Becks16

Hello!
I'm starting the final month of my 5 month trip around the UK and would love some input on my planned route. I've read so many forum posts, hostel reviews, and train schedules lately that I'm going cross-eyed and would love some advice from others!

I'm currently in the Lake District and will be staying here until the 12th, when I journey to York for 3 nights, then to Chester for 3 nights. Those are already booked. From there I want to explore Northern Wales a bit.

I do not have a car, and won't be renting one, so am dependent on train/bus. (Incidentally, do people have much success hitchhiking in this area?)

Can I see Llandudno and Conwy in one day as a day trip from Chester?
And is Portmeirion a doable day trip from Betws-y-Coed? Or is it better to go from Llanberis?

I was thinking of something like:
Wed. 16: Chester (train gets in around 2pm, explore town)
Thu 17: Chester (more to do in town? Or is there another cool day trip?)
Fri 18: Chester (day trip to Llandudno and Conwy)
Sat 19: Betws-y-Coed (apparently a 1.5 hour train, explore town/area)
Sun 20: Betws-y-Coed (hiking/walking in area)
Mon 21: Betws-y-Coed (day trip to Portmeirion)
Tue 22:
Wed 23:
Thu 24:
Fri 25: ?? To Manchester
Sat 26: Megabus Manchester to Edinburgh (leaves 7am)
Sun 27: Edinburgh
Mon 28: Edinburgh
Tue 29: Edinburgh to Glasgow
Wed 30: fly Glasgow to Vancouver

Do the day trips make sense? Is it worth staying in Llanberis anyway? Is there something obvious I'm missing out? And is the scenery different enough from the Lake District that I won't feel I've already been there?

So I am open to suggestions on how to spend the last few days, keeping in mind I would like to be able to connect back to Manchester. Really ANY suggestions are welcome. I'm not looking for anything particular, after 5 months I am a little travel weary and, while still excited to see something new, I am more than happy to open the floor to any ideas. As long as I can get there by transit!

Thanks for your help!

ESW

Fri 18th day trip to Llandudno and Conwy. There is loads to do and see in Conwy alone - castle, Plas Mawr Elizabetan house, walls to walk around smallest house (if you are into this thing)... and you could easily spned a whole day here. Have a read here for ideas
http://www.silvertraveladvisor.com/r...0-review-conwy

Llandudno is a lovely Victorian sea side town. Make sure you take the Victorian tramway to the top of the Great Orme and spend some time wandering here.

Rather than heading back to Chester, why not spend a night here which would give you more time to enjoy what there is on offer. It is then a short train ride from Llandudno juction to Betws y Coed next day.

Monday 21 - have you looked at the logistics of a day trip to Portmeirion? It involves train to Blaenau Ffestiniog and either bus or Ffestiniog Railway to Minfordd and quite a walk to Portmeirion. Again rather than trying to do this as a day trip why not spend the night in the area? There is eith Portmadog or Criccieth is a lovely seaside town with a ruined castle.

Spend one of your free days either by using the Welsh Highland Railway from Porthmadog to Caernarfon (superb run along the flanks of Snowdon)
http://www.festrail.co.uk/
or bus from Porthmadoc to Caernarfon. This is another splendid walled town with a ruined castle. Return to base.

Next day catch a bus to Aberdaron at the tip of the peninsula. Follow the coastal footpath around the tip of the peninsula with magnificent views across to Bardsey Island, over Anelog to Porth Oer, one of the loveliest beaches in the Llyn. Retrace your footsteps back to Aberdaron and the bus

If you are into high adrenaline activities there is the underground zipwire at Llechwedd caverns. Again either catch the bus from Porthmadog to Blaenau Ffestioniog and either walk or bus to Llechwedd or use the Ffestiniog Railway. If you didn't use this earlier, it is definitely worth going for a ride on this. Up the valley to Blaenau Ffestiniog is the more dramatic as the locos are working hard. If you are lucky you may be pulled by one of the iconic double Fairlie locos. The sheer naked power of one of these going uphill with a heavy train is exhilarating.While at Leechwedd make sure you also do the Victorian Mine tour which takes you deep into the old slate workings.
http://www.llechwedd-slate-caverns.co.uk/

Train to Edinburgh - for a scenic route, catch the train from Porthmadog to Shrewsbury ( lovely scenic run). From Shrewsbury you can get a train to Edinburgh with a change at Crewe.

PalenQ

ESW has given such tremendous feedback - here are my 2 pence from my week in northern Wales:

Consider taking the railway up Mt Snowdon - steam train to the top for superlative views.

