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Personable Welsh guides who know this area like the proverbial back of their hand, will lead moderate & challenging level hikes which focus on the unique mix of splendid scenery, interesting wildlife, & sites associated with Welsh culture & history within & near the National Park. (See page 74 for hiking level descriptions.) Each day will be as different & as varied as the scenery - purple heather on moorland, tumbling streams, rocky mountain tops & fern-strewn shady gullies & oak woodlands in lowland valleys. One hike will take you south to the 17^th c. market town of Dolgellau, from which Quakers emigrated to America, then on to the mythical mountain of Cader Idris. Another day, travel west to Harlech, stopping to visit the 13^th c. castle of Edward I, then hike the Cambrian rock formation of Harlech Dome, home of ravens & feral goats, following Bronze Age trackways, with superb views of Cardigan Bay, the Lleyn Peninsula & Mt. Snowdon - the setting for many Welsh folk tales. Stop to talk with a Welsh farmer who will tell you a little about his way of life. Follow paths up Travel to HungaryCnicht, "The Welsh Matterhorn," where part of the mountainside was removed to produce the slate for roofs all over the world. After some free time for shopping in the Victorian slate town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, board the Ffestiniog Railway for a "Steam & Cuisine" dinner & a wonderfully scenic ride on this lovingly restored narrow gauge railway.

Snowdon, or Yr Wyddfa, is the highest, grandest & most popular peak in Wales. Follow a miners' track or a steep, rocky path to discover the glacial valleys & lakes of this magnificent place. Hike the drovers' trails, used to drive black Welsh cattle to London markets centuries ago. The routes are planned for those who are fit & able to cope with reasonably long hikes over rough & trackless terrain as well as on popular & well-trodden trails. Daily choices will be based on the weather & the abilities of group members, with the more challenging hike gradients ranging from 1000 to 1700 ft. on most days & 1700-2500 ft on more demanding days, while the moderate hike gradients will range from 300 to 1100 ft on average, with more level terrain. Evening activities will include slide talks on the flora, fauna & history of the surrounding area presented by your guides & other experts from the region, & a special treat, hearing one of the famous Welsh male choirs. Revel in this week of hiking through some of Britain's most spectacular mountain scenery, preserved for all the world to enjoy.