North Wales Adventure

Arrive in Llandudno, a charming Victorian seaside town known as the 'Queen of the Welsh Seaside Resorts', famed for its expansive two-mile promenade and Wales' longest pier.

Our base for the trip is the Llandudno Bay hotel, a four star boutique-style hotel located on Llandudno's East Parade, the quieter end of the seafront promenade facing North Shore Beach. Once a row of elegant Victorian townhouses, this grade II listed property has been given a sleek contemporary revamp. The beautifully furnished rooms are well-equipped with all expected amenities. Check in is possible from 3pm. If arriving in Llandudno by train, the hotel is a 15 minute walk from the station. Free 24 hour parking is available on the road outside the hotel and there are various carparks within easy reach (see the accommodation section of the trip notes for more information).

The Tour Leader plans to meet you in reception at 6pm for the introductory briefing, followed by the option to enjoy a group meal (not included) to get acquainted with your fellow guests. Stay: Llandudno Bay Hotel (Premium)

We'll journey through Snowdonia National Park this morning passing through some of the area's most picturesque villages, all stone buildings and windswept hillsides.

Our destination is Blaenau Ffestiniog, a small town that was once the heart of the Welsh slate mining industry until its decline after the Second World War. At its height, over 4,000 men worked in the profitable slate quarries, and three separate train lines connected the town and its produce to the rest of Wales and into England. These incredible mines still have an imposing presence on the town's skyline, and we'll be exploring them with an interactive tour, visiting both the open quarry and descending into the deep mine on the steepest cable railway in Europe. Many of the guides here have family connections to the slate industry that date back generations, and a visit to the mine is a trip through a crucial part of Welsh history.

We'll then take a short drive to the Italianate village of Portmeirion for a quick stop. Purpose built in the style of an old Italian village, Portmeirion's unusual architecture and magnificent location on the Dwyryd estuary, looking across towards Snowdon, makes for an enchanting visit. We'll have a short orientation around the village, with some free time to explore the fine architecture, gardens, shops and cafes at our own pace.

We'll return to Llandudno in the late afternoon. Stay: Llandudno Bay Hotel (Premium) (B)

With the largest Area of Natural Beauty (AONB) in Wales, miles of unspoilt sandy coastline, craggy cliffs, picturesque villages and protected wildlife habitats, Anglesey is well worth exploring. Today we'll discover its variety of wild landscapes by boat, vehicle and on foot.

We drive across the Menai Bridge to reach the island of Anglesey. From here we'll board a RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) for a trip around Anglesey's south coast. There'll be some excitement as we navigate The Swellies, notable for its whirlpools and shipwrecks. But these are simply and easily navigated in the RIB, and we'll soon be gliding through easy waters, passing the National Trust mansion of Plas Newydd, home to the Marquess of Anglesey, as well as the historic village of Felinheli, the familiar sight of Caernarfon Castle and into the open sea towards Llanddwyn Island. This tiny tidal island is home to the legend of St Dwynwen, the Welsh patron saint of friendship and love. We'll return to Menai Bridge the way we came - very occasionally, particularly if the sea is calm, we may see a dolphin or porpoise.

After our ride we'll drive down to Newborough Beach and Forest. Part of the dunes are a national nature reserve, and the forest is home to one of Wales's largest red squirrel conservation sites. We'll have some free time here to explore. One option is to walk out to the ruins of an ancient 5th-century convent on Llanddwyn Island, which we passed on our RIB ride. At low tide the island is accessible by walking along the beach. Alternatively, you could choose to explore the dunes, enjoy a picnic or take a walk through the forest.

In the afternoon we'll take a tour of Halen Mon, Anglesey's finest sea salt producer. Their award-winning salt has gained worldwide renown and with one of their expert guides, we'll learn about their unique salt harvesting process and end with a tasting of some of the delicious salt varieties.

