Overview
In Snowdonia every lake and hill has a story, and some are older than the castles.
At Dinas Emrys the boy Merlin showed Vortigern a red dragon and a white one fighting under his hill, and the red one won. At Beddgelert a prince comes home to an overturned cradle and blood on his hound's mouth, and kills the dog before he finds his son alive. At Cwm Idwal a prince was drowned, and no bird, they say, has flown over the lake since.
Under Snowdon itself Arthur and his knights lie sleeping until Wales needs them. The day ends at Caernarfon, where Edward I gave his castle an Eagle Tower out of a Welsh legend.
- Duration
- 1 day
- 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
- Myths & legends
- Mountains & lakes
- Castles
Itinerary
Dragons, a hound and a drowned prince
Up the Ogwen Valley under Tryfan to the lake some say still holds Excalibur, and on to the hanging valley of Cwm Idwal. Then the cottage built in a single night, Beddgelert, and the hill of the dragons. The afternoon turns from legend to history: Dolbadarn, where Llywelyn the Great's grandson kept his own brother prisoner for twenty years, and Caernarfon to finish.
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A rugged drive between Snowdonia's mountains, lakes and rivers
A beautiful valley located in Snowdonia National Park. It is known for its stunning natural scenery, including the rugged mountains, crystal-clear lakes, and rushing rivers that flow through the valley. -
A mountain lake in the Ogwen Valley, and a fine walking option
A shallow ribbon lake in the Ogwen Valley, held between the Carneddau and the Glyderau with Tryfan rising steeply above its eastern end. The A5 runs along its shore, making it one of the most accessible mountain views in Snowdonia. -
Wales's oldest nature reserve, a dramatic hanging valley and lake
A hanging valley and lake under the cliffs of Glyder Fawr, Wales's first National Nature Reserve, where Darwin came in 1831 and only later realised he had been looking at the work of glaciers. The legend is darker: Idwal, a prince's son, was drowned in the lake by his guardian, and no bird, they say, has flown over it since. The circuit of the lake is about three miles from the Ogwen car park. -
A one-night cottage of legend, now a woodland cafe and centre
The Ugly House is in reality far from that. It is believed to have been originally built as a hafodunos, which means a house built overnight to conform to an ancient law providing land for development. It is now a very picturesque visitor centre and cafe in a beautiful woodland glade. -
Often called the prettiest village in Wales, and famed for ice cream
Often called the prettiest village in Wales, where the Glaslyn meets the Colwyn under the mountains. The name means Gelert's grave, and the story of the prince who killed his faithful hound by mistake is told at the grave a short walk downstream. Parts of the village date from the 12th century; it grew on copper mining in the 18th and 19th. Famous for its ice cream, and for the National Trust's Tŷ Isaf shop in a late 17th-century house in the centre. -
Hillfort ruin steeped in the legend of Merlin and two dragons
An ancient hillfort with a long history of human occupation dating back to prehistoric times, consisting of defensive earthworks and ruins of stone structures. The site holds significant historical and mythical importance in Welsh folklore and legends, including the tale of Merlin and the two dragons. -
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. -
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. -
Edward I's mightiest fortress, guarding the Menai Strait since 1283
Edward I's fortress palace at the mouth of the Seiont, begun in 1283, its banded masonry and polygonal towers modelled on the walls of Constantinople. The first English Prince of Wales was born here in 1284, and the investiture of Prince Charles took place here in 1969. A World Heritage Site with its walled town, and one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Europe.
What guests say
From the moment that John Pritchard pulled up in front of our bed and breakfast with Welsh cakes and his welcoming smile, it was clear we had a guide that was as excited to show us his home as we were to see it. We had arrived in North Wales by train wanting to see everything, only to learn that you really need a car to do that in a reasonable amount of time. At the last minute, we learned of Celticos and called John. Overnight he put together a custom tour that both hit the places we wanted to go - Beaumaris, Harlech, Segontium, Snowdonia - and added his own "home boy" favorites - Swallow's Falls, Beth Gelert, Anglesey proper, the list goes on and on. Our time with him - which he stretched an hour and a half at no charge - was wonderful, full of great conversation and information (and local food—thanks for the brown sauce rec on those oggies, John!) that helped us feel we understood Welsh history and culture way more deeply than we could have otherwise. You cannot do better than to book your tour with John.
John took us on a fabulous drive in Sowdonia National Park. He was very knowledgeable and helpful. Thoroughly recommend.
Frequently asked questions
- 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.
