Attractions of North Wales

Ruthin Gaol is the only purpose-built Pentonville style prison open to the public.  The house of correction where thousands were incarcerated between the mid-17^th and early 20^th centuries.  Explore the cells including the punishment, ‘dark’ and condemned cells.

They call it ‘the stream in the sky.’ Situated in the north-eastern corner of Wales, the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal is a feat of civil engineering of the Industrial Revolution.  Covering a difficult geographical setting, the building of the canal required substantial, bold civil engineering solutions, especially as it was built without using locks.

The Llangollen Canal and is rated as one of the most scenic canals in the UK.  You can choose to either take a 45 minute horse drawn boat, or a 2 hour motorised aqueduct cruise which takes you across the world famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct built by Thomas Telford.  This length of canal has been designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

For over 100 years, visitors have enjoyed trips from Llangollen Wharf.  Experience for yourself the pleasure of a 45 minute horse drawn canal cruise on the beautiful Llangollen Canal, as your boat glides silently through the Welsh mountains.  Horse Drawn Cnal Cruises Trip

Two trips a day operate along a five mile stretch of the Llangollen Canal World Heritage site which runs along the picturesque Dee Valley.  The highlight of the 2 hour motorised cruise is making a crossing of the world famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.  Trips depart at 12.15 and 2.00pm

Enjoy riding on the only standard gauge heritage railway in North Wales.  Starting out from either Corwen or Llangollen the railway features a 10 mile journey along the picturesque river Dee Valley.  The line hugs the banks of the river, passing through some of the finest natural beauty North Wales.

Home to the famous Ladies of Llangollen from 1780 – 1829, Lady Eleanor Butler and Miss Sarah Ponsonby captured the imagination of Regency society.  They received a stream of visitors to the unpretentious little cottage which, over the years, they transformed into a Gothic fantasy of projecting stained glass and elaborately carved oak.

The construction of Valle Crucis Abbey started in 1201 and seven centuries later the abbey is one of the best preserved in Wales. During its history and despite its isolated location Valle Crucis suffered a serious fire and numerous attacks but went on to earn a reputation for its appreciation of the literary arts.  There is a fine collection of medieval memorial sculpture on site.

About 5,000 years ago, at the same time as the ancient Egyptians built their pyramids, a group of Anglesey’s first residents somehow moved massive stones to this promontory site  and built one of the nation’s first buildings.  Set in a stunning cliff top coastal location on the Isle of Anglesey, it’s the best preserved burial mound of its age in Britain.

Located on the site of a former henge monument, Bryn Celli Ddu – “the Mound in the Dark Grove” is one of the most evocative archaeological sites in Britain.  The monument seems to have begun in the later Neolithic period, around 5,000 years ago and is one of the best-known prehistoric monument on the island of Anglesey.

Discover this historic tranquil corner on the eastern tip of Anglesey, whose history spans more than 1,000 years.  The origins of the site are traditionally associated with a celtic saint in the sixth century.  St Seiriol’s holy well survives from this period.  Viking raids destroyed the original monastery structure and the current remains of the priory date from the 13th century.

One of the most dramatic settings on the British Coastline, the South Stack Lighthouse has warned passing ships of the treacherous rocky coastline.  If you want to visit the lighthouse, be ready for more than the lighthouse climb!  There are over 400 steps down the cliffs to the South Stack island.  Your reward  is some of the most amazing and dramatic coastal views!

Another of our great ‘hidden treasures’ of North Wales, Swtan is a fully restored example of a 17th century Welsh cottage with a thatched roof. Located in an isolated and now tranquil corner of the island of Anglesey, a visit to Swtan offers a delightful insight into rural life on the island during the turn of the twentieth century.

Llynnon Mill was built in 1775 and is the only remaining working windmill in Wales.  In its day it was one of at least a hundred operational mills on the Isle of Anglesey.  There are also two roundhouses on the site, providing a unique insight of the life of Iron Age farmers over 3000 years ago.

A stunning masterpiece of civil engineering from 1826.  At the time of opening, it was officially acclaimed to be ‘the biggest suspension bridge in the world’!  The bridge connected mainland Britain with the Isle of Anglesey and was built at the narrowest point across the straits, 100 feet above the the fast flowing tidal waters.

A ‘Hidden Gem’ and reputed to be the smallest cathedral in Great Britain.  The site was founded in the year 560 and the present building was begun in the thirteenth century.  The Cathedral is the home of the William Morgan Bible and as such provides a vital link with Welsh culture and literature.

An unusual attraction, the Italian Riviera style village was designed and built by the architect Sir Clough Williams-Ellis between 1925 and 1975.  Portmerion  is located on its own private peninsula overlooking  the estuary of the scenic river Dwyryd.  Acknowledged as a unique architectural work of art, many know Portmeirion when it featured in the cult TV series “The Prisoner”.

Sygun offers a rare opportunity for those with a sense of adventure and curiosity, to discover for themselves the wonders it still shelters after being abandoned in 1903.  There are winding tunnels and large, colorful chambers, magnificent stalactite and stalagmite formations and copper ore veins which contain traces of gold, silver and other precious metals.  Follow the self-guided audiovisual tour, which allows you to explore the old workings on foot.

Llechwedd Slate Caverns are part of a living working slate mine that has been active since 1836.  Travel deep into the mine and back into the past on a spectacular underground tour.  Hear tales of the miners’ family life before setting off on our fantastic tour. Marvel at the massive chambers and enjoy a demonstration of how the Victorian miners used their dangerous tools!

