Traveling South to North

I can only say where we stayed after picking up the car at Heathrow; Tintern, Tenby, St. David’s, Aberystwyth, Caernarfon, Ludlow.

Either Caernarfon, Conwy, or Llandudno would be a nice base to visit a number of nice castles.

Edited: Chester is a nice place to stay, but it isn’t near many of the castles most people tend to visit; Caernarfon, Conwy, Beaumaris, Harlech.

I don't think you mean the A9 as that is in Scotland...

This is so difficult to answer as there are so many castles all over Wales. Most are either round the coast or along the Welsh/England border. Mind you, you can go into castle overload in Wales! The A470 route runs up through mid Wales. There is some superb scenery along it, but possibly not as many castles and also fewer towns along the way.

Whatever route you choose, you are unlikely to come across any steep cliff drops .

Thank you for catching that -- I meant the A49. Happy to hear about no steep cliff drop offs and appreciate the castle map.

Follow up: As for now in case anyone is interested ,can identify a misstep or has suggestions here is my route. These are not necessarily stops but the way I identify which way I am going.
Day 1 - Bath - Newport- Brecon - Builth Wells - Rhayader- 123 miles (1 night)
Day 2 - Rhayader - Elan Valley - Cwmystwyth - Devil's Bridge - Machynlleth - Corris - Dolgellau -63 miles (1 night)
Day 3 - Dolgellau - Blaenau Ffestiniog - Dolwyddelan - Betws-y-Coed - Trefriw -38 miles
Day 4-6 Trefriw as homebase for the north (3 nights)
Day 7-8 Trefriw - Chirk - Erddig - Wrexham - Chester - 68 miles (2 nights)
Drop car in York -114 miles

Day 1 - I am not sure where Newcastle is? You need to reach Abergavenny first. The fastest way is to cross the Severn estuary on the M4 bridge and continue towards Newport & leave M4 at J 24 & head up the A449 expressway to Raglan and then A40 to Abergavenny and on to Brecon. However, you should consider this slower route :> cross Severn on M48 bridge - go into Chepstow to see the castle is desired but note that it is a bit complicated to get back to the route you need = A466 going N towards TINTERN. (Zoom down on Google maps on Chepstow). On A466 out of Chepstow - just after village of St.Arvans - a minor country lane comes off at a bend. If you follow that about half a mile you come to a parking place. From here, it is a 20 minute walk up through the woods to the Eagle’s Nest viewpoint.

Back to A466 going N & you soon come to TINTERN ABBEY (ruin). Continue N on A466 towards Monmouth & turn L onto westbound A40 - note you loop off this road at RAGLAN & loop around the roundabout to see RAGLAN CASTLE. To get back to westbound A40 towards Abergavenny is complicated at Raglan - zoom down on Google maps to figure out. Continue on your route into Wales.

Day 2. Go via the Elan Valley reservoirs to Devil’s Bridge. This road is narrow in places - see it on street view.

Day 3. Suggest you go from Dolgellau on A496 via BARMOUTH & HARLECH (castle in village). You should have time to see PORTMEIRION Italian style village. Then go via Aberglaslyn Pass to Beddgelert & A498 to Capel Curig & Betws-Y-Coed & A470 to Trefriw. This route is more scenic than via Blaenau Ffestiniog & Dolwyddlan Castle is just a tower - Harlech castle is much better.

When in Trefriw - be sure to visit nearby BODNANT GARDENS.

Days 7-8. Just after Llangollen - be sure to visit the PONTCYSYLLTE AQUEDUCT . Nothing worth seeing in Wrexham.

