Brecon Beacons National Park

From the depths of its limestone caves to the grandeur of Pen y Fan and Cribyn, its highest peaks, there’s plenty to explore in this gem of a national park. By day, there are moorlands, trails and towns to discover, while by night, you can feast your eyes on the stars.

Carved out in the Ice Age, the mountains, hills and valleys of the Brecon Beacons National Park have been moulded by nearly eight millennia of human activity. Many dozens of prehistoric monuments dot these weathered slopes. There’s a rich agricultural tradition in and around the park and the region’s one of a kind towns – outdoorsy, walker friendly Crickhowell, jazzy Brecon, food-loving Abergavenny and book mad Hay-on-Wye – are genuinely refreshing.

Separated from Snowdonia by the 40-mile-long Cambrian Mountains, its uplands stretch almost as far from west to east as Snowdonia National Park does from north to south, but have a quite different atmosphere. While the rocky remains of long-dead volcanoes dominate much of Snowdonia, the Brecon Beacons National Park is full of grassy moorlands, heather-clad escarpments and Old Red Sandstone peaks, softened by weather and time.

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3 National Parks of Wales

Together, the three Welsh National Parks – Snowdonia, Pembrokeshire Coast and Brecon Beacons – protect an impressive 20 percent of Wales, including precious landscapes, habitats, villages and heritage sites. They’re perfect for active weekends and holidays in the glorious outdoors. 

The Brecon Beacons National Park

The grassy, heather-clad mountains of the Brecon Beacons National Park have been moulded by nearly eight millennia of human activity. Today, this is a fantastic place for an activity holiday, with superb walking, mountain biking and horse riding trails, caves, forests and a historic canal – plus characterful towns, pubs, farmers markets and Michelin-starred restaurants.

The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park

The Pembrokeshire coast is wild, gorgeous and beautifully looked after. For family activity holidays, it’s a nature lab one minute and an adventure playground the next. It’s heaven for wildlife-watching, watersports and walking, and lovely for romantic escapes, too. When you’re ready to chill out after all that fresh air, there are cozy pubs, spa treatments and fabulous sunsets to enjoy.

Snowdonia National Park

With wild landscapes and villages steeped in history, Snowdonia National Park is a breathtaking destination for activity holidays, short breaks or days out with family and friends. It’s best known for hiking, but there’s plenty more to enjoy, from waterfalls, lakes and world-class mountain biking to a vintage steam railway that climbs the highest peak in Wales.


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6 UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Wales

Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. Wales is home to a stunning 6 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Beaumaris Castle
Beaumaris Castle, located in the town of the same name on the Isle of Anglesey in Wales, was built as part of Edward I's campaign to conquer the north of Wales after 1282.

Blaenavon
Blaenavon Ironworks is an industrial museum in Blaenavon in Wales. The ironworks was of crucial importance in the development of the ability to use cheap, low quality, high sulphur iron ores worldwide.

Caenarfon Castle
Caernarfon Castle is a medieval fortress in Caernarfon, Gwynedd, north-west Wales cared for by Cadw, the Welsh Government's historic environment service.

Conwy Castle
Conwy Castle is a medieval fortification in Conwy, on the north coast of Wales. It was built by Edward I, during his conquest of Wales, between 1283 and 1289.

Harlech Castle
Harlech Castle, located in Harlech, Gwynedd, Wales, is a medieval fortification, constructed atop a spur of rock close to the Irish Sea. It was built by Edward I during his invasion of Wales between 1282 and 1289 at the substantial cost of £8,190.

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal
The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is a navigable aqueduct that carries the Llangollen Canal over the valley of the River Dee in Wrexham County Borough in north east Wales. Completed in 1805, it is the longest and highest aqueduct in Britain, a Grade I Listed Building and a World Heritage Site.

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Let There Be Light - Lighthouses in Wales

Or let there be lighthouses, to be more precise.

Wales  looks to the sea and with 750 miles of coastline, you are rarely that far from the water. Wales’ seaside resorts, like Mumbles, Tenby and Llandudno have character and style and are popular with holiday makers. Our big cities are on the coast too. Cardiff with its vibrant Bay area and Swansea with its Maritime Quarter, all have connections with the sea. And where there is sea, there are lighthouses. Here are just a few of the stunning lighthouses you can see in Wales.

South Stack Lighthouse
South Stack is set in a spectacular location to the north-west of Holyhead. The lighthouse acts as a waymark for coastal traffic and a landmark and orientation light for vessels crossing the Irish Sea to and from the ports of Holyhead and Dun Laoghaire.

Caldey Lighthouse
Caldey Lighthouse is located on the south end of Caldey Island, three miles off the south Pembrokeshire, Wales coastline, a small island inhabited by a Cistercian monastery

Mumbles Lighthouse
For over 200 years the Mumbles Lighthouse has guided vessels along the coast and into Swansea Bay, past the hazards of the Mixon Shoal ½ mile to the South. This unmanned lighthouse is built on the outer of two islands, known as Mumbles Head, lying about 500 yards to the E.S.E. of the mainland known as Mumbles, Swansea. The station is accessible by foot at certain states of the tide or by boat at high water.

Trwyn Du Lighthouse
Trwyn Du Lighthouse is a lighthouse between Dinmor Point near Penmon and Ynys Seriol, or Puffin Island, south east Anglesey, at the north entrance to the Menai Strait and marking the passage between the two islands.

Flatholm Lighthouse
The lighthouse on the windswept Flatholm Island in the Bristol Channel.

These are just a few of the Lighthouses to see in Wales. Interested in traveling to Wales? Travel with Celtic Tours World Vacations

Where to eat in North Wales

Whenever you travel around Wales and hunger strikes, it's worth hunting out some of these great places to eat.

