Walesprogramme

Day 1
Travel via the Conwy Valley to Lanrwst, and continue to Betws y Coed for lunch and to visit the railway museum or the
attractive town. The drive from there to Caernarfon will take us over the Llanberis Pass in the shadow of Mount Snowdon.

Day 2
Ride on the Welsh Highland Railway from Caernarfon to Rhyd Ddu in the Snowdon National Park. This line is being rebuilt
and will eventually join up with the Ffestiniog Railway at Porthmadog. The train should be operated by an ex-South African
Garratt articulated steam locomotive.

On arriving back in Caernarfon, stroll along the promenade under the old town walls, stopping off at the Black Boy Inn for
refreshments before visiting Caernarfon Castle, possibly the most famous of Wales’s many castles. Its sheer scale and
commanding presence easily set it apart from the rest and, to this day, still trumpet in no uncertain terms the intention of its
builder, Edward 1. Begun in 1283 as a definitive chapter in his conquest of Wales, Caernarfon was constructed not only as a
military stronghold, but as a seat of government and royal palace. Caernarfon’s symbolic status was emphasized when Edward
made sure that his son, the first English Prince of Wales, was born here in 1284. In 1969, the castle regained worldwide fame as
the setting for the investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales.

Day3
This morning, visit the Bodnant Gardens – one of Britain’s most spectacular gardens, situated above the River Conwy with
stunning views across Snowdonia. Begun in 1875, Bodnant is the creation of four generations of Aberconways and features
huge Italian terraces and formal lawns on its upper level, with a wooded valley, stream and wild garden below.

Continue to Conwy. Included is a visit to Thomas Telford's first iron suspension bridge, where both bridge and gatekeeper’s
house have been preserved. This bridge stands alongside Stevenson’s tubular railway bridge that is still in use. Both bridges
were built in the first half of the 19th Century and are linked to a castle built by King Edward 1st in the 13th Century! We will
walk into the walled town via the harbour and the smallest house in Britain. Included will be visits to Aberconwy House, the
oldest house in Conwy, and Plas Mawr, a medieval residence. We will end our tour with an interesting exploration of Conwy
Castle.

Day 4
This morning, cross onto the island of Anglesey via George Stephenson’s famous Britannia Railway Bridge which nowadays
carries the railway and a road. Drive to Amlwch, the heritage port that once served the largest copper mine in the world.
Continue to Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch (Llanfair PG), for a photocall at the station with
the longest name in Britain. The name means “St Mary’s Church in the hollow of the White Hazel near a rapid whirlpool and
the Church of St. Tysilio near the Red Cave.”

Visit Plas Newydd, home of the 7th Marquess of Anglesey situated on the banks of the Menai Straight. This elegant 18th
century house was built by James Wyatt and commands magnificent views of the beautiful mountains of Snowdonia. A
highlight is the wall mural painted by Rex Whistler, along with the small museum that explores his works and life. There is also
a military museum representing the first Marquess of Anglesey, who commanded the cavalry at the battle of Waterloo in 1815.
There will be time for lunch before we continue.

Leave Anglesea via Thomas Telford’s Menai Bridge and drive through Bangor to Penrhyn Castle. Built from the profits of
Welsh slate and Jamaican sugar, Penrhyn is an extravagant example of early 19th century neo-Norman architecture. Its architect
was Thomas Hooper, who also designed much of the furniture and filled the castle with intricate carvings, stained glass and
handmade wallpaper. Amongst the most interesting features is a one-ton slate bed made for Queen Victoria, the spectacular
Grand Staircase and the enormous Victorian kitchens. There is a lot more to see in this amazing castle, including an industrial
railway museum, doll museum, art and photographic displays.

Day 5
Drive to Llanberis. Ride the Snowdon Mountain rack railway to the summit of the highest mountain in Wales and England,
Mount Snowdon. (weather permitting). Most trains are steam-hauled, but some are diesel. At peak season, there may be as
many as eight trains on the mountain at one time, so we should see both types. At 1,085 meters (3,560 feet), Snowdon
Mountain dominates North Wales. Since 1896, the Snowdon Mountain Railway has been making it easy to reach the mountain
peak. Spend 30 minutes at the summit before descending again.

