Wales Coast and Mountains - 2 days

We think this is a truly amazing tour to a part of the UK which has a completely different landscape and culture. Your driver/guide is very familiar with the wonderful areas that you will see, ranging from the quaint Roman city of Chester to the impressive mountain and coastal regions of North Wales, which form part of the Snowdonia National Park. You will even travel on an old narrow-guage steam-train from the old port of Porthmadog to the heights of Blanneau Ffestiniog and you will stay in one of what we think is one of the best locations in North Wales.

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:
Chester, North Wales Coast, Conwy Castle Walls, Snowdonia Mountains, Steam Train Ride to Mountain

TOUR ITINERARY:

DAY ONE (Saturday):

> 7.00 am Minibus departs Cambridge from Parkside Police Station

> 8.30 am Minibus departs from International Students House, Great Portland Street, London MAP

We travel north and head for the Roman and Medieval city of Chester. With over 2000 years of history, this is one of Europe's top heritage sites. The city is surrounded by walls and also has military museums and a Roman Amphitheatre. After our visit we make the short journey across the border into Wales, visiting some truly amazing scenery on the North Wales coast. We stop briefly in the fishing village of Conwy, home to one of the most imposing Castles in Britain, Conwy Castle. Built on a rock overlooking the city the castle was built by the English King Edward the First to ‘contain' the Welsh. We have time to walk the ancient walls, see the smallest house in Britain and take in the beautiful harbour. After sunset at the Great Orm, we end the day at our friendly guest house.

DAY TWO (Sunday):

 > 8.30 depart from hotel.

After brief visits to Caernarfon (with an even grander example of English Edward's castles) and to the village with the long name, we head into Snowdonia with photo/walkabout stops such as the exquisite lake Llyn Padarn, the Pass of Llanberis and the village of Beddgelert where your guide will tell you its sad history.

Included in the tour price is a memorable steam train ride into the mountains at the end of which you revert to the bus for the return to London - hopefully with time before re-entering England to marvel at one of the world's greatest engineering achievements and one which helped put the "Great" into Great Britain.

Price Includes

Hotel Accommodation
All accommodation on this tour is based on staying in good quality family run hotels. Rooms are twin or double bedded and all have private bathroom/toilet and television. Please note our regular accommodation does not have a lift. If you require first floor accommodation, please specify when booking.

Please note, due to the very nature of this tour the route and itinerary are subject to weather and road conditions and therefore may be changed while the tour is in progress.  

If you are joining this tour in London, the meeting point  is in the car park (just outside reception). ISH is directly opposite Great Portland Street tube station but also a very easy walk from Warren Street, Regent's Park and Baker Street tube stations.

If you are joining this tour near Oxford, you will need to make your own way to and from and from Oxford Motorway Service Station at Junction 8a of the M40 Motorway. We recommend using a local taxi company. We normally arrive back at the same location by 8pm on Sundays.

This tour normally ends by 9pm in London. If you are travelling onwards to Cambridge, Ramsgate or Canterbury, the final arrival time will vary, as the feeder service that we provide links in with our other tours. If we are unable to transfer you by our own transportation, we will provide free rail or coach transfers to Cambridge, Canterbury or Ramsgate. In the event that public transport (rail or coach) does not offer a practical and convenient service, International Friends will provide travel by taxi, minibus or coach.

If you intend to travel to our central London meeting point by public transport, you can plan your journey in advance on the Transport for London website  - click here