GLYNDWR’S WAY - SELF-GUIDED WALKING TOUR

Follow in the footsteps of Owain Glyndwr, the 15th century Welsh warrior prince who fought

against English domination, on this 133 mile National Trail through the heart of Wales. From the

English borders you walk into this historical region through a myriad of enchanting landscapes

from moorland to ancient forests.

The walk starts in the market town of Knighton heading north west to the ancient capital of Machynllerth

and then east to finish beside the Montgomery Canal in Welshpool. The route takes in the best of ancient

Wale, affording the chance to experience traditional villages and farmland that lies in the shadow of the

rolling hills. You will also walk amidst the wild landscapes of the surrounding mountains and woodlands.

Passing the ruins of skirmishes made by Glyndwr during his rebellion against English rule, you will also

experience the delights of the local flora and fauna.

Viewing the abundant wildlife including buzzards and red kites

Standing in awe of the magnificent Powis Castle

Taking in the panorama of the beautiful Dyfi Valley and spectacular Cader Idris

mountain.

Warmest and friendliest of welcomes from the locals

Walking along trails that wind through mining villages, forests and windswept moorland

WHY CHOOSE A SELF-GUIDED WALKING TOUR WITH US?

Macs Adventure are specialists in self guided walking tours. As passionate and regular walkers we

understand what makes for an unforgettable adventure and we deliver outstanding tours where every last

detail is taken care of. Great routes, breath-taking scenery and warm, welcoming accommodation can be

expected.

Each tour can be tailor made to meet your requirements. From your first contact with Macs Adventure you

will deal with a specialist who knows the region intimately. They will help you to make the most of your

time in Wales with their in-depth knowledge of the route, accommodation and must-see attractions on the

way.

We will supply you with a guidebook and map to help you every step of the way. The trail is extensively

way marked ensuring you don’t miss a turn. Your baggage will be collected and moved onto your next

accommodation, leaving you free to enjoy each days walking. In the unlikely event you should require

emergency support our office is always more than happy to help with your queries.

So, from the moment you decide to walk through this stunning countryside you can relax and look forward

to an unforgettable self-guided walking tour.

SUMMARY

What’s Included?

Accommodation: Hand-picked B&B’s, Country Inns and Guesthouses.

Meals: A hearty breakfast is included. Lunch and dinner are not included but al-

ways

available nearby.

Baggage Transfer: Door-to-door baggage transfer.

Information Pack: Comprehensive guidebook as well as a pre-departure

information pack.

Tour: Glyndwr’s Way

Code: WWSGW1-WWSGW5

Type: Self-guided walking tour

Price: See website

Single Supplement: See website

Dates: March-October

Walking Days: 4-9

Nights: 5-10

HIGHLIGHTS

Is It For Me?

If you enjoy walking through a country

landscape steeped in historical heritage and

natural splendour this would be ideal. The

route involves ascents so a reasonable level

of fitness is required. However the superb

views are sight to behold.

WALKING IN THE HEART OF WALES

GLYNDWR’S WAY

Arriving in Knighton

Knighton is easily accessible by road and rail

with the Heart of Wales line running through the

town linking Shrewsbury with Swansea. The

town’s Welsh name of Tref-y-Clawdd means

‘Town of the Dyke’ referring to its position right

on Offa’s Dyke, the 8th century man-made

border between Wales and England. The town,

today a quaint settlement with a central clock

tower, was attacked by Glyndwr in the early

years of his campaign.

Knighton to Felindre—15.5 miles

The official start of Glyndwr’s Way is the clock

tower. Moving out of town the walking on the first

day is relatively easy-going through farmland and

with an initial steady ascent up Garth Hill (346m).

The views from the top are a lovely introduction

to the next few days. Ascend down into

Llangunllo, situated in a sheltered valley with a

13th century church. The trail continues across

open moorland and eventually merges into

farmland as you near Felindre. Careful scanning

of the skies may be rewarded with views of

buzzard.

Felindre to Abbeycwmhir—15.5

miles

The trail rises out of Felindre passing an ancient

mound of earth with a keep known as a ‘motte’

and continues through farmland to join a short

section of road. The trail then passes Castell-y-

Blaidd or ‘Wolf’s Castle’, a Norman earth

ringwork that stands high on the hills. The trail

moves on to Llanbadarn Fynydd and up to

moorland with a ridge walk affording spectacular

views into the surrounding valleys. Continue

down to the Bachell Brook Valley and into

Abbeycwmhir. This hamlet is famed for the ruins

of its 12th century Cistercian Abbey.

Abbeycwmhir to Llanidloes—15.25

miles

Coming out of Abbeycwmhir the trail climbs

through forest bringing you out on a route toward

the ridge of Upper Esgair Hill. From here the

undulating walk takes you to Blaentrinant which

offers awe-inspiring views of the mountain peak

of Cader Idris (893m) in neighbouring

Snowdonia. Some of the most beautiful

countryside of the Glyndwr’s Way follows with

the trail meandering down to the town of

Llanidloes, the heart of the medieval kingdom of

Arwystli. The first town on the River Severn, it

boasts a 14th century church.