You won't need the car in Chester so consider dropping it off if possible. You could go by train from Chester to York for about £27 each (no Railcard discount applied) . For example, leave Chester at 9.27 to arrive York at 12.07 with one change at Manchester Victoria. Similar schedules every 2 hours.

https://www.visitmonmouthshire.com
https://bannaubrycheiniog.org (This is Brecon Beacons - but the Welsh Government have decided to ban the English name).
https://www.castlewales.com
https://www.visitmidwales.co.uk

This guy gives detailed info about places in Wales - & makes better job of it than the government run sites:>https://ohwhataknight.co.uk/brecon-beacons-top-things-to-see-and-do

That looks a wonderful itinerary and you have lots of good advice from James.

On Day 1 you also go past Tretower between Abergavenny and Rhyader. Tretower has the remains of a ruined castle as well as a fortified C15 manor House.

All are worth visiting, but you wont have time to visit all of them in one day so decisions will need to be made

Day 2 - Devil’s Bridge. Allow enough time to do both walks -they are stunning. Make sure you have sturdy footwear as there are a lot of steps and conditions can be quite rough underfoot.

Day 3 Agree with James. His route is much more interesting. Blaenau Ffestiniog is a slate town. It suffered greatly with the demise of the North Wales slate industry and became very deprived. Efforts have been made in recent years to regenerate the town but it still has a long way to go.

Try and plan your visit to Porthmadog and Harbour station when either the Ffestiniog or Welsh Highland trains are arriving or leaving. You probably won’t have time for a trip on either railway that day, especially if you have visited Harlech Castle or Portmeirion, but you could think about doing one of them from Trefriw - Welsh Highland round trip from Caernarfon. Ffestiniog Railway round trip from Blaenau Ffestiniog.

Portmeirion is well worth visiting. It is the brain child of a very quirky architect Sir Clough Williams Ellis who wanted to show how an area like this could be developed without spoiling its natural beauty. He did this over 50 years by creating an eye striking Italianate style village, using pieces from demolished buildings. It is. an exciting place to visit and completely different to anything else in the UK with its brightly coloured buildings with towers and steeples and even a grotto with a golden buddha as well as a statue of Hercules. . Buildings and vegetation are carefully laid out to present vistas which change as you walk around the village. It’s difficult to explain. You have to go and see for yourself
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You will be visiting many places in Wales in the care of CADW. Consider buying a year's membership as this will give you free admission to all of the castles mentioned in Wales (plus also Conwy, Caernarfon, Beamaris, Criccieth...). If the holiday also includes England or Scotland, membership also gives 50% reduction to English Heritage and Historic Scotland places in your first year. (Subsequent years you get free entry.)

Some sites offer a frree audio guide to members and you also get 10% discount in their shops.

The castles in Wales were built to defend the borders so are on the coast and along the England/Wales border. You won’t find many, if any, in the centre of the country.

Chester is a nice place to stay, but it isn’t near many castles.
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How dare you! :-) Chester has its own castle, thank you very much! It may not look much like a castle but it has a long history and is still in use.
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/chester-castle-agricola-tower-and-castle-walls/

Beeston Castle also isn’t too far away. It’s much more of a ruin but has amazing views over the Cheshire Plain ( also a story of lost treasure on the hill) If you fancied staying in a Victorian recreation of a castle Peckforton Castle is right by Beeston. You see them both on the train from Crewe to Chester.
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/beeston-castle-and-woodland-park/
https://www.peckfortoncastle.co.uk/

There really isn’t much to see in Wrexham unless you want to make a pilgrimage to the football ground. The Pontcysyllte Aquaduct is a real engineering wonder of the world and definitely worth a visit while you are in the area. https://www.pontcysyllte-aqueduct.co.uk/

And just for clarity the Welsh government hasn’t ‘ banned ‘ the use of English names for places in Wales. They are using the Welsh names for popular tourist places such as the Brecon Beacons (Bannau Brycheiniog), Snowdonia ( Yr Wyddfa) and Snowdonia (Eryri), if you google the English name you will find them and as a tourist no one will be offended if you refer to them by their ‘old’ English names.
Lots of places in Wales have both an English and a Welsh name and both are used on road signs.

