dodi66

My husband and I will be in Wales for 10 days, after spending 3 weeks in Ireland. We plan to take the ferry to Holyhead and then off from there. Our interests are history, gardens, castles, local flavor, charming villages. Seems like 10 days will barely scratch the surface in tiny Wales, but we want to give it a go!! We are having trouble sorting through all the masses of information and could use some input from those "in the know", please. As an avid reader I am interested in possibly visiting Hay on the Wye, as well, and perhaps Tintern Abbey. Is that doable without shortchanging the magnificent northern Wales? We were thinking of using Conwy for our first base for maybe 3-4 nights to visit Conwy castle, Beaumaris castle, Caernarfon castle, Bodnant Gardens, Snowdonia. Then not sure of best direction to head or how to allott rest of days/nights. It all looks so amazing and beautiful, but we don't want to be racing around, trying to "do it all" and we prefer to have a base for a few nights. Any advice or input would be most appreciated!!

PalenQ

Did all those great North Wales places- all great but one place near Conwy could be cool.

Going up the Great Orme just opposite Conwy - take antique tram or energetic hike. Fab views from top.

https://www.google.com/search?q=grea...w=1920&bih=949

janisj

I think you can manage North Wales and a bit of theWelsh Marches and South Wales in 10 days without much dashing about.

I'd plan on at least 4 nights in Conwy (5 would be better since you are traveling a lot of day 1). Then a three days traveling down to/through Hay-on-Wye (dipping into Herefordshire and Gloucestershire if you haven't been) then through the Forest of Dean to Tintern/Chepstow.

This itinerary misses the beautiful Pembroke coast

Are you having to return to Ireland? or are you heading to LHR afterwards or?? Are you bringing a car over from Ireland and back, or renting a new car when arriving in Wales.

••• If you ARE returning to the Republic -- I'd do a big loop something like 4 nights in Conwy, 3 nights for Hay/Tintern/to somewhere west of Cardiff (these would be mostly one night stands), then up the coast for 3 nights back to Anglesey for the ferry back. This would be a little more rushed but still not bad.

PalenQ

for maybe 3-4 nights to visit Conwy castle, Beaumaris castle, Caernarfon castle, Bodnant Gardens, Snowdonia.>

I twinned Caernarfon Castle and city with Snodownia on same day-easily done especially with a car (I took trains and buses) - Conwy Castle and say Beaumarais easily done the same day. So 4 nights should be more than enough for those but there are other gems too - like Great Orme mentioned above and the gorgeous Conwy Valley (besides Bodnant Gardens): http://www.visitllandudno.org.uk/tow...alley-villages.

It's a nice drive down from Snowdonia area via Pyg ("pig" Pass to Betws-y-Coed and down Conwy Valley to Conwy.

Bop over to Llandudno too if time (if doing Great Orme it leaves from Llandudno outskirts) - a faded but somewhat revived seaside resort - if you walk down from Orme the path comes out in Llandudno by some neat gardens.

dodi66

Janisj and PalenQ...thank you so much! Yes, Janisj, we are returning to Republic for a flight home from Dublin...Wales was added after we had made flight arrangements. Were originally planning to see more of Northern Ireland...decided we would rather visit Wales, where we had never been before. We will return rental car in Dublin, take ferry over to Wales, pick up next rental car, and do the opposite on return. Great information from both of you...will add Great Orme to days in Conwy. Yes, we were planning to do a loop sort of itinerary so the one you mentioned, janisj,is what we were thinking. Sounds like it is doable...we may have to cut somewhere, but hate to do that....it all sounds so wonderful. PalenQ, glad to hear that what we were thinking for Conwy can be done...we do hate to rush, but don't know where to cut. Would Hay be a reasonable stop from Conwy, considering we want to visit Powis on the way south? Could Hay be used as a base for Tintern, as well? Again, thank you both.

iris1745

We did a 4 day stay in Betws-y-Coed and did everything you suggested, plus Harlic Castle.

Like janisj said, Would be good to know where you are going after the 10 days.

Tintern Abbey is so worth while to see and you also have Chestow Castle near bye.

Fra_Diavolo

If you're hikers, there's a nice walk between Tintern and Chepstow -- about five miles I think. You can take a bus or taxi back to your car.

If you need a place to stay in the area I can recommend The Bear in Crickhowell.

http://www.bearhotel.co.uk

Good pub, restaurant too.

historytraveler

Sorry, I don’t do itineraries all I can do is suggest a good map and the use of a journey planner such as aaroadwatch to determine just how long it takes to get from here to there.

I will make a few suggestions that you may not have thought of. In Conwy, visit Plas Mawr. It’s an Elizabethan house that has been beautifully restored. In fact,it was one of my favorite visits in Wales. Also in Conwy is Aberconwy which is a 14th century house.

