Discover the Celebrities & the Secrets of North Wales

Accommodation

The Warner Bodelwyddan Castle Hotel is a Grade II-listed Victorian building located close to the village of Bodelwyddan in North Wales. The hotel is set within the grounds of a romantic castle but after a multi-million pound renovation, has all the amenities of a modern hotel. The rooms feature a TV and tea and coffee-making facilities, and the hotel also offers two restaurants, a variety of bars, and an indoor swimming pool. There is also plenty of entertainment at the hotel, including live music, comedy shows, ballroom and sequence dancing plus a range of hosted activities. 

Drive Only

Self Drive Itinerary

Monday: Arrival

Check in to the Warner Bodelwyddan Castle Hotel in the afternoon. Later, we enjoy a welcome drink reception hosted by our tour manager.

Tuesday: Plas Brondanw & Portmeirion

We make our way through the stunning Snowdonia National Park to Plas Brondanw Gardens for a guided tour. The house itself was given to architect Sir Clough Williams-Ellis by his father in 1902 and the gardens are regarded by some as his finest work. Inspired by the horticulture of renaissance Italy, he created a unique landscape with stone walls, ornamented terraces with statuary, topiary and avenues of trees leading the eye to the dramatic mountainous backdrop.

We continue our celebration of Williams-Ellis with a trip to Portmeirion, an enchanting Italianate village filled with colourful domed buildings and created by the famous Welsh architect after taking inspiration from his visits to the Mediterranean. Its unique atmosphere has been featured on camera many times, most famously in the iconic 1960s British TV series The Prisoner. We also enjoy afternoon tea here.

Wednesday: Plas Cadnant Hidden Gardens & Ty’n Llwyfan Farm

Our first stop today is Plas Cadnant Hidden Gardens, a series of historic gardens which are gradually being restored to their former glory. Three different gardens have been discovered, including an unusual walled garden with curving walls, a secret valley garden with three waterfalls and a river, and an upper woodland garden with the remains of a 19^th-century folly. After all that exploring, we have some lunch here before our next visit.

Later, a memorable experience awaits at Ty’n Llwyfan Farm, nestled in stunning countryside and boasting views over to the Isle of Anglesey. The nation’s favourite farmer, Gareth Wyn Jones (who currently has over 700,000 Youtube followers!), and his wife Rhian love sharing their passion and vision for sustainable farming with guests and they invite us to take a peek into their way of life. Gareth’s family has been working this land for over 370 years and we find out more during our visit. We also enjoy a tractor pull and a sheepdog demonstration. As Gareth and Rhian are Welsh speakers, we may like to practice some useful phrases too!

Thursday: Plasglasgwm & Gwyrch Castle

A fascinating glimpse into the past beckons this morning with a visit to Plasglasgwm, a rare example of a 16^th-century farm holding. The estate was built in approximately 1573 by descendants of Owain Gwynedd, the last king of Wales, and has been restored over the last 20 years by the current owners. With its idyllic rural setting, ancient outbuildings, oak beams and original slate flooring, it’s easy to imagine Welsh farmers living and working here long ago. We find out more during our guided tour.

We continue to the spectacular Gwyrch Castle, which you may recognise as the Welsh setting for the popular show, I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! Built between 1812 and 1822 in a medieval European architectural style, the castle was once a lavish family home before being requisitioned as part of Operation Kindertransport, a rescue effort of children in Nazi-controlled territory before the outbreak of World War Two. We learn more about the castle’s past on our guided tour here. While the main building remains an atmospheric ruin, there are various internal rooms to discover, including the Chapel designed by prominent Victorian architect, George Edmund Street. The far-reaching views of picturesque parkland leading to the Irish Sea (and even to Liverpool on a good day!) are not to be missed.

Self Drive Bullets

• 4 nights at the Warner Bodelwyddan Castle Hotel, near Rhyl with dinner & breakfast
• Porterage where available
• Welcome drink
• After-dinner tea & coffee at the hotel
• Coach transfers to & from your excursions
• Visits to Plas Brondanw, Portmeirion, Plas Cadnant Hidden Gardens, Plas Newydd, Ty’n Llwyfan Farm, Plasglasgwm & Gwyrch Castle
• Guided tour of Plas Brondanw
• Afternoon tea in Portmeirion
• Tractor pull & sheepdog demonstration at Ty’n Llwyfan Farm
• Guided tour of Plasglasgwm
• Guided tour of Gwyrch Castle
• Accompanied by a friendly tour manager throughout

Please inform us at the time of booking of any special dietary requirements.