North Wales & Conwy Castle

This tour takes you into a part of North Wales, where quiet beauty lies within the heather-clad hills and hidden river valleys. It is an area unspoiled by the ravages of time and abounding with legend and a rich cultural heritage. You will see the metropolis of Liverpool, cross to The Wirral, the name given to the narrow peninsula which separates the estuary of the River Dee from that of the Mersey. Join the motorway for a quick route to the start of the scenic sightseeing as the excursion heads towards Mold. The mountainous terrain of the Clwydian range comes into view as the road travels towards the hillside town of Ruthin, which commands the south of the beautiful Vale of Clwyd. It will be noticed that all street and road signs are displayed both in English and Welsh.

Dominating the entrance to the fine medieval walled town of Conwy stands Edward I’s mighty fortress built following the completion of his conquest of Gwynedd in 1283 and largely finished in 4 ½ years. Edward’s castles in Wales were designed and built by the master builder James of St. George, but Conwy differed from his other castles, mostly concentric in designed, by being built to a linear plan dictated by the shape of its rock site. The castle’s eight great towers and connecting walls are all intact.

The town of Conwy retains a distinctly medieval atmosphere, and its superbly preserved walls, punctuated by 21 towers and three gateways, form one of the most complete medieval wall circuits in Europe. The historic fortress town of Conwy and its Castle is visited, one of the most picturesque in Wales and a masterpiece of medieval architecture. Anyone looking at the Castle for the first time will be impressed first and foremost by the unity and compactness of the mass of the building, with its eight almost identical towers, four on the north and four on the south, pinning it to the rock on which it stands.

You will continue to Betws-y-Coed, although itself only 50 feet above sea level, the town is surrounded by hill country of an average altitude of 1,000 feet. Not only the River Conwy, but also three tributaries flowing from the west, enhance the beauty of the surrounding countryside, and it has a distinctly Alpine atmosphere. It is the most popular inland resort in North Wales. Here, enjoy some time to yourself and find a nice spot for lunch. You can also use this time for browsing in the craft and gift shops before traveling along the lower Conwy Valley.