Someone mentioned Harlech Castle and if you can fit it into your itinerary it’s a great castle. You could also stop at Criccieth Castle enroute depending on your appetite for castles. I believe there is a road that goes almost in a circle from Conwy pass both castles ( or just off the main road ) then up to Ffestiniog and back to Conwy.

Plas Newydd is just across the Menai Bridge and can easily be combined with a visit to Beaumaris. A visit makes a good co trash to Beaumaris Castle.

Another possibility is Penrhyn Castle. It is 19th century but it’s history is very interesting. I only stopped because it is a National Trust site, and I have a lifetime membership so try to visit their offerings when possible. I was once again surprised at how much I enjoyed my visit.

If visiting Hay on the Wye, you’ll be very close to Llanthony Priory 11th c. ( I think ). It’s situated in a beautiful valley, very picturesque. One of my favorite places is Kilpeck Church an exquisite example of Romanesque architecture if you’re interested. A visit will mean you have to backtrack a bit but worth it if time allows.

Tintern Abbey and Chepstow are very close so easy to visit both.

wasleys

I'd second Plas Mawr in Conwy - it is fascinating.
http://wasleys.org.uk/eleanor/statel...awr/index.html

Also make sure you walk along the walls too. Don’t miss the twelve latrines built along the outside of the walls to the west of Mill Gate. These were built for use by Edward I’s logistic corps (the equivalent of today’s civil service) whose building was outside the castle on the site of the car park.

I also like Penrhyn Castle - a Victorian take of a Norman Castle. Sumptuous just doesn't begin to describe the furnishings inside. They are wonderful.
http://wasleys.org.uk/eleanor/statel...hyn/index.html

I ewas quite disappointed by Plas Newydd which we found uninspiring in comparison. The best bit is the Whistler painting in the dining room.
http://wasleys.org.uk/eleanor/statel...ydd/Index.html

Rather than visiting here, I'd suggest Penmon Priory instead.
http://wasleys.org.uk/eleanor/church...mon/index.html

I don't know if you like preserved steam railways, but is so there is the Welsh Highland Railway which runs from Caernarfon along the flanks of snowdon to Porthmadog. Or the Ffestiniog Railway which runs from Porthmadog to Blaenau Ffestiniog. This was originally built to carry slate from the the quarries above BF to the sailing ships at Porthmadog and is still uses some of the original locos. Both are very scenic rides.
The website for both railways is here
http://www.festrail.co.uk/
I have got a website of pictures for the Ffestiniog here (But haven't done one for the welsh Highland yet.)
http://wasleys.org.uk/eleanor/presoc...iog/index.html

Llanthony Priory is lovely and we prefered it to Tintern Abbey. Chepstow castle is good.

About 25 miles south of Hay on Wye is also Tretower Court and Castle which you might enjoy.
http://cadw.gov.wales/daysout/tretow...astle/?lang=en

PalenQ

Great ideas from wasleys, especially:

Or the Ffestiniog Railway which runs from Porthmadog to Blaenau Ffestiniog. This was originally built to carry slate from the the quarries above BF to the sailing ships at Porthmadog and is still uses some of the original locos.>


Yup a weird train ride - goes to Britain's Appalachia - Ffestiniog - a trip back in time. Check www.seat61.com for details.

Songdoc

I absolutely loved Snowdonia and Portmeirion. I can't imagine missing them. Caernarfon and Harlech castles were also highlights.

Wales truly exceeded my expectations.

PalenQ

I loved Abertystwyth too - a college town on the sea - that coast has so much by train or car.

texasbookworm

For what it’s worth, I’ll share our proposed itinerary for 9 nights in Wales in June, based on some limited experiences in Wales already and lots of research!

Few background facts: We are in our early 60’s and have traveled overseas before (DH frequently). In 2010 we spent a day driving from Shrewsbury through Wales to Conwy where we spent one night. DH also attended a WRC Rally one rainy fall, basing himself in Cardiff. In 2015 DD and I had a lovely day in Cardiff as a daytrip from London. DH and I love history, castles, scenery, King Arthur stuff (well, I do!), and short walks. DH especially wants to see lots of castles this trip and stay in castle-like rooms (not so much grand houses or formal gardens this trip). And we need to build in some down time, as the trip is 3 weeks long, and driving is stressful, although he’s quite good at it. These things flavored our planning.

This June we will spend 5 nights in London, 1 in Exeter, 3 in Cornwall (I know—not enough!), 9 nights in Wales, and 1 in Manchester before flying from there. So here’s our Wales agenda:

1. Leave Hayle, in Cornwall, for 220-ish mile drive to Cardiff; will probably stop at Caerleon. We are staying in the Cardiff Hilton, where DH stayed before. Exactly what we see this day along the way and/or in Cardiff depends on how things go.

