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Day One – Amidst the Brecon Beacons
Your holiday begins with a fine driving route, perhaps through the southern Cotswolds, across the Severn and in to Monmouthshire on the way to Crickhowell in south-eastern Powys. We’ll provide all the information you need to make the most of your time on the road.
Your Accommodation by Crickhowell
In the shadow of the Black Mountains, your hotel by Crickhowell is a Victorian country house, built by a well-to-do clergyman and run for many years by a friendly and welcoming local family. 33 acres of mature garden and woodland surround the impressive house, a wonderful place to get lost on an evening stroll, while inside, the feel is distinctly relaxed, the 23 traditional en-suite bedrooms each individually decorated, some with views of nearby River Usk. Each afternoon an extensive buffet is provided for guests’ enjoyment, while by evening your hosts meander through the bar and the atmospheric restaurant, where a menu of the very best local produce is here to tempt you.
Day Two – Discover Wales’s Epic Driving Routes
The nearby village of Crickhowell is a cute spot for a wander through its cafes, independent shops and stylish galleries. However, you might like to get behind the wheel today and explore the impressive passes of the Brecon Beacons, some of the country’s best driving routes through vast mountain scenery. Choose to set off early and you’ll most likely have the passes all to yourself.
Day Three – South to the Gower Peninsula
Choose your route today, either around or across the Beacons, taking your time through some of south Wales’s most arresting scenery, on your way to your next base for two nights on the exquisite Gower peninsula.
Your Accommodation in Gower
Another gorgeous country house hotel awaits this evening in Gower. Set in the grounds of an extensive Norman deer park, this elegant retreat has been owned by the same family since the 1950s and has undergone extensive recent restoration, bringing the house and grounds up to remarkable standard. Each of the comfortable bedrooms skilfully blends cosy comfort with antique style and modern en-suite bathrooms, while the pitch-pine floors of the secluded restaurant create a uniquely Welsh atmosphere. Guests are invited to relax in the sunroom, or take to the grounds for a wander to spectacular Three Cliffs Bay, just 20 minutes away.
Day Four – Gorgeous Gower
One of Wales’s most beautiful corners is waiting to be explored today, all within short distance of your hotel. Stroll the streets, gardens and promenade of the colourful coastal town of Mumbles, and be sure to take time to enjoy some of the UK’s finest (and often deserted) beaches at the bays of Caswell, Pwildu, Bantam and Oxwich. In the evening, make your way to the peninsula’s westernmost point, where you may be lucky to experience the most dramatic of sunsets over Worms Head.
Day Five – Pembrokeshire and the Tiny City of St David’s
Meander along the Carmarthenshire coast today, crossing the bridge over the River Loughor to Llanelli and perhaps stopping briefly at Burry Port, where Amelia Earhart completed her pioneering Transatlantic flight. Soon you’ll reach the medieval walled town of Tenby, a fine place to stop for lunch while admiring its gorgeous sea views. From here, it’s a short distance to your next base for two nights in the UK’s smallest city, St David’s.
Your accommodation in St David’s
Within sight of vast St David’s Cathedral, your accommodation in St David’s is a superbly presented, locally owned hotel, fashioned from a repurposed windmill. Bedrooms feature up-to-the-minute furnishing, beds and tech, as well as high-grade bathrooms equipped with every modern touch, while the in-house restaurant has received much recent acclaim, as one of the best in Wales.
Day Seven – Travel the Length of Cardigan Bay to Snowdonia
A real treat in-store today, as you travel almost the entire length of Cardigan Bay on your way to Snowdonia. Maybe you’d like to stop in ancient Aberystwyth to visit its medieval castle, before crossing the River Dyfi at Machynlleth and entering the southern tip of Snowdonia National Park on your way to its heart in Betws-y-Coed.
Your Accommodation in Betws-y-Coed
This Victorian, family owned guest house has been transformed over the last year or so in to quirky and stylish accommodation in the alpine village of Betws-y-Coed. A stone’s throw from the 15th-century Pont-y-Pair bridge over Afon Llugwy, you’re in the ideal spot from which to explore the overwhelming landscape that surrounds the village. Each individually styled en-suite room is named for a favourite Snowdonia peak, and comes equipped with all you need for the most relaxing stay. Breakfast of Welsh classics and imaginatively created specials is served in the beautifully restored sun-room, splashes of colour dotted around lifting the spirits as you plan your day ahead.
Day Eight –the Vast Vistas of Snowdonia
Enjoy breakfast in the sun-room this morning, before setting off to explore. Take in the challenging drive routes that fan out from Betws, perhaps heading south to Harlech for its imposing castle. Or drive north and cross the Menai Strait to Anglesey and the gorgeous coastal town of Beaumaris. You won’t want to miss the chance of a photo-op at Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, before hopping back to the mainland in to the heart of Snowdonia, or along the north coast to Llandudno, the Great Orme peninsula, and onwards to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Conwy.
Day Nine – Onward Journey Home
A final holiday breakfast this morning before commencing your homeward leg. There are several fine driving routes to take you back to the motorway system, and we’ll provide all the advice you need to make the most of your journey.
