Overview
The little railways of Wales were built to carry slate down the mountains to the sea. Now they carry people up them, through coal smoke and steam, and the driving between the stations is ours.
Over five days you ride seven of them: the rack railway up Snowdon, 25 miles of Welsh Highland steam through the Aberglaslyn Pass, the Ffestiniog's spiral into slate country, and the Talyllyn, the first railway in the world to be saved by volunteers.
Each runs to its own timetable through spring and summer, and we plan the days around them.
- Duration
- 5 days
- Group size
- Up to 7 guests
- Vehicle
- Mercedes V-Class
Includes
- Expert bilingual local guide
- Travel in a Mercedes V-Class
- Daily pick-ups & drop offs
- Fully customisable
Excludes
- Flights, transfers and accommodation
- Food and drink
- Entry fees to attractions
- Heritage railways
- Heritage & culture
Itinerary
Day 1 Llanberis and the slate
Up Snowdon by the rack railway that has climbed 4.7 miles from Llanberis since 1896. Back down, the slate story around Llyn Padarn, then Penrhyn Castle, which shows what the slate paid for, and Llywelyn the Great's tower at Dolbadarn to end the day.
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Cog railway climbing 4.7 miles from Llanberis to Snowdon's summit
A cog railway in Wales that takes visitors to the summit of Snowdon, the highest peak in the region. Opened in 1896, it offers stunning views along its 4.7-mile route from Llanberis to the top of Snowdon. -
Working quarry workshops and machinery telling the slate story
(Closed for redevelopment until summer 2027.) The National Slate Museum occupies the Victorian workshops of the Dinorwig quarry, under Elidir mountain in Llanberis, kept as though the quarrymen and engineers had just put down their tools and gone home: a foundry, a forge, the joiners' shop and the great water wheel that drove them all. Craftsmen split slate by hand in demonstrations through the day, and a row of quarrymen's cottages moved here from Blaenau Ffestiniog shows how the families lived. -
Vast Victorian fantasy castle of slate and sugar wealth, near Bangor
Penrhyn Castle as we see it today was built near Bangor between 1822 and 1837 by Thomas Hopper, who created a fantasy Norman castle around a medieval fortified house, glimpses of which can still be seen. His client, George Dawkins Pennant, had inherited a fortune made from sugar in the Caribbean and slate from Snowdonia. The interiors are strikingly rich, with a one-ton slate bed made for Queen Victoria, and the Victorian kitchens below stairs. The stable block holds a railway museum of the quarry's industrial locomotives, and the grounds run to 45 acres of parkland, walled garden and exotic trees. National Trust. -
Llywelyn the Great's round tower guarding the Llanberis Pass
Built in the early 13th century by Llywelyn the Great beside Llyn Padarn, to hold the route from Snowdonia to Caernarfon through the Llanberis Pass. Its round keep, forty feet high and forty across, is the finest surviving piece of Welsh-built castle work. Llywelyn the Last kept his brother Owain prisoner here for more than twenty years. It fell to Edward I in 1282 and saw one more fight in Owain Glyndŵr's rising around 1400.
Day 2 Caernarfon to Porthmadog by steam
Twenty-five miles on the Welsh Highland Railway, from under Caernarfon's castle walls over Snowdon's foothills and down through the Aberglaslyn Pass, behind the most powerful narrow-gauge engines in the world. At Porthmadog, the harbour built on slate, the Welsh Highland Heritage line lets you climb up into the cabs.
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Steam railway climbing 25 miles from Caernarfon to Porthmadog
The UK's longest heritage railway running for 25 miles from Caernarfon where trains start from beneath the castle walls for the journey to Porthmadog. The trains, hauled by the world's most powerful narrow gauge steam locomotives, climb from sea level to over 650ft on the foothills of Snowdon, before zig-zagging dramatically down the steep hillside to reach Beddgelert, through the magnificent Aberglaslyn Pass and on to Porthmadog. Passengers ride in some of the most comfortable carriages on any heritage railway in the UK, including first class Pullman luxury and freshly-cooked food delivered to your seat. -
A harbour town built on slate, and the terminus of two heritage railways
Porthmadog was built to ship slate from Blaenau Ffestiniog, brought down to the quay by the Ffestiniog Railway. The harbour is now a marina, and the town is the terminus for both the Ffestiniog Railway and the Welsh Highland Railway, along with a third short line at the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway. -
A short Porthmadog line with engine sheds you can climb into
Not to be confused with the Welsh Highland Railway next door. A short ride, then a stop at the engine sheds where visitors get into the cabs, and the story of how Porthmadog's narrow gauge lines came to be famous.
Day 3 The Ffestiniog and the Conwy Valley
The world's oldest railway company, running since 1832, climbs 13.5 miles from Porthmadog harbour to Blaenau Ffestiniog, round horseshoe bends and a full spiral. Then down the Conwy Valley to Edward I's castle on the estuary.
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The world's oldest railway company, steaming up to Blaenau Ffestiniog
The oldest independent railway company in the world, established in 1832. The railway takes you on a 13.5 mile journey from the harbour in Porthmadog to the slate-quarrying town of Blaenau Ffestiniog. Historic trains climb over 700 feet from sea level into the mountains through tranquil pastures and magnificent forests, past lakes and waterfalls, round horseshoe bends (even a complete spiral) clinging to the side of the mountain or even tunneling through it. -
Edward I's exceptionally preserved fortress on the River Conwy
Built for Edward I by Master James of St George from 1283, on a rock at the mouth of the Conwy: eight towers, two barbicans and a great hall in one long ring, with no need for the concentric walls of his other castles because the rock did that work. It cost about £15,000, the most Edward spent so quickly on any Welsh castle, and it is the best preserved of them all. A World Heritage Site together with the town walls, which still run unbroken round the old town.