Drive to the Slate Museum, located in the old workshops of the Dinorwic Slate Mine. See the belt driven machine rooms, and
the giant water wheel that drives them. Visit the relocated miners cottages before having lunch in the café. After lunch, to ride
the Llanberris Lakeside Railway. This small railway provides employment for the local community following the closure of the
slate mines, and remains a fun and friendly trip. The views across the lake are wonderful as we make the journey to Penllyn and
back.

Visit the Electric Mountain center and take a tour into the heart of the mountain to see a gigantic power station that was built in
an old slate cavern to avoid disturbing the national park.

Day 6
Transfer to the Ffestiniog Railway station at Porthmadog for the 10:20 a.m. departure to Blaenau Ffestiniog. The line includes
the only complete railway spiral in Britain, as well as great scenery through the Tan-y-Bwlch National Park.

There will be free time in Porthmadog for lunch and to visit the harbour and town that are both within easy walking distance.
For railway enthusiasts, a visit to the Boston Lodge workshops can be organized. The Ffestiniog Railway is famous for its
“Double Fairley” locomotives, an articulated type with two boilers facing outwards from a central footplate (cab).

Later this afternoon, we will ride the small gauge steam railway from Fairbourne to the beach at Penrhyn Point. This fun train
ride includes a small halt with the longest name in the world.

Day 7
Drive to Machenlleth, where we will visit Celtica, a museum that explores Celtic history.

Continue to the seaside town of Tywyn with time for lunch before our journey on the Taly-llyn Railway. This is the oldest
preserved line in Wales, it winds up the side of a hill for 11.5 kilometers (7 miles) to the terminal at Nant Gwernol where slate
used to be loaded. On the return journey there will be a refreshment break at Abergynolwyn.

Day 8
This morning we will visit Aberystwyth. Stop over at the National Library to view the exhibits, admire the view and building.
Continue to the Promenade, where we will ride the Cliff Railway to the top of Constitution Hill, the longest cliff railway in
Britain. Visit the world's largest Victorian Camera Obscura before continuing to the town museum, attractively located in an old
music hall. Enjoy lunch before returning to the station to join an hour long journey on the narrow gauge Vale of Rheidol
Railway. This takes us through wonderful scenery to Devil’s Bridge, a small resort that was popular with the Victorians. After
a brief visit, return to Aberystwyth and drive to Welshpool.

Day 9
After breakfast, drive to Llanfair Caereinion, terminal of the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway. There will be time to visit the
station shop or the locomotive depot and workshops before boarding our train for Welshpool. The 14.5-kilometer (9-mile) line
faces some of the steepest grades on any preserved line in the UK as it travels through the beautiful green hills of the Banwy
Valley. The steam locomotive may be one of the original two that have worked the line since it opened in 1902, or an import
from Finland, Austria or Sierra Leone in Africa.

Next, we will stop at the Old Station, Welshpool. This listed building was originally the station for both the mainline and
narrow gauge railways, but is now a shopping area that has retained its railway character. The shops offer a nice selection of
ladies’ and men’s wear, including the Edinburgh Woolen Mill and The Golf Company. Enjoy lunch at the restaurant.

Continue to the nearby Powis Castle and Garden. The world famous garden, overhung with enormous clipped yew trees,
shelters rare and tender plants in colorful herbaceous borders. Laid out under the influence of Italian and French styles, the
garden retains its original lead statues and an orangery. In the eighteenth century an informal woodland wilderness was created
on the opposing ridge with fine views over the Severn Valley. Perched on a rock above the garden terraces, the medieval Castle
contains one of the finest collections of paintings and furniture in Wales. It was originally built as a fortress by Welsh princes
and was later adapted and enriched by generations of Herberts and Clives. A collection of treasures from India displayed in the
Clive Museum includes textiles, armor, bronze, jade, ivory and a magnificent tent.