Please Note:   After descending into the Deep Mine the tour is approximately half a mile long. This includes walking and descending 61 well-lit, grippy steps. You will then walk back up 72 steps at the end of the tour to enter the final Chamber.

Discover the amazing powers of pumped storage hydro-electricity in Europe’s largest man-made cave deep inside the ancient Elidir mountain.  Dinorwig is comprised of 16km of underground tunnels, deep below Elidir mountain.  Descending deep inside the labyrinth of dark and imposing tunnels, you’ll experience one of man’s greatest engineering achievements.  The history and development of hydro-electricity is colourfully explained, as well as how power is fed into the National Grid system and transmitted throughout England and Wales.

The National Slate Museum is sited in the Victorian workshops built in the shadow of Elidir mountain, site of the vast Dinorwig quarry.  Here you can travel into the past of an industry and a way of life that has chiselled itself into the very being of this country.  You’ll hear the gripping Story of Slate, encompassing such great events as industrial unrest on the one hand, and the small details of everyday life on the other.  Fron Haul recaptures significant periods from the slate industry with a row of quarrymen’s houses on the museum site.

Trefriw Woollen Mills generate their own electricity using water turbines from the small stream running past the mill as it comes down from the hills.  On site they manufacture Welsh double weave (tapestry) bedspreads (carthenni) and tweeds. They carry out all the processes from raw wool to bedcovers.  See the process of wool actually being woven on a power loom (Monday – Friday, from the middle of February through to mid December) and view the water powered turbine which generates electricity to power the mill.

Literally a hidden gem in the foothills of the Snowdonia National Park. This little gem is a genuine time travel experience, to a remote 500 year old Welsh medieval farmhouse set in its own enchanting upland valley. Restored by the National Trust to represent its probable 16th-century appearance, Bishop William Morgan was born here and was the first to translate the Bible into Welsh.

The Swallow Falls are considered to be one of the most spectacular scenic locations in North Wales.  Here the river runs down the river Llugwy from the Snowdonia mountains. Crags and jagged rocks divide the stream into a number of foaming cascades as the Llugwy river hurls itself into a spectacular chasm.  For the more energetic there are steps leading down into the gorge to a viewing platform, that goes out into the middle of the river.

Unique and small it may be, the house attracts large swathes of people popping their head around the door to marvel at its brilliance – and posing outside the front for the perfect photo opportunity with the Welsh ladies.

The Smallest House in Great Britain is listed in the Guiness Book of Records as just 72 inches wide and 122 inches high and was last occupied in 1900 by a local fisherman called Robert Jones.  In the past there have been plans to demolish the house, but the local community has always pulled together to ensure that the house remains untouched.

This 14th century merchant’s home is believed to be the oldest town house remaining in Wales. It’s certainly the oldest survivor within Conwy’s 13th century walls. Take an audio-visual tour of more than 600 years of the evolution of the house and the people who occupied it.

Another attraction on the ‘Hidden Gems’ trail through North Wales, Plas Mawr is probably the best preserved Elizabethan House in Britain.

Plas Mawr is an Elizabethan gem worth its weight in gold. A grand house built between 1576 and 1585 in the heart of medieval Conwy’s narrow cobbled streets.

A hidden gem, the chapel is named after St Trillo, a 6th-century saint who built his cell here.  St Trillo’s cell was probably made of wood and wattle.  Today The smallest chapel in Britain is a simple stone and mortar structure and seats just six people.  You can still see the spring well in front of the altar, which provided St Trillo with drinking water.

Uncovered in 1987 during a scheme to landscape an area of the Great Orme, the copper mines represent one of the most astounding archaeological discoveries of recent times.

Dating back 4,000 years ago to the Bronze Age, they change our views about the ancient people of Britain and their civilized and structured society 2,000 years before the Roman invasion and occupation

This is the only cable-hauled tramway still operating on British public roads.  This unique journey starts down in the town of Llandudno and takes you to the summit of the Great Orme, where there are excellent views Snowdonia and Anglesey across Conwy Bay.  The tramcars have been lovingly restored over the years and you will be re-living the experience of travel more than 100 years ago in the original tramcars, each named after a Saint.

Officially the world’s oldest narrow gauge railway operating a 13½-mile journey from the harbour in Porthmadog to the slate-quarrying town of Blaenau Ffestiniog.  The historic trains climb over 700 feet from sea level into the mountains through tranquil magnificent pastures, through forests, past lakes and waterfalls, round tight bends (even a complete spiral) clinging to the side of the mountains.

A spectacular 25 mile scenic journey from beneath the castle walls at Caernarfon, running through beautiful scenery past the foot of Snowdon and the picture postcard village of Beddgelert, then through the stunning Aberglaslyn Pass and on to Porthmadog.
Enjoy the most spectacular part of the lime as we put you on the train at remote request stops as part of your Snowdonia Discovery Tour.

Since 1896, the Snowdon Mountain Railway has been making it easy to conquer the mountain peak.  The unique rack and pinion railway takes you on a two and a half hour round trip journey (includes 30 minutes at the summit) to within 66ft of the summit of the highest mountain in Wales.  Majestic Snowdon at 3,560ft (1,085m) dominates the glorious, ancient landscape of North Wales.