.
The services of your professional driver/guide throughout your tour.
The use of our luxury Mercedes people carrier to suit your party size
All fuel, parking and road tolls.
What is excluded from your tour
Food and drink and admission fees to sites, attractions and activities where payable.
Personal travel insurance
What to bring with you.
Please bring a wind or waterproof coat and sensible footwear for some light walking. Whilst rare, Wales can have 4 seasons in one day!