Day 4 The Cambrian coast
South to mid Wales for two lines: the Talyllyn, saved by volunteers in 1951, up the Fathew valley past Dolgoch Falls, and the Vale of Rheidol, an hour of steam from Aberystwyth up the valley to Devil's Bridge.
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The world's first preserved railway, through the Fathew valley
Saved by volunteers in 1951 and the first railway anywhere to be preserved. Seven miles of narrow gauge steam from Tywyn up the Fathew valley past streams and waterfalls into the Merioneth hills, with Dolgoch Falls and Abergynolwyn on the way. -
Narrow-gauge steam through the Rheidol Valley to Devil's Bridge
Narrow-gauge steam from Aberystwyth, twelve miles up the Rheidol valley to Devil's Bridge, about an hour each way. Opened in 1902 and the last steam railway British Rail ran, the line twists along the valley side through open fields and ancient woodland, climbing to Devil's Bridge, home of the Mynach Falls and the three bridges stacked one above another over the gorge. Red kites soar over the valley most days, and the locomotives and carriages are kept in traditional livery.
Day 5 The Dee Valley
East to Llangollen for the only standard-gauge heritage line in North Wales, ten miles of steam along the Dee to Corwen from beside a bridge built in 1345. Then time in the town, under Castell Dinas Brân.
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Heritage steam along ten miles of the Dee Valley from Llangollen
The only standard gauge heritage railway in North Wales. Located beside the historic Dee Bridge (built in 1345) in the centre of Llangollen town. The journey is a relaxing 10 miles travelling through the stunning Dee Valley to the lovely town of Corwen, the crossroads of North Wales. -
Dee Valley town below the Berwyn Mountains and Castell Dinas Bran
A small town at a crossing of the Dee, in the narrowest part of the valley below the Berwyn Mountains. The river runs fast here and canoeists fight through it under the old bridge, while a horse pulls the passenger boats along the canal above the town. Each July the International Musical Eisteddfod fills the Royal Pavilion with singers and dancers from around the world, and a heritage railway runs ten miles up the valley to Corwen. On the hill above are the ruins of Castell Dinas Brân.
What guests say
Outstanding three day tour of North Wales. We saw historic sites and spectacular scenery and John is extremely knowledgeable in explaining Welsh history and culture. He also taught us some Welsh. John also made the tour very personal by showing us where my grandfather grew up. He knew the owner of a cafe who had old photos of the area and she brought them out for us to see. I could visualize my grandfather sitting in the same spot having a coffee. This is just one example of the thought and care that John puts into his tours. John also gave us excellent recommendations for lodging and meals including places to get the best Welsh food. It was an amazing experience. I can’t say enough great things about John’s tour.
Through Celticos, led by John Pritchard, we were able to explore the wondrous gems of North Wales. We have been provided a personalised 4-day trip itinerary where we were able to visit different places of the region - lakes, scenic villages, pubs, castles, and of course, Snowdonia. John, together with Adam, ensured our safety from picking us up from London; touring us from one spot to another; and driving us back to London. Words are not enough how perfect our trip was. Celticos did an exceptional service to us. John and Adam were always on time, flexible when needed, informative, and most of all, very friendly. I definitely recommend Celticos to anyone who wants to discover the astounding places North Wales can offer.
Frequently asked questions
- Are the railway fares included?
No. Fares on the heritage railways are paid separately, but we can obtain tickets and make reservations on your behalf. We take you to and from the stations at each end of the journey.
- Can we go up Snowdon by train?
Yes, the Snowdon Mountain Railway can be part of the tour. Trains to the summit run in the summer months only and depend on the weather.
- Can we change the itinerary?
Yes. Every tour we run is customised, so treat this itinerary as a starting point. Tell us what interests you and we will build the days around it.
- What time do we start and finish?
Usually around 9am to 5pm, but we are flexible. What matters most is that you have a good time, so if starting earlier or finishing later makes for a better day, that is what we will do.
- How many of us can come?
Up to 7 guests, travelling together in our Mercedes V-Class. For a party of 8 or more, get in touch and we will make special arrangements.
- Can children come?
Children over 12 years old are welcome. Not every tour suits children, so tell us their ages when you get in touch and we will plan the day around them. We are not able to accommodate infants and babies.
- Can this tour be combined with other tours, or made longer or shorter?
Yes. A day tour can be built into a multi-day tour, and a multi-day tour can be shortened, extended or joined to another. Tell us how many days you have and we will plan around them.
- Are admission fees included?
No. Entry to castles, gardens and other attractions is paid on the day, where a fee applies. Most of the castles are maintained by Cadw, part of the Welsh Government. Please visit cadw.gov.wales. We can advise you on the best deals when you book your tour with us.
- Is food included?
No. As we tour we will suggest eating places that our guests have enjoyed.
- What should we wear and bring?
Sensible footwear for some light walking, and a rain jacket, just in case.
- How much walking is involved?
Some, and none of it strenuous: the walk from the car to a castle gate or a viewpoint. If walking is a concern, tell us and we will plan the stops accordingly.
- Where should we stay?
Somewhere central, so that touring time is not spent driving to the start. Our accommodation advice lists places our guests have used, and we are happy to suggest a base for your tour.
