From the hilltop fortresses of the legendary Welsh Princes to the Iron Ring strongholds of Edward I, North Wales once boasted some of the finest castles in Europe. Now mostly in ruins, their skeletal outlines are an invitation to relive the hard-fought battles that ravaged the area and left Wales an occupied nation.
Centuries later came grand country mansions, simple homesteads and ancient townhouses, homes to the cultural and intellectual doyens of Welsh society, that now welcome the curious through their doors.
The highs and lows of our past can be experienced in iconic settings such as Ruthin Gaol, and even the simple pleasure of meandering through historic market towns, each with a wealth of heritage buildings, is rewarded by a secret to discover around every corner.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site, centred on the awesome engineering triumph that is the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct (‘the stream in the sky’), carrying the Llangollen Canal over the River Dee, preserves a remarkable industrial landscape, but also provides an 11 mile corridor of peaceful walks, gentle canal boating and beautiful wildlife habitat.