2. From Cardiff, we will see as many castles and such as we can—definitely Chepstow, Tintern Abbey and Caerphilly. There are a few other castles within range, but….

3. This is probably Cardiff-proper day; when I was there, the castle was closed due to a One Direction concert, so DH wants to take me there. Then there is shopping and parks and resting to be done, so I don’t know what else we will try to do.

4. We will drive through Brecon Beacons’ loveliness; go to Devil’s Bridge for some pictures; end up at Glendyfi Castle.

5. We will do something from Glendyfi Castle, depending on how we feel. The grounds look pretty; the coast isn’t that far away. But I built in a relax/no driving day for DH here. I’m sure we won’t get bored!

6. We will drive to Portmeirion to Castle Deudraeth, where we have rooms, stopping at Harlech Castle.

7. From here, we will try to see Beaumaris, Bryn Celli Ddu Burial , and Caernarfen if we can.

8. This is day to enjoy the village, shopping and strolling; OR we may have swapped Days 7 and 8; OR we might need to “finish” seeing something on Angelsey.

9. We will drive through Snowdonia National Park to Ruthin Castle.

And then it’s our last day in the UK, heading via Chester to Manchester for one night before our flight home.

Not sure if this helps at all, but comparisons are sometimes illuminating. Wales may be a small country but has big attractions! Conwy as a base is good idea; we loved our brief stay and the castle is a gem. I couldn’t fit Hay in our trip, but I’m hoping we do make it to all the castles we’ve picked (and maybe more). We probably won't try to fit in trains, although with more time, we would. Cardiff is a terrific city, too, close to lots of castles.

Happy planning.

dodi66

WOW!! What a great wealth of information and such a lot to sort through. Texasbookworm, your itinerary sounds great and fun and definitely was helpful.
We are making some changes and adding much to our original plans, unfortunately we can't add any extra days!! <WALES MAY BE A SMALL COUNTRY, BUT IT HAS BIG ATTRACTIONS> couldn't be more true! Our biggest issue right now is narrowing down sights and places!! I'm quite sure that Wales will require at least 1, probably more, return trips! So we keep telling ourselves "We can't see it all" and, sadly, have to eliminate some of the great things that have been suggested by all of you. Songdoc, the places you mentioned are on my "must do" list and, yes, before I've even been there, Wales has exceeded my expectations!! Wasleys, such a lot of wonderful photos and suggestions...thank you, thank you...many have been added into our itinerary. Penrhyn Castle, and the 2 priories are exactly MY thing!! As is Plas Mwr, but that was already on the list. PalenQ...thank you for the train and Snowdonia info..Snowdonia, for sure,and hopefully the train! Historytraveler, thank you for your suggestions, and all the rest who were so helpful...this will all come together, thanks to all of you and your marvelous suggestions and advice. Soooo we have 4 nights in Conwy (not booked yet, but almost!) and here's the things we 'think' we want to do while there. Is it too much? How should the days be allotted for not overdosing, in your opinion?
1st day..land at Holyhead at 11:30, pick up rental car, drive to Beaumaris Castle, visit, then Penrhyn Castle, visit, check into B&B in Conwy, walk walls, explore a bit. Rest of days (undecided which area/sight is best combined with which)..visit Portmeirion, Harlech Castle, Bodnant Gardens, Caernarfon Castle, Snowdonia Conwy Castle, Plas Mwr, Great Orme, LLandudno. We will have 3 full days, leaving for Hay on the 4th day...Again, thank you all

wasleys

I think you are being a bit enthusiastic in what you are trying to achieve...

To do justice to Penrhyn Castle, you need to allow half a day as there is so much to see there. Will you have a car to load off the ferry or are you hiring one when you get to Holyhead.

It is likely to be 12.30 before you get to Beaumaris (and could be later depending on how long ity takes to get off the ferry &/or pick up the car etc). Allow up to 30minutes to park and walk to Beaumaris castle. The castle is going to take a good hour to explore. What are you doing about lunch? This can easily add another hour to the itinerary.

Penrhyn Castle is going to be about 45 minutes drive. (Google times tend to be an undrestimate...) You then have to park and it is quite a walk from the car park to the castle. The castle shuts at 5pm and the last entry will be a lot earlier than that.