The Welsh language is more common in North Wales than South Wales. You will hear it everywhere. Despite what some people think they are not speaking it to be rude to tourists, it is their first language, although everyone also speaks English. Using the Welsh for hello and, thank you does usually go down well though.

Diolch (dee-olch) – Thank you and Diolch yn fawr (dee-olch un vowr) – Thank you very much
Bore da (bor-eh dah) – Good morning
Shwmae / Sut mae (shoo-my / sit-my) – Hello

And if you want a cappuccino remember to ask for a ‘coffi ffrothi’ :-)

My grandparents were brought up on the lower slopes of Snowdon and were Welsh as a first language although my mum was brought up right on the Wales/England border and spoke English to them. When all these names changes were being introduced I asked my mum what her parents and grandparents had called these places when she as growing up. She had to really think about it and finally decided Snowdonia and Snowdon although mostly her grandmother referred to the mountain as ‘ yr hen ddyn ‘ meaning ‘ the old man’. If it was cloudy, ‘ the old man has his hat on.’ :-)

You definitely don’t want a car in Chester and taking the train from there to York is much easier.

On 25 September the revamped Wrexham Museum, now the Wrexham Museum and Football Museum of Wales opens. I saw it last week when passing through, in the final stages of building.
Until it opens no one knows what it is like inside.
I was taken by surprise, as I didn't know it was there, but was meant to be calling into the Roman Catholic Cathedral next door. However I made a totally unexpected -10 minute connection between buses.

Details of the museum are here if anyone is interested.

https://www.wrexhammuseum.wales/

One thing I have always meant to go and see there is the Tailor’s Quilt, which look stunning.
https://museum.wales/blog/1377/The-Wrexham-Tailors-Quilt-1842-52/

EDIT just realised the quilt isn’t actually in Wrexham (boo). The mural version in th town will have to do.

I sincerely appreciate the time you all spent giving me suggestions and advice. Apologies I meant Newport not Newcastle.
I would like to add a day in Wales somewhere (I will take a day away from Chester). I would prefer to a make a one night stay two rather than add another overnight stop. Suggestions? It doesn’t have to be around castles. We are “gentle” hikers (not explorers) and enjoy villages, gardens, estates and meeting people.
A few more questions.
James–
“Day 2. Go via the Elan Valley reservoirs to Devil’s Bridge. This road is narrow in places - see it on street view.” I can not seem to find the road that connects the two. Is there a street name.I can find it if I walk or cycle but not drive.
“Days 7-8. Just after Llangollen - be sure to visit the PONTCYSYLLTE AQUEDUCT . Nothing worth seeing in Wrexham”. I was looking at a route that went by Chirk Castle but do not need to go that way. I don't intend to stop in Wrexham. Can you suggest another?
Wasleys-
“Day 3- Try and plan your visit to Porthmadog and Harbour station when either the Ffestiniog or Welsh Highland trains are arriving or leaving.” Would you recommend one of the train trips into the mountains?
Emma
Thank you. Great advice. I wanted to drop the car in Chester but Arnold Clark/Celtic Legends closest is Manchester. I could switch companies but I have had good experiences with them. The quilt looks amazing. Makes me want to stop in Cardiff for the museum.

Day 2 - the route marked National Cycle Route 81 is drivable by car and is the route you should zoom down on to see on street view.
When I did it, a buzzard flew into my windscreen and bounced off & flew away - leaving a wax imprint for me to clean off. Click here for a Google map and I suggest you use the road passing most of the dams before heading west through Cwm Ystwyth to Devil’s Bridge - where there is a fancy hotel. (If you don;t want to use the narrow roads - just use the A470 from Rhayader NW to llangurig and then A44 towards Aberystwyth and the short link road to Devil’s Bridge - from where an attractive narrow garage steam railway goes to Aberystwyth:> https://vor.wales

For the steam railways at Porthmadog - see:> https://www.festrail.co.uk (Both are good but Caernarfon is a far better place to visit than Blaenau Ffestiniog).

