The Lakes District and North Wales (LW)

Day 1 - Welcome to the Lake District

Arrive in Penrith and transfer to the glacial lake of Ullswater, your base for the next 3 nights. Enjoy a local walk to visit the scenic beauty of Aira Force, a walk that will take you from the shores of Ullswater through to the 65-foot drop waterfall surrounded by lush woodland. For the more adventurous, continue onwards to hike on Gowbarrow Fell, it’s far from the highest peak in the area but offers panoramic views of the surrounding fells and is also home to a variety of flora and fauna typical of the Lake District, including heather, grasses, and various bird species. Afterwards head back to your hotel on the shores of the lake.

Aira Force short hike – 1.5 miles | +275ft -275ft | 1 hour

Aira Force and Gowbarrow Fell avid hike – 4.5 miles | +1,00ft -1,000ft | 2-3 hours (long options for guides to keep in their back pocket if time and fitness allows)

Overnight: Ullswater | Inn on the Lake
Meals Included: Lunch and Dinner

Day 2 - Wordworth's Grasmere

Today we’ll travel to the heart of the Lake District, Grasmere, once home to the revered poet – William Wordsworth. Visit Dove Cottage to learn about Wordsworth’s life and his love of the Lakes before setting out for a hike around Grasmere itself. If you require a bit more hiking, we’ll set out to Alcock Tarn located high in the fells on Heron Pike above Grasmere.

Lap of Grasmere short hike – 4.5miles | +450ft -450ft | 1.5-2 hours

Lap of Grasmere and Alcock Tarn avid hike – 6 miles | 1,365ft -1,365ft | 3-4 hours

Overnight: Ullswater | Inn on the Lake
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 3 - Ullswater Cruise and Askham Fell

This morning, we’ll set out aboard one of the Ullswater ‘steamers’ for a scenic cruise to Pooley Bridge. After lunch, we will hike onto Askham Fell to take in the amazing views toward Matterdale Common and Helvellyn. We’ll descend to Howtown before boarding one of the steamers back to Glenridding. For those that want more hiking, continue on the winding trail on the shores of the lake finishing at your hotel later in the afternoon.

Pooley Bridge to Howton Pier short hike – 5 miles | +646ft -680ft | 2.5 hours

Pooley Bridge to Glenrriding avid hike – 11 miles | +1,245ft -1,255ft | 5 hours

Overnight: Ullswater | Inn on the Lake
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 4 - Welcome to Wales

After breakfast, we’ll begin our journey towards North Wales, along the way we’ll stop at a historical estate with a neo-classical mansion and 50 acres of landscaped garden. This will allow you to stretch your legs, have lunch and take a walk in the grounds ahead of the final stretch of travel into and across northern Wales. We’ll finish the day with a visit to Caernarfon Castle, a medieval fortress located in Gwynedd. It is one of the most well-known and impressive castles in Wales, with a rich history dating back to the late 13th century.

No specified hikes today

Overnight: Llanddeiniolen | Ty'n Rhos Country House
Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 5 - Hiking the Pyg Track on Yr Wyddfa

Snowdon, also known as Yr Wyddfa in Welsh, proudly stands as the highest mountain south of the Scottish Highlands. Though its elevation of 3,560 feet may not compete with the giants of the world, Snowdon remains an impressive and rewarding peak. There are a few options for the ascent of Yr Wyddfa with easiest starting in Llanberis utilising the Snowdon Mountain Railway, one of the oldest mountain railways in the world.  We’ll first visit the National Slate Museum to learn about the fascinating industry that sculpted this area of Wales before boarding the train to the summit, where, on a clear day the views are truly spectacular and offer a unique perspective of the stunning natural scenery of Snowdonia National Park and beyond. For the avid hiker, whilst the group explore the Slate Museum we’ll continue on to Pen-y-Pass and hike the historic Miners Track that winds up through the disused copper mines on the slopes leading to the summit. Once regrouped we’ll hike back down to Pen-y-Pass via the Pyg track to complete our hike. We’ll transfer back to Caernarfon and raise a glass to celebrate summiting the highest mountain in England and Wales.

Snowdon Mountain Railway to Yr Wyddfa summit – Hike down to Pen-y-Pass short hike – 3.5 miles | +2ft -1,199ft | 2 hours

Pen-y-Pass – Yr Wyddfa summit – Pen-y-Pass avid hike – 8 miles | +2,249ft -2,246ft | 6 hours

Overnight: Llanddeiniolen | Ty'n Rhos Country House
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 6 - The Llŷn Peninsula

After a big day mountain day yesterday, today we’ll stretch our legs and breathe in the sea air on a walk along the flat sandy beaches of the Llŷn Peninsula, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. We’ll take our time and enjoy lunch taking in the seascape, fresh air and surrounding beauty of the area before heading to Llandudno, a charming seaside retreat full of Victorian elegance and stunning natural beauty including Llandudno’s iconic pier and promenade. We’ll settle into our seafront hotel ahead of our final day of exploration in England and Wales.

Morfa Nefyn to Porth Dinllaen headland loop short hike – 3.5 miles | +300ft -300ft | 2 hours

Nefyn to Porth Dinllaen avid hike – 5 miles | +300ft -400ft | 3 hours

Overnight: Llandudno | The Wildings Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 7 - Conwy Castle

After a hearty breakfast, we’ll transfer to the picturesque town of Conwy, known for its well-preserved medieval architecture and stunning landscapes. Dominated by the imposing Conwy Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We’ll meet a local guide who will take us on a fascinating tour of the Castle and the charming streets that are lined with historic buildings before having lunch in the town before heading back to Llandudno. We’ll finish our week of exploration by taking in the views from the summit of the Great Orme, reached by taking a historic cable-hauled tramway, one of the oldest surviving tramways in the world. Enjoy panoramic views of Llandudno, the Irish Sea, and the surrounding countryside as we hike around the limestone headland. Alternatively, head back down the tramway and enjoy some free time on the shores of the Irish Sea before meeting back with the group ahead of a celebratory dinner.

Great Orme short hike – 2.5 miles | +250ft -250ft | 1.5 hours

Great Orme avid hike – 4 miles | +630ft -650ft | 3 hours

Overnight: Llandudno | The Wildings Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 8 - Departures

After a leisurely breakfast, we’ll transfer to Manchester Airport, we’ll say our goodbyes and from here you’ll be able to transfer by plane or train on your next adventure.

Meals Included: Breakfast