Overview
North Wales has two houses called Plas Newydd, and they could hardly be more different. One is the Marquess of Anglesey's mansion on the Menai Strait, with Rex Whistler's great mural in the dining room. The other is the cottage where two Irish women who ran away together in 1778 received Wordsworth, Scott and Wellington.
Around them are Penrhyn's slate-and-sugar splendour, Bodnant's eighty acres of terraces, and Erddig, a house famous less for its family than for its servants, whose portraits still hang there.
Things grow here. The sea keeps the frost off and the rain does the rest, which is how Bodnant came by its record-breaking trees.
- Duration
- 2 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
- Houses & gardens
- Heritage & culture
Itinerary
Day 1 The Menai and the Conwy
Plas Newydd first, its lawns running down to the Menai Strait with Snowdonia across the water. Then Penrhyn, where a sugar and slate fortune built a Norman castle in the 1820s, and in the afternoon Bodnant, eighty acres of terraces and woodland above the Conwy.
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Marquess of Anglesey's mansion and gardens on the Menai Strait
The Marquess of Anglesey's house on the Menai Strait: a 1470s house rebuilt in the 1790s by James Wyatt and restyled in the 1930s, when Rex Whistler painted the 58-foot mural in the dining room, his largest work, an imagined harbour with Snowdonia beyond. Gardens and woodland walks along the strait, and the National Trust since 1976. -
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. -
Eighty acres of terraced gardens with views to the Snowdonia range
Eighty acres above the River Conwy, sloping west with Snowdonia across the valley. Formal Italianate terraces and a rose garden run down into the Dell, a wooded valley of streams and glades planted with seeds and cuttings brought back by plant-hunting expeditions more than a century ago. Something is at its best in every season: daffodils and magnolias in spring, the laburnum arch in late May, summer meadows, autumn colour and frost on the terraces in winter. There are record-breaking trees among the two-hundred-year-old ones.
Day 2 Llangollen and Erddig
The morning in Llangollen, at the Ladies' house, carved all over in oak their visitors gave them, and in the town below. The afternoon is Erddig near Wrexham, home of the Yorke family for more than 200 years and upstairs-downstairs like nowhere else: the family had their servants' portraits painted.
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The black-and-white house of the Ladies of Llangollen
Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby left Ireland together in 1778 and made this cottage above Llangollen famous across Europe, receiving Wordsworth, Scott and Wellington. They encrusted it with carved oak given by visitors, and laid out the terraced gardens. -
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. -
A National Trust estate near Wrexham, famous for its servants
Erddig is a magnificent historic country house near Wrexham in North Wales, surrounded by beautiful gardens and parkland. Built in the 18th century, it was home to the Yorke family for more than 200 years and is famous for its well-preserved rooms and fascinating collection of family and servant portraits. Today, Erddig is cared for by the National Trust and is a popular attraction for visitors interested in history, architecture, and gardens.
What guests say
The tour that John designed for our group of five exceeded my expectations. We got a marvelous blend of history, castles, landmarks and gorgeous scenery with a sprinkling of the Welsh language. John was kind, professional, knowledgeable and adapted our tour when needed to fit our needs.
It was wonderful to travel around whilst John shared such helpful pieces of information, stories and history. John goes the extra mile for all who travel with him. We loved it and are so thankful for our time in Wales
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.
- 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. Many of the castles are cared for by Cadw, and we can advise on the best-value tickets when you book.
- 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.
