Castles and Houses of North Wales

After breakfast at leisure, we head westwards to Edward I’s mighty coastal fortress with a dramatic setting overlooking the town of Harlech and the Irish Sea – Harlech Castle. Completed in just seven years from commencement of construction under the guidance of architect Master James of St George, it was designed to maximize the effectiveness of the discouraging natural defences. We enter this monumental battlement from a dramatic ‘floating’ footbridge as was intended some 600 years ago.

We depart Harlech for the short drive to Castell Deudraeth, originally a manor house that was enlarged and castellated in the mid 1800s and is now home to a small hotel and restaurant having retained many of its original features. Included is a two-course lunch in the Brasserie, which has views over the Meirionnydd mountains to the south and the formal Victorian gardens to the west.

This afternoon we head to Plas Brondaw gardens which were gifted to Sir Clough Williams-Ellis by his father in 1902. These gardens are a fine example of Sir Clough’s talent for landscape design. Sandwiched between Snowdon and the sea the gardens have been inspired by renaissance Italy.

After breakfast at leisure, we head back to the west coast of Wales. Caernarfon is where we find one of Wales’ most famous castles and UNESCO World Heritage site – Caernarfon Castle, recognised as one of the world's greatest Medieval buildings. Originally built by Edward I as a royal residence and military fortress, the sheer scale and architecture of the castle is awe-inspiring. The dais made from Welsh slate on which Prince Charles was invested as Prince of Wales in 1969 remains in situ.

This afternoon we visit Plas Newydd the former home of the Ladies of Llangollen. Originally a five-bedroom stone cottage, it has been extended over the years. One of the most unusual features is the abundance of reclaimed oak carvings that are set in a patchwork style over a large proportion of the house’s exterior. Plas Newydd has in recent years also been featured in a variety of television productions including the 1989 BBC adaptation of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Chronicles of Narnia), in 2003 as part of the Antiques Road Trip and in 2008 as part of the Most Haunted series.

After breakfast at leisure, we depart for the Grade I listed Stately home Bodrhyddan Hall. Set in stunning Welsh countryside the hall is nestled in hundreds of acres of gardens, parkland and woodland. The hall has remained in the possession of the same family for over 500 years, and it is steeped in a rich and varied history, evidence of which can be seen in the many artefacts on display. After time to explore and to enjoy some refreshments we bid farewell to North Wales and return to our original joining points.