Best of Wales Wales Wales Our adventure in South Wales includes hikes in the Brecon Beacons, the sweeping beaches and cliffs of the Gower Peninsula, Chepstow Castle and Tintern Abbey, and walks along the scenic Pembrokeshire Coast Path. Tour Highlights - Visit to Chepstow Castle - Visit to Tintern Abbey - Walk the dramtic Wye Valley - The sweeping beaches of the Gower Peninsula - Time spent in the quaint Brecon town of Crickhowell - A ghost tour of Tenby - Walk some of Europe's best beaches - Hike the wonderfully scenic Pembrokeshire Coast Walking Tour Meeting: Bristol Airport: Bristol Transfer: Bristol Riders: Min 5 riders Max 12 riders Trip Brochure (PDF) Trip Rating

Packages and Options

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Transfer and Other Charges:

On Day 1 of the program, pick up is scheduled from Bristol for 9:30 am.
On the last day of the program, drop-off at Bristol for 1:00 pm.

Sample Itinerary - subject to changes

Day 1: Arrival
You will be met with a warm welcome in Bristol. Today we visit Tintern Abbey: standing proudly beside the River Wye, since 1131, this beautiful ruin is enchanting and magnificent. The Abbey and the Norman monks who inhabited it became victims of the dissolution in 1536. We make our way across the river and follow a disused railway line through woodlands, gaininig some height to enjoy wonderful views of the Valley. Making our way along the path towards the Devils Pulpit, we will stop to admire the breathtaking views. From this point the devil was said to have attempted to lure away the monks of the Abbey.
Terrain: rocky paths, forest track, fields
Walking Distance 7 miles (11.2 km)
Overnight: Amberley, Cotswolds, Gloucestershire
Meals Included: Lunch and Dinner

Day 2: Black Mountains
Standing on the edge of the Black Mountains in Monmouthshire, the Skirrid, or the ‘Holy Mountain’, is a place rich in myths and legends. The Skirrid rises dramatically out of the landscape, at 486m high. The name ‘Skirrid’ comes from the Welsh ‘Ysgyryd’, which means to shake or tremble. You can see where this name came from, when you look at the massive landslide on the hill’s northern edge.
Terrain: forest track, riverside path, open hillside | Elev gain 1000ft.
Walking Distance 5 miles (8 km)
Overnight: Crickhowell in the Brecon Beacons, Powys
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 3: Corn Du and Pen y Fan
This is the best hike in the Beacons, tackling the two highest peaks, Corn Du and Pen y Fan. We climb steadily to the peaks with magnificent vistas all around. The broad expanses of the beautiful Wales countryside are laid out below. The walk is completed as a spectacular horseshoe ridge circuit. We will be joined by local expert mountain guide Kevin Walker.
Terrain: stony tracks, forest paths | Elev gain 1500ft.
Walking Distance 5 miles (8 km)
Overnight: Crickhowell in the Brecon Beacons, Powys
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 4: Table Mountain
We will take a walk from Crickhowell this morning. To the north of Crickhowell lies Table Mountain: it was once an important hill fort, and its Welsh name, Crug Hywel (the Fort of Hywel) has become anglicized to Crickhowell. Later in the afternoon we will travel west to the Pembrokeshire coast.
Terrain: open moors, forest paths | Elev gain 1150ft.
Walking Distance 6 miles (9.6 km)
Overnight: St Florence, Pembrokeshire
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 5: Tenby to Saundersfoot
Today we walk the Pembrokeshire coast between Tenby and Saundersfoot. The seascapes are lovely, but there are a couple of steep ascents. As far as mileage goes, this is a short walk, but we will take our time to enjoy the views and take photographs. Then there will be an opportunity to explore the interesting town of Tenby with its scenic harbor and beaches.
Terrain: beach and coastal paths | Elev gain 800ft.
Walking Distance 8 miles (12.8 km)
Overnight: St Florence, Pembrokeshire
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 6: Pembrokeshire Coast
Our walk today starts in the designed landscape of the Stackpole Estate owned by the National Trust. We walk alongside the lakes through woodland to the stunning Broad Haven South Beach where we join the coast path. Following the route over the headlands and discovering hidden beaches and coves: not to be missed is Barafundle Beach, voted the World’s second-best beach by National Geographic Magazine. The walk ends at Manorbier Castle, the C12th home of Giraldus Cambrensis (Gerald of Wales), with fishponds and mill leats, in the village of Manorbier.
Terrain: beach, coastal path, woodlands, fields | Elev gain 200ft.
Walking Distance 10 miles (16 km)
Overnight: St Florence, Pembrokeshire
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 7: Reynoldston & Cefn Bryn
Beginning at the quiet village of Reynoldston, we travel up to the moors and the high point of the Gower at Cefn Bryn. We’ll travel down to the spectacular beaches and dunes of Three Cliffs Bay where we’ll have lunch. We then walk over the dunes to a great lookout point Three Cliffs Bay and Oxwich Bay. Then making our way through the dunes and burrows, we reach Nicholaston Woods. We enter the Penrice Estate where we can admire the Norman ruin of Penrice Castle. Our circuit ends back at Reynoldston where we can enjoy a lovely pub meal at the King Arthur.
Terrain: sandy beach, country lanes, woodland, open moors | Elev gain 600ft.
Walking Distance 9 miles (14.5 km)
Overnight: Penmaen, Gower Peninsula, West Glamorgan
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 8: Gower Peninsula
Our walk will take us to Rhossili Bay at the far end of the Gower Peninsula. We start at the rugged coastal paths at Mewslade: weaving in and out of the rocky outcrops with extensive, dramatic sea views. Tides permitting we may be able to make our way out to Worm’s Head, joined to the mainland by a causeway. For those with more energy, we can continue with the second part of the walk, beginning with a wonderful stroll along the extensive sandy beach of Rhossili. We then cut through the sand dunes to walk up along the ridge overlooking the bay at Rhossili Down.  Note there is a shorter option of just walking 4.5 miles.
Terrain: beach, country lanes, moorland | Elev gain 633 ft.
Walking Distance 9 miles (14.5 km)
Overnight: Penmaen, Gower Peninsula, West Glamorgan
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 9: Departure
We will travel back to Bristol, a journey of approximately 2.5 hours.
Meals included: Breakfast