You seem to be thinking about adding more of Wales. In the Cardiff area, St.Fagans Castle & Museum are well worth visiting & needs about half a day. Castell Coch is on the northern edge of the city (M4 junction 32). The wrapper in the photo is because it is currently having repairs. Caerphilly Castle is about 8 miles N of Cardiff city centre. Cardiff Castle is in the centre of the city.
In the event that you visited Cardiff, best to avoid driving into the city centre as they have complicated junctions - like buses only and if you make a wrong turn, cameras photo the car number plate & fines are issued. Plenty of buses go into the centre. Radyr station (free parking) in north Cardiff has frequent local electric trains into the city taking about 12 minutes.

If you wanted to go to SW Wales, I would suggest that TENBY is well worth seeing. Read this about Tenby.

Would you recommend one of the train trips into the mountains?

Yes if time allows. Unfortunately there is no timetable on the website. Train services are given names depending on where they run to and from. You can find out information about the different services here.

There is a map showing the route of the two railways here.

On the Ffestiniog Railway, the Woodland Wanderer runs from Porthmadog to Tan y Bwlch. The Mountain Spirt runs from Porthmadog to Blaenau and back, where as the Quarryman runs from Blaenau Ffestiniog to Porthmadog and back.

On the Welsh Highland, The Snowdonia Star runs from Caernarfon to Porthmadog and back, while the Harbourmaster starts from. Porthmadog and runs to Caernarfon. The Gelert Explorer runs from Caernarfon to Beddgelert and back, while the Aberglaslyn runs from Porthmadog to Beddgelert and back.

Not all services run every day and train times can vary from day to day making it a bit of a nightmare to plan...

Both are narrow gauge heritage steam railways. The Ffestiniog Railway was built in the 1830s to carry slate from the quarries around Blaenau Ffestiniog to the wharves at Porthmadog where it was shipped out to the rest of the world. The line closed after the Second world War but was restored by dedicated volunteers. It is still using some of its original locos. From Porthmadog, It is a lovely run over the Cob with views across the Glaslyn estuary to Snowden and then up through the valley and woods to Tan y Bwlch. At Ddualt there is the only spiral on a British railway. The top of the line was flooded when a pumped water electric power station was built in the late 1950s-60s. The spiral was the only way to raise the level of the track above the reservoir. The track then runs through the slate landscape with the remains of old inclines that brought slate down to the railway and also massive slate waste tips.

The journey takes about 70 minutes each way and you probably have about an hour in Blaenau Ffestiniog.

The Welsh Highland Railway has been rebuilt along the trackbed of a line that closed in the 1930s. (It was never a financial success as it served an isolated area with few buildings.) Starting from Porthmadog the line runs along the flat reclaimed land of the Glaslyn estuary before entering the dramatic Pass of Aberglaslyn to Beddgelert. From here it runs through Beddgelert Forest before running along the flanks of Snowden. On a sunny day this is a stunning section of the line. It eventually drops down to the fertile flat land along the Menai Strait with a dramatic view of Caernarfon Castle, before arriving at Caernarfon. One way takes around 2.5 hours and you get nearly 2 hours in Caernarfon.

Trains are usually pulled by a South African Bayer Garrett loco which were specially bought for the Welsh Highland. Gradients are steep along the line and these were one of the few locos powerful enough to be able to pull a train of ten coaches with those gradients.

I’m obviously a bit biased but I think two days in Chester makes more sense than one. It is still a good base to get to Errdig, Chirk etc but has a lot to see and do in its own right. It is the definition of ‘charming’ and has a very good food scene.
Two nights would also give you the option of a day with no driving which.might be very welcome at that stage in your trip.
However long you choose to stay in Chester definitely make sure you stay somewhere with access to parking. The city wasn’t designed for cars ( damn those roman!) so it can be an issue and expensive.

Don’t waste time by stopping in the town of Newport itself. It’s very, very uninteresting.