Wilderness-Travel-2017-Catalog

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FOR MORE DETAILS ON OUR EUROPEAN TRIPS, VISIT 44
Ancient Celtic traditions, a deep cultural
heritage, and a gorgeous landscape happily
converge in Wales. We’ve created a fantastic
hiking journey into the verdant Wye Valley,
along the wild sandstone bluffs of the
Pembrokeshire Coast Path, and to craggy
Mt. Snowdon, the highest peak in the British
Isles. As we explore from the castle-topped
ridges of the Brecon Beacons to the mountains
of Snowdonia, we’ll hear the unique Welsh
language, one of Europe’s oldest living tongues,
meet local scholars, and enjoy wonderful meals
bursting with local flavor and tradition.
Overnights are in historic coaching inns and
a country house nestled between rugged
mountains and the Irish Sea.
Days 1-2 Wye Valley / Tintern Abbey /
Brecon Beacons National Park A hike across
the Anglo-Welsh border brings us to the
tranquil Wye Valley, where the River Wye
reveals castles around every bend. This beautiful
valley has been a source of inspiration to
many artists and writers, Wordsworth and
Coleridge among them. Our hike ends at the
ruins of magnificent 12th century Tintern
Abbey, where a historian leads us through the
haunting halls. Another hike brings us to the
delightful booklover’s mecca of Hay-on-Wye,
nestled in the Black Mountains. We’ll be sure
to stop in for a local craft beer or afternoon
cream tea.
Days 3-5 Laugharne / Pembrokeshire
Coastal Path At Laugharne, we visit the home
of the poet Dylan Thomas with a farmer-turned-
scholar as our guide, and from St. David’s at the
westernmost tip of Wales, our trails lead along
the dramatic Pembrokeshire Coastal Path and
across the cliff tops as we keep watch for seals
basking on the rocks below.
Days 6-9 Snowdonia National Park / Capel
Curig / Snowdon / Caernarfon Castle In
Snowdonia National Park, we hike from Capel
Curig to the lush Conwy Valley, where Sir Edmund
Hillary’s team trained for the 1953 Everest
Expedition. At mighty Snowdon (3,560'), with its
wild cirques and glacier-carved tarns, a classic
rail car brings us to the summit, and we enjoy
Snowdon’s breathtaking scenery on our hike down.
After exploring 13th century Caernarfon Castle, our
final hike begins on a beach on the Isle of Anglesey
(a honeymoon walking spot for Prince William and
Kate) and ends at tiny Llanddwyn Island, home
to the ruins of a 13th century church dedicated to
the patron saint of Welsh lovers. Depart on Day 9.
Wales may be small, but it is brimming with coastal hiking paths, glacier-carved
mountains, and Celtic heritage. PHOTO: ADAM BURTON
BRENDT UEBEL
BRENDT UEBEL
HIGHLIGHTS
• Discover historic Caernarfon Castle and
the ruins of Tintern Abbey
• Hike the best trails of the Pembrokeshire
Coast Path
• Savor the views from the summit of
Mt. Snowdon, England’s highest peak
• Enjoy wine and cheese tastings and
delightful meals with fresh local
ingredients, including Gower mussels
and Welsh lamb
• Meet scholars, weavers, climbers, and
historians
DETAILS
• 9-day trip begins in Cardiff and ends
in Manchester
• 8 nights hotels
• All meals included except 1 dinner
DATES
Jun 2-10, 2017
Aug 7-15
TRIP COST
$5195 (10-14 members)
$5695 (6-9 members)
Single supplement: $650
TRIP LEVEL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
5 hiking days on sometimes uneven or
muddy terrain with some short steep
sections, 2-6 hours a day, van support
BACK-TO-BACK SAVINGS
Combine any two Europe trips
for a $500 per person discount!