Castle Cottage
A pair of rugged Medieval buildings are home to a delightfully contemporary restaurant-with-rooms.
http://www.castlecottageharlech.co.uk/

Old Bull's Head
This historic inn has a fine dining restaurant and a chich contemporary brasserie, right next to beautiful Beaumaris Castle. http://www.theoldbullshead.co.uk/

Plas Bodegroes
The food, the art, the rooms, the location - everything is just about perfect at this Pwllheli favorite.
http://www.bodegroes.co.uk/

Tyddyn Llan
Michelin-starred restaurant with rooms set splendidly in the Clwydian hills. http://www.tyddynllan.co.uk/

This summer get swept away by Wales. Around every corner, expect the unexpected. Experience the land of magic, myth and dragons as you climb towers, walk ancient walls and explore dungeons of any of Wales’ 641 castles. You'll stumble across cozy country inns and magnificent manor homes, rustic fishing villages, delectable restaurants and a country full of breathtaking views. www.celtictours.com/visitwales

South Wales and England - Self-Drive Vacations

Experience the best of South Wales and England. This 6 night independent vacation pairs 3 nights in Cardiff, Wales with your choice of 3 nights in England. Choose from The Cotswolds, Bath, the Lake District or Oxford & Cambridge. This package comes complete with entrances to some of the best sightseeing attractions in the UK and breakfast daily.

Your South Wales & England Tour Highlights:

• 3 Nights in South Wales 
• Breakfast daily 
•  Entrances to: Cardiff Castle, National Museum of Cardiff, National Coal Mining Museum, Cosmeston Village, Rhossili Visitor Centre, and the Aberdulais Falls
•  3 Nights in England area of choice: The Cotswolds, Bath, the Lake District or Oxford & Cambridge.
•  England Entrances based on England Package chosen.
•  6 Day Car Rental based on Ford KA manual car with CDW. (Upgraded car available).

Travel to South Wales and England on this self-drive vacation package

Glasgow Banter - City Stay Vacation Package

GLASGOW BANTER

A great mix of modern style and Victorian architecture. Scotland’s largest city has a fantastic variety of areas from the bohemian west end, the über cool Merchant City, and the warm-hearted east end. You are visiting a genuine hub of nightlife, food, drink, designer shopping, culture and art. Glasgow offers you the best of all worlds! And if it is a bit Scottish countryside you are after as well, you have come to the right place. Loch Lomond National Park is a mere 20 minute drive away and during a day excursion you will discover the beauty of Loch Lomond, have the chance to see Stirling Castle and taste some of the finest whisky at Glengoyne Distillery.

Package includes:

• ·      3 nights accommodation in 3 or 4 star hotel, as per category chosen;
• ·      Based on sharing twin or double room with private facilities;
• ·      Scottish or continental breakfast daily at the hotel;
• ·      Ticket for Glasgow City Tour (hop on/ off) valid for a 24 hour period;
• ·      1 day guided excursion to Loch Lomond, Stirling Castle and a whisky distillery;
• ·       Service charges & Tax including VAT
• ·       Note: Museums and Galleries are free of charge in Glasgow so do not miss out on a visit to the following; Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Burrell Collection, St Mungo Museum, People’s Palace, Gallery of Modern Art, Scotland Street School Museum and more;
  
  
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The Great Unfinished Masterpiece - Beaumaris Castle, Wales

Beaumaris Castle on the Isle of Anglesey is the great unfinished masterpiece.

Following his conquest of Wales in the 13th century, Edward I, King of England, built Beaumaris Castle as part of his formidable 'Iron Ring' of castles. The Iron Ring is a slew of colossal fortresses in an attempt to subjugate the Welsh people. Edward I's fearsome Iron Ring represents Europe's most ambitious and concentrated medieval building project. Beaumaris Castle is only one of the castles in Edward I's Iron Ring.

Seven centuries ago when they began planning and building, the population of Llanfaes was forcibly moved 12 miles (19km) away to Newborough to make way for Edward’s new castle. It was also his last. Money and supplies ran out before it reached full height. Despite this, Beaumaris Castle is regarded by many as the finest of all the great Edwardian Castles in Wales. The concentric design of Beaumaris Castle meant the outer curtain was overlooked entirely by the castle's inner ward. The castle is praised by UNESCO as a "unique artistic achievement" for the way in which is combines "characteristic 13th century double-wall structures with a central plan" and for the beauty of its "proportions and masonry".

The unfinished castle of Beaumaris, located on the Isle of Anglesey, northeast of the Menai Bridge. The name Beaumaris is derived from the French for beautiful marsh, le beau marais. The fortress sits contentedly in a scenic setting overlooking mountains and the sea, partially surrounded by a water-filled moat.

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Harlech Castle, Wales

Constructed atop a spur of rock, close to the Irish sea, in the seaside resort in Gwynedd, Wales lies Harlech Castle.

Having stood the test of time, UNESCO considers Harlech Castle to be of  "the finest examples of late 13th century and early 14th century military architecture in Europe." Harlech Castle was built by Edward I during his invasion of Wales between 1282 and 1289. Over the next few centuries, the castle played an important part in several wars.

The fortification was built of local stone and is concentric in design, featuring a massive gatehouse that probably once provided high-status accommodation for the castle constable and visiting dignitaries.

Access via the stairway to the sea and crucial supplies kept the castle’s besieged inhabitants fed and watered. When it was first built, a channel would have connected the castle and the sea. You could have sailed a boat up to the moat. Seven hundred years later, the sea has receded and you could say the castle appears almost stranded, waiting for the tide to turn once more.

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