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Castell Dinas-Bran, Llangollen, 1771
On our second day we will visit the small town of LLangollen in the Welsh County of Denbighshire. Situated on an old coaching route into North Wales, Llangollen has been a popular holiday destination since Victorian times and its annual music festival called the International Eisteddfod brings artists and visitors from around the World to this pretty border town nestled in a beautiful valley adjacent to the dramatic Berwyn Mountains.
Photographic opportunities of the area will be provided by a scenic drive up to the famous Horseshoe Pass in the Berwyn Mountains which (weather permitting) will allow fine views across the Eglwyseg limestone escarpment and Castell Dinas Bran the remains of a 13th century Castle built on the site of an ancient Iron Age fort on a prominant hill in the valley. On a way back into the Valley below we stop at the Cistercian Abbey of Valle Crucis (the “Valley of the Cross”) The name derives from the nearby Eliseg’s Pillar, which was 
erected as a cross in the first half of the 9th century. Valle Crucis Abbey prospered for 300 years, but fell into disrepair as the consequence of King Henry VIIIs dissolution of the monasteries. Valle Crucis was one of the first to be suppressed in Wales, being dissolved in 1536. Despite falling into ruination, as was the fate of so many other monasteries, many of the original Abbey features remain today, including the glorious west front complete with an elaborate, richly carved doorway and beautiful rose window. Other well preserved features include the east end of the Abbey (which overlooks the monks’ original fishpond) and the lovely Chapter House with its striking rib-vaulted roof.
The group will then call to visit the Gothic house of “Plas Newydd” the former home of two eccentric Victorian ladies who’s unconventional lifestyle led to an extreme level of curiosity peculiar to the time and as a consequence were visited by the likes of Sir Walter Scott and William Wordsworth as local celebrities. They were keen collectors 
of carved wooden furnishings and artifacts and in their 50 years habitation at Plas Newydd amounted an impressive collection which fills the house and remain as their legacy to us. Later in the afternoon we will take a short journey on a canal barge boat along the Llangollen canal and visit the spectacular Pontcysyllte Aqueduct built by the Victorian engineer Thomas Telford. Built in 1805 the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct carries the Llangollen Canal over the valley of the River Dee east of Llangollen and is the longest and highest aqueduct in Britain. We will also journey by steam train along the Dee valley on the Dee Valley Railway to the village of Carrog,. This “Steam Heritage Line” follows the course of the River for most of its length , a distance of 7 miles, enabling us to get some fine views of the valley before passing through a 3/4 miles long tunnel through the Berwyn Mountains before arriving at Carrog station where our coach will be waiting to take us onto Chirk Castle in Shropshire. Founded in 1295 by Roger Mortimer who was one of the leading barons of the Border lands, the Castle was part of King Edward I’s chain of fortresses across the north of Wales and guards the entrance to the Ceiriog Valley. Chirk’s rather austere exterior disguises the comfortable and elegant state rooms inside, with elaborate plasterwork, superb Adam-style furniture, tapestries and portraits. Features from different eras include the medieval tower and dungeon, 18th-century servants’ hall and 20th-century laundry. In the formal garden are clipped yews, roses and climbers on the castle wall.
Day 2 Highlights:
- LLangollen
- Horseshoe Pass
- Berwyn Mountains
- Eglwyseg Escarpment
- Castell Dinas Bran
- Valle Crucis Abbey
- Plas Newydd House
- Carrog
- Dee Valley Railway journey
- Chirk Castle