I'm wondering if it would make sense to visit Penmon Priory (the church shuts at 4pm although the rest of the site is open later) after Beaumaris and save Penrhyn for another day. It would fit in with either Bodnant Gardens or Caernarfon. I'm not sure whether you would have chance to do all three in one day as places don't usually open until 10am. You don't say when you are visiting. If it is May/early June when the Laburnum arch at Bodnant is in flower, plan to be at Bodnant before opening time and be at the head of the ticket queue. Head straight for the laburnum arch to have a chance of seeing it without all the crowds. This is justifiably one of the high spots of the gardens and is always busy with people.
http://wasleys.org.uk/eleanor/garden...ant/index.html

Conwy Castle, Plas Mawr, Great Orme and Llandudno can be done in a day, although you may need to keep an eye on the time to fit it all. If you have chance do consider a ride on the Victorian Great Orme Tramway.
http://www.greatormetramway.co.uk/

The walls at Conwy are open all hours so can be fitted in when you have time.

Portmeirion and Harlech work together well as a day although it does involve quite a bit of time in the car. Do this as a circular with the A470 up the Conwy valley through Betws y Coed and Blaenau Ffestiniog and the A4085 through Beddgelert and Rhyd Ddu. This is a very scenic route but is slow. These will take you through some of the best scenery in Snowdonia (so killing two birds with one stone...)

deladeb

oh my, great tips!

dodi66

Wasley, thank you so much! The info you provided is EXACTLY what I was looking for!! A way to divide the sights we want to visit in a sensible manner, both for time and for direction. We are in Wales for 10 days in Mid Sept, so sounds like the Laburnum Arch will not be in bloom...that must be a spectacular sight!! Oh, and we will be hiring a rental car in Holyhead, not off loading one from the ferry. The drive you suggested sounds perfect and will help us see more of what we want to see. Yes, you are correct....we, most likely, are being a bit (or a lot!) too enthusiastic in what we want to achieve! We are having a lot of difficulty paring it down...Wales is so full of wonderful sights, and has far more than we originally expected. It's actually an add-on to our 4th trip to Ireland...we were first going to visit some more of Northern Ireland for these 10 days, then decided we would like to visit Wales instead, since we've never been there. NEXT time we will make Wales our main priority so we can visit some of the places we will miss this time!!! If we do as you suggest (and I'm thinking it will all work very well for us!!), is doing Penrhyn Castle, Bodnant, and Caernarfon Castle too much for 1 day from Conwy? If so, I'd be inclined to eliminate Penrhyn since the other 2 are "musts"! Again, thank you very much!

wasleys

North Wales is wonderful and there is so much to see and do...

Thinking about it, I don’t think you are really going to manage all three in a day - or not to do properly. It would be a rush. Caernarfon Castle opens at 9.30 and Bodnant Garden opens at 10am.

I think my inclination would be to start with Bodnant and be there for opening time. (This means you can spend as long as you want at CAernarfon without having to worry about time.) The gardens will take about a couple of hours as they are large. Have lunch at Bodnant or wait until you get to Caernarfon.

You will need to allow an hour to drive to Caernarfon and get parked up. If you are lucky there will be space in the car park along the river beneath the castle. The castle is big with wall passages to explore and towers to climb. Make sure you climb the Eagle Tower for the views. There is also the Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum in two of the towers. You probably need to allow a couple of hours here.

The walled town is also worth exploring and a walk along the waterfront. A lot of money has been spent regenerating the area. There is information about a town walk here.
http://www.caernarfoninformation.co....town_walk.html

If you are into Roman remains there is also Segontium Roman Fort (plenty of on street parking). It’s not as impressive as the forts along Hadrian’s Wall, but is the only excavated Roman Fort in North Wales. website
http://cadw.gov.wales/daysout/segont...nfort/?lang=en
There is a lot more information on good old Wiki...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segontium

Allowing for a cup of tea and a cake in one of the cafes in Caernarfon, this has probably more than filled the afternoon.

wasleys

Something I should have mentioned - nearer the time check what time the Welsh Highland Railway train arrives at Caernarfon station - its usually around 1pm and departing 2.15 ish. You won't have chance to go on the train but it will be hauled by a narrow gauge Bayer Garrett loco which was brought to the rialway from South Africa as these are the only locos powerful enough to cope with the gradients on the line.
http://www.festrail.co.uk/timetable-whr.htm

There are some pictures of one of the locos here.
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Locati...les_Wales.html

dodi66

Such great information, Wasleys! You are amazing with all you provide! Ok then, we will concentrate on Bodnant Gardens and Caernarfon Castle and save Penrhyn for our next trip to Wales! My husband loves Roman ruins everywhere, anytime, so I will add that. We spent 3 weeks in Sicily last spring and were in awe most of the time! We also will add the train (to view) to our list, and will plan a ride on it for our next trip...already a return is shaping up! Better get this current one sorted first! Which I am doing thanks to you, and the other helpful souls on here!! I'm sure I will be back on the forum with further questions, but for now, our plans are coming together! Thank you so much...