England/Wales
Celtic Wales: Snowdonia and Pembrokeshire
Program No. 12185RJ
From Snowdonia in the North to Pembrokeshire in the West, learn the story of Celtic Wales as you explore this ancient land alongside experts.
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11 days
10 nights
25 meals
9B 7L 9D
1
In Transit to Program
In Flight
4
Landscapes, Copper Mines
Betws-y-Coed
5
Free Time, The Isle of Anglesey
Betws-y-Coed
6
Environment, Cultural Heritage, Caernarfon Castle
Betws-y-Coed
8
Castell Henllys, The Preseli Mountains, St. David’s
Milford Haven
9
Laugharne, Locals, Mixed Voice Choir
Milford Haven
10
Transfer to Heathrow, Museum of Welsh Life
London Heathrow
11
Program Concludes
London Heathrow
At a Glance
From whence springs the distinct Welsh identity? From their proud language, world famous orators and choirs? Or the castles and prehistoric settlements that dot the bucolic countryside? From Snowdonia in the North and Pembrokeshire in the West, venture through a land of magnificent, varied scenery to experience the history and heritage of Celtic Wales and its ancient tradition of myths and legends.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking of up to 2.5 miles per day for scheduled activities on uneven terrain, city sidewalks, cobblestones, gravel paths, grass, and woodland paths. Getting on and off the motorcoach several times daily. Extent of walking and other activities during free time is in addition to the program's noted walking distances
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
Best of all, you’ll…
- Explore the Iron Age Castell Henllys with the resident archaeologist.
- Go behind the scenes at St Davids Cathedral.
- Enjoy performances by a Welsh choir and harpist.
General Notes
Select dates are designated for small groups and are limited to 24 participants or less.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Conway Davies
Conway Davies earned a degree in history at Bangor University, a master's from Cardiff University, and is completing his Ph.D. at Swansea University. Conway has extensive knowledge of the Welsh language and the history and culture of both North and South Wales. He is the author of two books, "The History of Poor Law Provision in South Wales" and "Out of Sight, Out of Mind: the History of Mental Health provision in South Wales."
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Conway Davies
View biography
Conway Davies earned a degree in history at Bangor University, a master's from Cardiff University, and is completing his Ph.D. at Swansea University. Conway has extensive knowledge of the Welsh language and the history and culture of both North and South Wales. He is the author of two books, "The History of Poor Law Provision in South Wales" and "Out of Sight, Out of Mind: the History of Mental Health provision in South Wales."
Suggested Reading List
(21 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Celtic Wales: Snowdonia and Pembrokeshire
Program Number: 12185
The Journey Through Wales and The Description of Wales
A valuable historical account of the Medieval Welsh by Gerald of Wales, who traveled through the countryside in the company of the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1188.
Wales & West Midlands Map
A handsome locally grown map of Wales and the West Midlands of England at a scale of 1:250,000.
Birds of Europe
Featuring 3,500 glorious paintings by Killian Mullarney and Dan Zetterstrom, the second edition of this exquisite guide features updated text and maps.
Under Milk Wood
Originally written as a radio play for the BBC, this short work (Dylan's last) concerns the events on a single spring day in a small coastal village in Wales. It's a virtuoso performance showing off Dylan's unsurpassed lyricism, richly evoking the color and fabric of the mythical town of Llareggub (bugger all backwards), populated by all manner of madmen and eccentrics.
The Last of the Celts
Welsh journalist Tanner mixes anecdote, interview and research in this lively account of encounters with far-flung Celts from Scotland, Wales and Belfast to Brittany, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia and Trelew.
Great Gardens of Britain
A photographic tour through 20 of the finest gardens in Great Britain, ranging from famous 18th-century landscapes such as Stourhead to the rather quirky Garden of Cosmic Speculation.
The Celtic Myths, A Guide to the Ancient Gods and Legends
A vivid introduction to Irish and Welsh folklore. Aldhouse-Green outlines recurring motifs and characters alongside quotes, full-text stories, notes on the region’s archaeological finds and plenty of two-color illustrations.
A Writer's House in Wales
In this extended essay, Morris uses her much-loved 18th-century house as a point of departure for a meditation on Welsh identity.
Life in A Medieval Castle
From lord to servant, this illustrated book describes the daily life of the inhabitants at Chepstow Castle in Wales in the 13th century.
The Mabinogion
These eleven Welsh stories, beautiful in their strangeness, combine fact with fantasy, myth with history and folklore, into one of the great Welsh epics, the only Welsh collection that survived.
The Mabinogi and Other Medieval Welsh Tales
The 30th anniversary edition of Professor Ford's translation of the Celtic classic in readable, modern English.
The British Isles, A History of Four Nations
The Celts, Romans, Vikings, Normans and modern immigrants all make an appearance in this Canto Classics edition of Kearney's elegant and revisionist history of not just the English but also of the Scots, Welsh and Irish.
Rough Guide Wales
A comprehensive guide to Wales in the British series, nicely balanced between practical travel details and an overview of the history and culture.
Xenophobe's Guide to the Welsh
This irreverent pocket guide to cultural awareness is both insightful -- and entertaining.
The Hanged Man: A Story of Miracle, Memory, and Colonialism in the Middle Ages
The story of 14th-century Welsh rebel William Cragh, his miraculous survival after being hanged in the gallows, and Bishop Thomas de Cantilupe, whose prayer many thought saved the doomed Cragh.
A Morbid Taste for Bones
In this historical mystery, 11th century monk and head of Shrewsbury Abbey Brother Cadfael travels to a small Welsh village to retrieve the relics of St. Winifred. A murder ensues and Cadfael must investigate.
A Concise History of Wales
This brief, authoritative history of Wales and Welsh identity from prehistory to the present is by Garaint Jenkins, longtime director of the University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies.
A History of Wales
A comprehensive, leisurely history of Wales from the earliest times to the late 1980s, rendered in a graceful translation from the original Welsh.
Art of the Celts
A volume in the acclaimed "World of Art" series, this is a broad introduction to Celtic art, from the 5th century B.C. to 1200 A.D.
Wales, An Illustrated History
A clear, objective treatment, this book traces key historic developments, as well as contemporary Welsh issues.
In Search of Wales
The enduring, singular account of Morton's ramblings in romantic, primitive Wales, to him (the classic Englishman) a very strange place. Originally published in the 1930s, this charming book mixes up history with keen observation, leisurely asides and entertaining anecdotes. His books are recently returned to print in handsome paper editions.