Castle

Wales - Culture, Steam & Heritage

Highlights of North Wales by Road & Rail

Tour Overview

Discover the beauty of North Wales and how its culture has been formed by history and its industrial and natural landscapes from slate to steam.

  • Steam & Heritage Railways – we will help plan a driving route to allow you to ride some of the “Great Little Trains of Wales,” including heritage steam railways like the Snowdon Mountain Railway, Ffestiniog Railway, Welsh Highland Railway, Talyllyn Railway and Llanberis Lake Railway. Stay near key railways so you can drive in, ride the train, then explore the surrounding area without too much rush.
  • Castles & historic architecture - Build in castle stops on your route - set aside time in towns like Caernarfon, Conwy, or Harlech depending on your direction, so you can walk the ramparts and soak up the history. Starting your journey in Chester and stopping in Llandudno adds historic towns to your sightseeing itinerary.
  • Scenic natural landscapes – map your driving route to feature some of the areas most scenic and dramatic landscapes including Snowdonia National Park, the Aberglaslyn Pass, Elan Valley dams and reservoirs, valley walks and canal and aqueduct scenery at Pontcysyllte, plus coastal roads.
  • Additional sightseeing - in addition to trains, there are canal cruises (Pontcysyllte Aqueduct), walking tours in historic towns, museums and workshops such as the Welsh Slate Museum to complete your in-depth visit to North Wales.
  • Flexible accommodation & dining – Ffestiniog Travel will help plan an itinerary to include quality hotels in convenient locations such as Chester, Llanberis, Machynlleth and Caernarfon plus restaurant recommendations and logistics to coincide with railway timetables and castle and museum opening hours to ensure your personal tour is as seamless as possible.

Travel Tips

  • We recommend this trip to be taken as a self-drive holiday
  • Early Autumn is a wonderful time of year to visit when it is quieter from tourists, the trees are turning, and the heritage railways are still operational
  • To make the most of this trip, we recommend packing layers and waterproofs for what can be unpredictable weather
  • Begin with an overnight stay in Chester and consider a guided tour to familiarise yourself with this compact city. Many attractions including the city walls and River Dee are within easy reach of each other
  • If visiting Llandudno be sure to stop at the impressive feat of engineering that is the Great Orme Tramway now over 110 years old
  • Staying in Llanberis is a good base to access several independent railways of North Wales including ‘heritage steam’ to the top of Snowdon, the Llanberis Lake Railway, and the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway
  • The castles of Penrhyn, Caernarfon and Harlech together with the National Slate Museum in Llanberis and Narrow-Gauge Railway Museum in Tywyn provide an insight into the history of Wales
  • Llangollen makes for an interesting 2-night stay to end your trip. Be sure to include a canal boat cruise across the Pontcysylte Aqueduct (a UNESCO World Heritage site) and a trip on the scenic Llangollen Railway through the Dee Valley

What Ffestiniog Travel Will Do

Bed

Transport

  • Arrange all travel - rail and flights based on your preferred dates
  • Arrange travel passes
  • Reserve seating based on your chosen class
  • Organise car hire if required
Bed

Accommodation

  • Arrange all accommodation based on your budget
Bus

Planning

  • Plan a bespoke day-to-day itinerary
  • Arrange excursions tailored to your desired trip
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