Valleys & Railways of Mid Wales
Explore the very heart of the renowned Welsh countryside
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5 Days from £475per
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You are viewing the 2020 itinerary
Itineraries and pricing may vary by departure year
From picturesque coastline to rolling hills, explore the very heart of the renowned Welsh countryside on this exciting tour. Enjoy classic heritage railway journeys along some of the country's oldest lines and roll through the stunning scenery that Wales has become synonymous with.
Today meet with your Tour Manager and fellow travellers and check into the 4-Star Metropole Hotel & Spa in Llandrindod Wells, where we enjoy a welcome dinner together this evening.
This morning we board the steam-hauled* Rheilfford Talyllyn Railway. Tucked away in the wildflower meadows of southern Snowdonia, the beautiful Talyllyn Railway paints its merry red trail over the bridges and through the forests of North Wales. This was the first heritage railway in the world - originally opened in 1865, and the society created for the upkeep was established in 1951.We enjoy the 7-mile journey which takes us past waterfalls and streams and through the delightful Merioneth mountains.
You have free time here, where you may wish to take a look around the Narrow Gauge Railway Museum and discover the world of locomotives through the delights of video, sound and plenty of displays. See how the Welsh slate industry was transformed by narrow gauge railways. There is also a recreation of Reverend Wilbert Awdry, author of the much-loved Thomas the Tank Engine book series. Awdry was also a volunteer on the Talyllyn Railway.
Alternatively, take a ramble through picturesque countryside on the Dolgoch Falls Walk, or stroll along the sandy beaches of Tywyn. You may wish to visit the Halo Factory Shop, home of the famous Honey Ice Cream. The shop's gardens are perfect for enjoying this sweet treat along with the excellent views of Cader Idris, one of Wales' highest peaks.
*Steam-hauled where possible
Today we enjoy an excursion to Elan Valley, location of the mighty, and incredibly photogenic 6 dams. A particularly beautiful dam is Craig Goch, which is built in the 'Birmingham Baroque' style, a style which can be seen echoed slightly in the other 5 dams due to the water that it supplies to Birmingham, and the tower on the top of the dam.
Here we enjoy a guided tour by a local ranger and view the stunning architecture on display at the dam sites. Afterwards, we continue to Devil's Bridge, where we join the steam-hauled* Vale of Rheidol Railway for a scenic journey through Welsh valleys to Aberystwyth.
One of the many wonderful Welsh railway journeys which criss-cross this mystical nation, the Vale of Rheidol Railway is a heritage, narrow-gauge railway which runs between the Devil's Bridge and Aberystwyth. Winding through the verdant green Welsh countryside, the Vale of Rheidol Railway makes its way on a historical journey in restored carriages to give a true taste of the Wales of the past. You have free time in Aberystwyth to explore and you may like to take a journey on the Aberystwyth Cliff Railway.
Today we explore medieval Powis Castle and its attractive formal gardens. The castle dates back to the 13th century, and was built by Prince Gruffudd ap Gwenwynwyn, who wanted to establish independence from his enemies, the princes of Gwynedd. The gardens are a paradise steeped in history. They look truly marvellous all year round with something to see in every season. As the days become warmer, the gardens offer a fantasic burst of spring colours. Drawing into autumn, there is a glow about the gardens with the hazy, golden sunshine.
Later, we travel by coach to Welshpool, where we board the steam-hauled* Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway for a heritage journey through the heart of Wales.
Making the most of the wild and dramatic Mid-Welsh countryside, a green canvas of deep forests and impressive mountains, the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway was first opened in 1903. Its route, taking passengers from Welshpool to Llanfair, is one of the British Isles' most historic rail journeys, having been in operation for over 100 years. The charming old carriages and green steam engine run on a narrow gauge railway, recalling the halcyon days of train travel.
After our farewell dinner this evening, we are joined at the hotel by the Builth Wells Ladies' Choir for an evening performance.
*Steam-hauled where possible
After breakfast, your tour concludes and you are free to depart.
Please note that while every departure of this tour features the same excursions, they may not necessarily be in the order listed above.
Provisional departure and return times, where available, can be found together with our dates and prices by clicking on the 'Prices & Availability' button. We write to all booked customers approximately 10 weeks prior to the start of their tour to advise the exact departure and return time for their particular group.
An escorted experience and all travel arrangements
Comfortable accommodation in your destination
Delicious meals included
Exciting excursions and free time to explore
Enhancing your tour
Please note: This tour may be suitable for reduced mobility passengers, please call for further information.
of travellers would recommend this tour
Tour Rating
based on 20 verified reviews
A very good well organised trip ,with a good manager. . The only negative was a little too much coach travel .
the holiday was as good as I had expected, not always the case.....
Excellent hotel,good itinerary.Just long enough.
good holiday. hotel room hot and room noisy as at front overlooking road.
Lots of good things about the holiday,good accommodation,excellent food, good rooms.Only one gripe,and we found that we were doing a lot of travelling in a coach,each day.,as many of the venues were along way from our hotel. All visits were good,our guide was excellent.Enjoyed the choir on our last evening.
A most enjoyable holiday with interesting daily excursions, attentive tour manager and a comfortable hotel with good food.
There were 5 of us travelling together and we all thoroughly enjoyed the tour. We were fascinated by the scenery in mid- wales - loved the train journeys and the visit to Powys Castle and the Elan valley - a well worth while trip. Only comment, by ending on a Sunday my sister had considerable difficultly getting back to Mirfield in Yorkshire - Sunday trains from Wales are very infrequent.
Excellent mix of visits including the "little trains of Wales" with Powys Castle and dams excursion. Good hotel.
As usual an excellent trip
The admin before the holiday was excellent. The holiday was exactly as detailed. The food in the hotel was excellent. We had a great time.In fact we plan to book this holiday for next year as there was so much we missed
Explore the very heart of the renowned Welsh countryside
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