                                                Swansea area

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Average High Temperature (°F)	46	46	49	54	59	64	67	67	63	58	52	48
Average Low Temperature (°F)	39	39	41	43	48	53	57	57	54	50	45	41
Average High Temperature (°C)	8	8	9	12	15	18	19	19	17	14	11	9
Average Low Temperature (°C)	4	4	5	6	9	12	14	14	12	10	7	5

Source: NOAA


Seasons
Wales has a maritime climate, characterised by weather that is often cloudy, wet and windy, but mild. Whilst some upland areas can experience harsh weather, the coasts enjoy more favorable conditions.

Spring
It's a season that's all about vivid colours, as the trees come into leaf and wildflowers bloom. Among the earliest to arrive is the wild daffodil, just in time for St David’s Day on the first day of March. One of the best displays can be found at Coed y Bwl, near Bridgend, carpeting the woodland floor in pale gold.
In April, blue becomes the theme colour. A walk in a bluebell wood is a sensory experience that’s at its best in the early morning, when the dew is lifting and the air is heady with the scent of thousands of the tiny flowers.
The waterfalls of Wales impress at any time of year, but they’re at their best in early spring. They’ve been well-fed by winter rain, ensuring a decent cascade, but the surrounding trees are leafless, creating the perfect light for photography.

Summer
Early summer brings an influx of seabirds to the coast to raise their young, turning clifftops into avian cities. Summer is also the most likely time to see dolphins, porpoises and whales.

Autumn
The annual deer rut, when a temporary madness descends on the normally placid herds, is among autumn’s greatest wildlife spectacles. A woodland walk is an autumn must-do. Wherever you go in Wales, there are forest trails where you can scuff through the fallen leaves.
And while grey seals are year-round residents of the Welsh coast, you’ll see the milky-white pups only in autumn. Seal mums choose to give birth in company, making for large colonies on many islands including Bardsey in the north and Skomer, off Pembrokeshire.

Winter
Wrap up warm for walks on windswept beaches: you’ll often find you have one to yourself. In most parts of Wales, you’re more likely to have a light dusting of snow than a full-on flurry (though it does sometimes happen). Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) blanketed in white is a magnificent sight, though you probably won't be able to get to the top: the mountain railway gets a well-earned rest each winter, and the ascent by foot is for expert climbers only.