Beaumarais Castle is one of the most dreamy situated I've seen anywhere - right on the sea - inside is largely gone but exterior walls are so imposing.

Yes Great Orme tramway (or steep walk) is great - again views for miles around - Llandudno is a nice old town as ESW says but not a whole lot to see - starting point for Great Orme climb however.

And Ffestiniog Railway is neat too - old slate mining town of Ffestiniog up top - a gritty town that seems out of the 1950s Appalachia to me.

Yes Betsy-C and walking is nice and if that is your goal great - but I would rather go to some other neat places too.

irishface

You have received great advice above. I once spent a week in Conwy. Using it as a base, I took day trips using only busses and trains. I have visited that area several times since then. I loved all of the places mentioned above.

One place I did not see mentioned was Bodnant Gardens. They may be past their peak by now, but I recall a wonderful July day spent wandering the grounds.

Have fun!

Rubicund

If you want to spend your three blank days relaxing, why not stay in Manchester? There's an awful lot to do in the City depending on your likes/dislikes. It's also freshers week in Manchester that week, and the Universities have lots of music etc going on.

Have a look at http://www.visitmanchester.com/what-to-do/summer/ for an idea of what's available in the city.

Cathinjoetown

This North Wales bus service is quite good.

https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/wales/

Try to get to Caenarfon and Angelsey Island (Beaumaris) as well as Llandudno and Conwy.

PalenQ

check over unlimited day passes for this part of Wales good for buses and trains.

Becks16

Thank you everyone for your advice! I looked into staying closer to Portmeirion, but there are no hostels in the vicinity so I think I may just cut it out. (I'm trying to keep my accommodation under £20 a night!) Reviews seem mixed anyhow, and now that I've researched Beaumaris and Bodnant gardens, they seem more to my interests! The steam trains sound fabulous, but maybe a bit out of my price range for now. I've taken all the suggestions and come up with an alternative plan:

So if I drop one of the days from Chester, does something like this make sense?

Sunday 13-Tue 15: York
Wed 16: Chester
Thu 17: Chester
Fri 18: Llandudno (visit Conwy)
Sat 19: Llandudno (visit Bodnant Gardens/Great Orme)
Sun 20: Carnarfon
Mon 21: Caernarfon (visit Beaumaris)
Tue 22: Betws-y-Coed
Wed 23: Betws
Thu 24: Manchester
Fri 25: Manchester
Sat 26: megabus to Edinburgh
Sun 27: Edinburgh
Mon 28: Edinburgh
Tue 29: to Glasgow
Wed 30: Fly Home

I've reversed the order of places, as Betws seems marginally more convenient to Manchester. Does that make sense?

(And thanks for the bus link! I don't know why google couldn't find that for me )

PalenQ

Looks like a sweet itinerary now.

Shrewsbury is a short enough bus or train ride from Chester - a really neat old town.

ESW

Looking good.

There's not a lot of difference between Betws-y-Coed or Caernarfon if you want to get to Manchester. Either way you need to get to Llandudno Junction for the train to Manchester. Use bus from Caernarfon or train from Betws.

Caernarfon and Beaumaris can both be done by bus from Llandudno, so you could use that as your base for four nights rather than splitting between Llandudno and Caernarfon.

The Welsh Highland Railway and the Ffestiniog Railway are both fantastic rides but they are quite expensive - may be another time?

Cathinjoetown

Looks good.

Rubicund

Let us know if you need any Manchester info.

PalenQ

Manchester is one of my favorite cities in the UK - not the most beautiful but not bad but has some fascinating museums and old canals to walk along - the city centre is very clean - great walking town - check out the Science Museum and Museum of Underground Manchester - or whatever it is called - looking at the city's ancient sewage system and other utilities - the world oldest train station (I think) is a part of it.

Manchester - I went in January once and it was delightful - rarely gets very cold I think.

Not sure about two days there but you could easily day trip to Blackpool close by - a one-of-a-kind place that they say is the most visited place in Britain outside of London - an old seaside resort re-inventing itself - lots of young folk come up from London for a hoot and take in some very diverse shows - maybe more pubs than anyplace in England and more chippie shops that you can every remember - old double-decker trams are neat to ride along the several-mile saefront.

If going now check out the fantastic Blackpool Illuminations that draw zillions of folks from all over NW England:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...nov-8-2105.cfm

Indeed staying a night in Blackpool could be cool and B&Bs on the low end are all over - cheaper than hostels. I'd even suggest basing there and day tripping into nearby Manchester. Blackpool is sheer fun especially during the Lights as some call them.