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Day One - Wednesday
Leaving London early, we shake off the city dust using the M40 freeway
to speed our journey to wonderful Wales. Our route will give us a glimpse
of the the beautiful English Cotswolds as we head for the Royal Forest
of Dean, bordering Wales, and the stunning Wye Valley, with a lunch
stop beside the river Wye. What better introduction to Wales, "Land
of Song", than the imposing 12th century Norman castle of
Chepstow Castle. and the romantic Tintern Abbey (inspiration for one
of William Wordsworth's loveliest poems). If there's time we'll also
see the fallen walls of the once mighty Roman city of Caerwent, reputed
by some to be the home of the great King Arthur and his Knights of the
Round Table.
Our accommodation is at a 17th century working Welsh Farmhouse, imposing
country manor or vineyard depending on the time of year.
Day Two - Thursday
The civic centre of the Welsh capital - Cardiff - is magnificent by
world standards. It will be the showpiece of a panoramic city tour (which
will also feature the Millennium Stadium, formally known as the Arms
Park, Mecca for the millions of Rugby Football fans worldwide). On then
to the superb cathedral at Llandaff before arriving at the open-air
Museum of Welsh Life in the nearby village of St Fagans. This fascinating
mirror of hundreds of years of Welsh life embraces dozens of authentic
buildings, removed from all corners of the country and painstakingly
and faithfully rebuilt and refurbished here. Houses, churches and chapels,
a mill, bakery, pubs and even a school, have been wonderfully preserved.
This afternoon we explore the verdant Vale of Glamorgan, choosing from
the market town where Sir Anthony Hopkins went to school, the Valley
of Kings where the wizard Merlin was schooled, rugged coastline where
smugglers lured ships to the rocks, and we'll cross a river by 13th
century stepping stones.
 Day Three - Friday
According to our accommodation stop, today will either begin or end
in the once grey and hard world of a Welsh mining valley, now transformed,
but a time so memorably captured in the great novel of industrial Wales,
'How Green Was My Valley'. We'll climb the rim of the saucer of the
coal-seam bearing, Rhigos Mountain to view the sole surviving deep Welsh
coal mine and the breathtaking scenery of the Brecon Beacons, our next
calling point. 'There'll be a welcome in these hillsides' sing the Welsh.
The market town of Brecon could be our lunch stop (where there's an
interesting military museum ), or perhaps Wales's oldest inn, used by
the infamous 'Hanging Judge' Jefferies as a court room. We'll also view
the remote and atmospheric ruins of Llantony Priory and a historic 'hidden'
rural church.
Depending on time, we'll also be visiting Abergaveny and its cattle
market or the historic town of Monmouth, well-known to Admiral Nelson,
Mr Rolls of Rolls Royce and Henry V.
As with all our tours, tour participants will be able have an input
into what we visit as we'll make allowance for weather conditions, local
festivals and individual interests.
Day Four - Saturday
On our way back to London we'll visit the mysterious ancient standing
stones of Avebury and the amazing Silbury Hill. But this will only be
after a final memorable morning in Roman Wales. The now small village
of Caerleon was named after the camp of the Roman Legions - perhaps
up to 6000 Roman legionaries were based here almost 2000 years ago.
The imposing remains of that camp remain and can be visited and include
the barracks, the only complete amphitheatre in Britain, the Roman baths,
and the remains of a Roman port.
We'll take our leave of the land of the Red Dragon, crossing the river
Severn in a most unusual fashion before heading east and experiencing
a spectacular exit from Wales. Our drive back to London sees us passing
through some of England's timeless West country scenery
and we'll arrive back into London in the late afternoon.
Includes four days touring, three night's accommodation with breakfasts and dinners, all entrance fees and services of driver/guide and companion.
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