Description
Walking and sightseeing on the Welsh Borders in Llangollen
Grade 
Take in extensive views from Castel Dinas Bran above Llangollen, discover the lives of the ladies of Llangollen at Plas Newydd and the Yorke family and their staff at Erddig Hall, explore the World Heritage site of the Llangollen canal and the breath taking Pontcysyllte aqueduct.
Price: from £720
– Single supplement £50
Duration:
5 nights
Next departure:
– June 23rd 2024
The historic border town of Llangollen lies in stunningly beautiful countryside on the banks of the River Dee. It is surrounded by hills and overlooked by the destinctive remains of Dinas Bran Castle perched high above the town. On this 5 night break in the Welsh borders we visit some of the historic houses and structures in the area and explore the lives of the people who lived in them, as well as seeing the UNESCO world heritage site of Llangollen canal and Thomas Telford’s breathtaking Pontcysyllte aquaduct -worth the trip alone if you haven’t seen it.
Holiday highlights
- Visit the romantic remains of Castell Dinas Bran above Llangollen to take in spectacular views and visit the home of the ladies of Llangollen at Plas Newydd.
- Wonder at the beauty and engineering of Telford’s Pontcysyllte aqueduct high above the river Dee. Travel by boat over the aqueduct as it follows the canal back to Llangollen.
- Explore the house and grounds of Erddig Hall, described as the most evocative Upstairs/Downstairs house in Britain.
- Stay at the welcoming Hand Hotel situated on the banks of the River Dee in the historic border town of Llangollen.
Accommodation
Standing above a beautiful stretch of the river Dee close to the centre of the pretty market town of Llangollen, the Hand Hotel with its stunning riverside garden, old world charm, and excellent food is an ideal base for our holiday. Each of the comfortable bedrooms (some with a river view) has an en-suite bathroom, remote control colour TV, radio, tea and coffee making facilities. The central location of the Hand Hotel and the proximity of Llangollen to such lovely countryside means that we can walk directly from the hotel on many days of our holiday.
Single supplements and upgrades
Single room supplement: £50
Sole use of a double room: £125
Included
- En-suite half board accommodation in the lovely Hand hotel.
- A three-course meal served each evening in the hotel restaurant.
- Guided walking and sightseeing with a qualified and professional leader each day.
- Transport to and from walks
Not included
- Lunches -these are available to buy from local shops in Llangollen
- Incidental expenses such as drinks.
- Entrance fees to Plas Newydd, Erddig Hall, Valle Crucis Abbey and the Llangollen Canal narrow boat.
Day-to-Day Itinerary
The following is the proposed itinerary. However, please bear in mind that in the event of local conditions changing, for example due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances, it may be necessary to change the itinerary.
Day 1
Arrive at the Hand Hotel and check into your room. Meet at 7pm in the lounge for a short briefing about the week ahead before our three-course dinner is served in the hotel’s restaurant.
Meals included: dinner
Day 2: The Horseshoe falls and Valle Crucis Abbey
Today we start our exploration of the Llangollen canal by walking to its source, the Horseshoe falls. Less dramatic, but every bit as beautiful as you might expect, this is where water from the river Dee is diverted to feed the canal. After exploring the falls and pausing for elevenses in the Chain bridge hotel we continue onto Valle Crucis Abbey to explore the ruins of this majestic medieval abbey founded in 1201 by Prince Madog. After visiting the abbey we return by foot along the canal to Llangollen.
As an alternative to walking, for the outward or return journey you may wish to take a horse-drawn boat or steam chain from Llangollen to the Horseshoe falls.
Distance: 7 km (4.5 miles) ascent and descent 75 metres
Meals included: breakfast and dinner
Day 3: Castell Dinas Bran and the Ladies of Llangollen
here is only one way to start this holiday and that is by heading up to the romantic ruins of Castell Dinas Bran that look down on Llangollen from their dramatic vantage point above the town. The views from here across the Dee Valley to the Berwyn mountains and along the Creig iau Eglwyseg rocks, one of the finest limestone escarpments in Britain, are spectacular. We drop down from the Castell and return to Llangollen to visit Plas Newydd, the house of the remarkable ladies of Llangollen. There will be time to explore Llangollen before returning to the hotel.
7 km (4.5 miles) ascent/descent 320 m
Meals included: breakfast and dinner
Day 4: Erddig Hall and Wat’s Dyke
Erddig Hall, home to the Yorke family until the 1970s, is a truly remarkable property and is described as the most evocative Upstairs/Downstairs house in Britain. The Yorke’s relationship with their servants which was unusual as the family celebrated their staff with a large collection of portraits and poems. Additionally, many of the servants’ areas are well preserved and this provides a unique insight into the lives of 18th to 20th century servants.
We catch the bus to Ruabon and follow Wat’s Dyke, a defensive earth mound which parallels the route of Offa’s dyke onto the Erddig estate. There will be ample time to explore the house and grounds at Erddig before we walk onto Wrexham to return to Llangollen.
8 km (5 miles) ascent/descent 100 m
Meals included: breakfast and dinner
Day 5: Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
Today we explore Telford’s engineering wonder and UNESCO World Heritage site, the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. Starting from Llangollen wharf we walk the length of the canal to the aqueduct for lunch. Tea and coffee are available from the shop; there is a pub for a swift half and even toilets! However, whatever else you do, walking over Telford’s fantastically engineered aqueduct is an absolute must. It is also possible to take a boat across the aqueduct To return, we walk the short distance to Trevor to catch the bus back to Llangollen.
Distance 8km (5 miles) Ascent/descent 50m
Meals included: breakfast and dinner
Day 6
The holiday finishes after breakfast. It’s goodbye -until next time!
Meals included: breakfast
Kit list
For walking each day:
- Good walking boots or shoes
- Waterproof jacket and trousers
- Lightweight, quick drying trousers
- Base layer
- Mid-layer such as a fleece jacket and an additional ‘spare’ layer depending on the forecast
- Walking socks
- Warm hat and gloves -just in case the weather turns
- Sun hat, sunglasses, lip salve and high SPF sun block
- Day sack (25 litre capacity is a good size) to comfortably carry your kit, lunch and water
- Dry bag or rucksack cover to keep the contents of your daypack dry
- Water bottle
- Basic first aid kit (plasters, blister treatment, antiseptic etc)
- Some snacks to keep you going
- Walking/trekking poles (if you use them)
Maps
OS Explorer maps 256 Wrexham and Llangollen, 255 Llangollen and Berwyn.
Group size
This guided holiday will have a maximum group size of 14.