On our return to Llandudno we'll take a quick pit stop at (deep breath!) Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch - the train station with the longest name in the world. Stay: Llandudno Bay Hotel (Premium) (B)

With a full day ahead of us we take the 1.5 hour drive to Llangollen, a tiny historic town on the banks on the River Dee.

From the town, we'll set off on a walk along the Llangollen Canal, a World Heritage site that was once a crucial commercial thoroughfare, crossing the border between Wales and England into Shropshire. Our walk will take approximately 1.5 hours, as far as the awe-inspiring Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. Rising 38 metres off the valley floor, this canal aqueduct is the highest in the world and one of the greatest feats of engineering throughout the UK's extensive canal network.

We're not content to simply admire the aqueduct from afar though, making our return to Llangollen on a canal boat ride across the aqueduct itself and taking in the marvellous views.

We'll arrive back in Llangollen in the afternoon with some free time to explore. You may choose to visit Plas Newydd house and gardens, stroll along the edge of the River Dee or walk with the Tour Leader up to Castell Dinas Bran, the famous 12th-century castle that perches high above the town. Stay: Llandudno Bay Hotel (Premium) (B)

This morning we'll explore the rocky limestone peninsula of the Great Orme to the north-west of the town. A number of footpaths with wonderful coastal views crisscross the headland, much of which is a nature reserve with a very rich flora, the habitat of several endangered species of butterfly and moth and many resident and migrant birds. It's also home to a herd of around 200 Kashmir goats, descendants of a pair gifted to Queen Victoria by the Shah of Persia from which the Royal Welsh Regiment select their regimental mascot. The area is scattered with ancient sites including a copper mine from the Bronze Age. Our hike sets out from our hotel along the promenade to the cable car station at western end of the bay close by the 700 metre pier (Wales' longest) and the imposing façade of the Grand Hotel Llandudno. We ride a cable car (constructed in 1967) up to the 207 summit of the Great Orme. On a clear day you can see all the way to the Isle of Man and the Lake District. There's a visitor centre with information about this spectacular headland said to be over 350 million years old. From the summit we descend to the tip of the rock promontory before heading back inland to Llandudno via the 12th century St Tudno's Church and Powell's Well. We'll enjoy a picnic lunch with views along our way.

Back in town his afternoon we head to the cosy surroundings of the Tapps micro pub to enjoy a talk by a local brewer from the Wild Horse Brewing Company. Established in Llandudno 2015 and inspired by the US craft beer revolution they focus on 'hop forward, hazy IPAs and pale ales' alongside their signature pilsner-style lager Buckskin - enjoy! All in all our total walking distance today is around 10.5 kilometres. Stay: Llandudno Bay Hotel (Premium) (B)

Mount Snowdon is the jewel in the crown of Snowdonia National Park, and on our final day here in North Wales, we'll finally be meeting the giant. At Llanberis we board the small, one-carriage train that winds its way to the station of Clogwyn, located three-quarters of the way up Snowdon at 779 metres. The one-way journey takes around 45 minutes, and the views are wonderful. Clawing its way up the side of the mountain, this Victorian train line is surrounded by the mountains and lakes of the national park.

From Clogwyn, we'll breathe in the crisp mountain air and hike the remaining 2 kilometres with 300 metres ascent to the summit for panoramic views. The ascent should take around 1.5hrs. For our descent we will be walking down the Llanberis Path, the longest but gentlest descent from the mountain, taking us all the way back to Llanberis on foot - a hike of around 8 kilometres with about 950 metres of total descent that should take around 3 hours. The mountain trail is generally well graded but sections are uneven and rocky underfoot. If anybody does not feel able to participate in the walk please speak with your Tour Leader, as it may be possible to purchase a return train ticket, which would mean you alight at Clogwyn and, after some free time to take photos, descend by train to Llanberis.

From Llanberis we'll return via the historic town of Caernarfon with a chance to have a look around before arriving back in Llandudno enjoy the final evening of our trip together. Stay: Llandudno Bay Hotel (Premium) (B)

The tour ends this morning after breakfast in Llandudno. You may choose to explore more of the local area under your own steam. (B)