Classic Wales - Hiking
Country
Wales
Region
Snowdonia
Theme
Classic
6
Days
5
Nights
Accommodation
4*
Myths, legends and jolly lovely welsh scenery! Lechyd da!
This Classic walking journey traces a clear line through North Wales, beginning in wooded river valleys and rising steadily into the heart of Snowdonia before reaching the coast. Forest paths, glacial landscapes and high mountain routes are balanced with time in distinctively Welsh towns. The 6-day, 5-night tour is anchored by walking in Snowdonia National Park, including the summits of Cwm Idwal and Yr Wyddfa, but it’s not all about vertical ascents. We’ve included industrial heritage, medieval strongholds and the unexpected colour of Portmeirion. The route allows space to understand how language, labour and landscape continue to shape Wales.
Highlights
- Forest walking and waterfalls around Betws-y-Coed
- The glacial landscape of Cwm Idwal
- Summit walking on Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon)
- Visit to the National Slate Museum
- Exploring Portmeirion and the Dwyryd Estuary
- Walking Conwy’s medieval walls and the slopes of Conwy Mountain
Handpicked Accommodation
Hotel Portmeirion, Portmeirion
Designed by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis in the 20th century, Portmeirion is an intentionally playful architectural experiment inspired by Italian coastal towns. The hotel sits within the village, overlooking the Dwyryd Estuary.
Why we chose it
Staying here allows guests to experience Portmeirion once day visitors have gone – truly a remarkable, if somewhat off-the-wall experience.
The Royal Victoria Hotel, Snowdonia
Set near the Llanberis Pass with direct views of Yr Wyddfa, this large historic hotel occupies a strategic position at the heart of Snowdonia.
Why we chose it
The location allows easy access to Snowdon’s main walking routes while providing space to unwind after demanding mountain days.
The Royal Oak Hotel, Betws-y-Coed
A traditional coaching inn in the centre of Betws-y-Coed, long associated with travellers drawn to Snowdonia’s rivers and forests. T
Why we chose it
Betws-y-Coed is an ideal introduction to North Wales and a real sense of the mountains that are to come.
Itinerary
Day 1 – Liverpool to Betws-y-Coed and Gwydir Forest
Meet your guide in Liverpool and transfer into the heart of North Wales, arriving in Betws-y-Coed. The village sits at the meeting point of rivers and forests and became known as an “alpine resort” during the Victorian period. After arrival, set out on a loop walk through Gwydir Forest, an area historically used for mining before being replanted with conifers and native woodland. Visit Swallow Falls, where the River Llugwy narrows dramatically, and pass the Ty Hyll, or “Ugly House”, built in the 15th century and later used as a toll house. Return to Betws-y-Coed for the evening.
Day 2 – Cwm Idwal and Llanberis
Begin the day with a walk around Cwm Idwal, one of Snowdonia’s most striking glacial landscapes. The cwm was carved during the last Ice Age, leaving a hanging valley with a lake framed by steep rock faces and broken ridgelines. Cwm Idwal is also important geologically, having helped scientists understand how glaciers shape mountain terrain. After lunch, visit the National Slate Museum in Llanberis, where the story of Wales’s slate industry is told through working machinery and preserved workshops. Continue to the hotel for the night.
Day 3 – Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon)
Today focuses on Yr Wyddfa, Wales’s highest mountain at 1,085 metres. Ascend via the Llanberis Path, the longest but most gradual route to the summit, historically used by quarry workers and early visitors. The path allows time to take in the changing views over lakes and valleys below. For those preferring a lighter day, the Snowdon Mountain Railway offers an alternative way to reach the top. At the summit, warm up with Welsh cakes and tea at the café before descending and returning to the hotel for a relaxed evening.
Day 4 – Portmeirion and the Dwyryd Estuary
Travel west to the coast, stopping at Portmeirion. Walking through the village reveals a carefully constructed illusion, with colourful facades, piazzas and viewpoints designed to sit lightly on the landscape. In the afternoon, enjoy a woodland and coastal walk through the nearby Ynys Gifftan area, part of the wider Snowdonia National Park. The route offers views across the Dwyryd Estuary, where tides reshape the mudflats daily and birdlife is abundant. Settle into the hotel for the night.
Day 5 – Conwy and Llandudno
Transfer to the walled town of Conwy and walk the remarkably complete medieval town walls, built in the late 13th century as part of Edward I’s defensive ring of castles. Visit Conwy Castle, whose position dominates the river mouth and surrounding land. In the afternoon, hike over Conwy Mountain, passing Iron Age hillfort remains and grazing wild ponies. From the summit, views stretch across the coast and back into the mountains. Continue on to Llandudno for the final night.
Day 6 – Departure
After breakfast, transfer to Manchester or Liverpool for onward travel.
Itinerary Designer
Walking in Wales reminds you that the land has its own vocabulary. Names like Cwm Idwal and Yr Wyddfa carry meaning, and following the paths gives you time to understand why.
Gaby
Featured Experience
Hiking the Welsh langage landscape
Walking in North Wales brings you into a landscape where Welsh is not just decorative. Place-names such as Betws-y-Coed, Llanberis and Yr Wyddfa truly describe the land directly, chapels, river mouths, hills and valleys.