We travel from one location to the next on a comfortable LDV mini-coach with 14 high-backed seats (rarely filled to full capacity so there is plenty of room to spread out). The height of the vehicle allows for excellent views over hedgerows, stone walls, etc. Your luggage is stored inside, not on a roof rack, so there is no risk of it getting wet. We spend from one to three nights in each area and walk the best parts before moving on to our next stop. When we travel between locations we make plenty of allowances for "comfort" stops and coffee / tea breaks. Our vehicles are fitted with stereo systems so you may like to bring along a music tape or two for the driving journeys.

The following items are essential:
- Good strong waterproof hiking boots
- Waterproof jacket
- Comfortable hiking trousers (jeans are not recommended at all as they are too hot in fine weather and too heavy if they get wet)
- Small day rucksack for lunch, drinks, coat etc.
- Water Bottle
- Gloves (even in summer it can get really cool in some hilly and coastal areas)
- Warm Hat
- Personal toiletries and medication
- General warm clothing such as sweaters, track suit bottoms (sweat pants), fleece jacket, etc.
- Sun cream / sun block / after sun cream
- Spending money in Euros (due to the remote nature of our accommodations, it is sometimes difficult to get to banks and cash machines).
- Credit cards are accepted everywhere.

The following items are suggestions:
- Shorts
- Waterproof trousers
- Camera
- Binoculars
- Flask (Thermos)
- Walking pole / stick
- Torch (flashlight)
- Book
- Alarm clock
- Drawing / painting equipment
- Swimsuit
- Insect repellent
- Your favourite remedy for blisters. (I highly recommend a product called “Compeed” which is available in most pharmacists. In the USA and Canada it may be sold under a different brand name. It is manufactured by Johnson and Johnson) 

(Note: Only one suitcase per person please) 

 
Cell phone rental is available and can be pre-booked through www.rentaphone-ireland.com 

If you are travelling from the USA you may wish to check out unlocking your cell phone to use and Irish SIM card. Check out www.unlockitfree.com or  www.bilemo.com/unlock  

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Accommodations
This is a progressive tour so nights will be spent in different locations.

Description
All our accommodations have been carefully selected. We have chosen locations of outstanding natural beauty, so that you can enjoy the best of Irish rural life and scenery. You will enjoy top quality accommodation in small, family run guesthouses and hotels whilst being charmed by the hospitable and friendly hosts.
We stay in small hotels, guest houses, farmhouses, B & B's and occasionally castles.

Accommodation Itinerary - subject to changes based on availability
Night 1: Accommodation in Clearwell
Night 2 & 3: Accommodation in Crickhowell
Night 4, 5 & 6: Accommodation in St Florence
Night 7 & 8: Accommodation in Penmaen

Room Occupancy
All rooms are en suite twin, double or single. Singles are available on request for a small supplement.


Meals:
All meals are included in your package except for dinners on day 2 and 3.

We take packed lunches for our lunch breaks during our walks. These are provided from our accommodation or from local delis.

Our evenings are a time for reviewing the day's activities and shared experiences on the hills. Evening meals are taken either in the places where we are staying or in local restaurants. You will be pleasantly surprised at the fine quality meals you will enjoy on your tour.

Tack:
Horses:
Pace:
Level:		(0 out of 5)
Riders:		Min 5 riders	Max 12 riders

Passports
Passport valid for at least three months beyond length of stay required by all nationals referred to in the chart except:
1. EU nationals holding a valid national ID card.
Note: EU nationals are only required to produce evidence of their EU nationality and identity in order to be admitted to any EU Member State. This evidence can take the form of a valid national passport or national identity card. Either is acceptable. Possession of a return ticket, any length of validity on their document, sufficient funds for the length of their proposed visit should not be imposed.
Passport Note
(a) A passport is not required for travel between Great Britain and Ireland, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man. (b) Passengers transiting the UK destined for the Republic of Ireland are advised to hold return tickets to avoid delay and interrogation.

Visas
Not required by nationals referred to in the chart above for stays of up to six months.
Visa Note
(a) Nationals not requiring visas are advised to be in possession of either a return ticket or, if arriving on a one-way ticket, proof of sufficient funds to accommodate and support themselves for the duration of stay. (b) Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements

This information is not being updated on a regular basis. Hidden Trails does not take any responsibility for the accuracy of the above information. Please, consult the embassy or consulate for updated info.