Llanidloes to Dylife—14 miles

If you can force yourself to leave beautiful

Llanidloes you will cross the River Severn and

follow the trail as it joins the Severn Way Path

through mixed forest. In season you may note

many local bird species including redstart. The

trail descends into the Clywedog Valley following

a dam wall down to the shores of Clywedog

reservoir. In the forests that follow many local

bird species abound and in the skies above you

will may be able to see Red Kites. Moving on

through Hafren forest the trail climbs to moorland

following a Roman track along to the small

settlement of Dylife

Dylife to Machynlleth—14 miles

Leaving the old mining village the trail continues

across windswept moorland passing Afon

Clywedog, a valley carved by glaciers in the last

Ice Age. Buzzards may be see circling above.

Moving through woodland the trail passes the

azure waters of Glaslyn, which translates as

‘blue lake’, and you are provided with the

wonderful spectacle of Foel Fadian Hill (564m). A

demanding ascent brings you to the highest point

of the trail which has views all the way to

Cardigan Bay in the west. The trail continues

down through woodland to the town of

Machynlleth, which you enter via the ‘Roman

Steps’, a fitting way to finish the section.

Machynlleth is a vibrant town steeped in history

and it was here that Owain Glyndwr was

crowned Prince of Wales and established

parliament in 1404. Today it is the home of the

‘Centre for Alternative Technology’ dedicated to

sustainable development in the modern world.

Machynlleth to Llanbrynmair —15.5

miles

Starting at the Owain Glyndwr centre in the town,

the trail commences with a three mile minor road

section to Abercegir. From here the route enters

moorland once again affording further views of

Cader Idris. The trail reaches Cemmaes road

and makes its way through forest and beautiful

valleys toward Llanbrynmair.

Llanbrynmair to Llanwddyn—16.75

miles

The trail travels north along a new section which

climbs up a steep valley to provide lovely views

at the summit. Continuing through a forest the

trail climbs the edge of Pen Coed (360m) and

leads on across open moorland. You then enter

the Dynant forestry plantation and eventually

emerge to views of impressive Lake Vyrynwy

and it’s thirty three acre dam ahead. An evening

on the shores of the lake is an experience few

forget.

Llanwddyn to Pontrobert—11.25

miles

Leaving the shores of the lake the trail winds

along through forest tracks and gentle farmland,

shadowing the course of the River Vyrnwy into

the pleasant and tranquil village of Pontrobert.

The wildlife viewing potential on this section is

very good with the chance to see Pied Flycatcher

in season and Kingfishers feeding in the river.

Pontrobert to Welshpool—14 miles

Once again the trail makes its way through

farmland and woodland passing the pleasant

village of Melford to climb sedately up Broniarth

Hill. The trail then skirts Llyn Du or ‘’black lake’

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

WALKING IN THE HEART OF WALES

GLYNDWR’S WAY

before farmland walking takes you down to the

end of the Glyndwr’s Way at Welshpool, a

market town nestling into the upper reaches of

the picturesque Severn Valley. Evolving from the

historical name ‘Pool’ the Welsh princes kept

Pool as their stronghold and it is a fitting end to

the Glyndwr’s Way. The 13th century Powis

Castle is a magnificent and impressive reminder

of the border exploits of both the Welsh and

English forces as they each fought for control.

We offer the Glyndwr’s Way trail in three

itineraries varying in distance each day. Please

see the different walks below:

Description: Suiting experienced walkers or

those looking for a challenge. The full Glyndwr’s

Way in 9 walking days.

Walking Days: 9

Nights: 10

Average Daily Distance: 15 miles

Grade: Moderate to Strenuous

Description: The Southern section from

Knighton to Machynlleth. This itinerary fits

perfectly into a week and allows you to

experience some of the most beautiful parts of

the Welsh countryside.

Walking Days: 5

Nights: 6

Average Daily Distance: 15 miles

Grade: Moderate to Strenuous

Description: This is an easier version of the

Southern section as it incorporates shorter

walking days breaking down the route into more

manageable sections.

Walking days: 6

Nights: 7

Average Daily Distance: 12.5 miles

Grade: Moderate

Description: The Northern section from

Machynlleth to Welshpool. This itinerary is ideal

for a short break while taking in some of the best

walking on the Glyndwr’s Way. Finish the walk

off with a visit to the outstanding military

stronghold of Powis Castle

Walking Days: 4

Nights:5

Average Daily Distance:14.5 miles

Grade: Moderate to Strenuous

Day Route Miles

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Arrive in Knighton Walk to Felindre Walk to Abbeycwmhir Walk to Llanidloes Walk to Dylife Walk to Machynlleth Walk to Llanbrynmair Walk to Llanwddyn Walk to Pontrobert Walk to Welshpool Onward Travel

15.5 15.5 15.25

14 14

15.5 16.75 11.25

14

Total Distance 132

WWSGW4—6 DAYS & 5 NIGHTS

WWSGW1—11 DAYS & 10 NIGHTS

DETAILED ITINERARIES

Day Route Miles

1 2 3 4 5 6

Arrive in Machynlleth Walk to Llanbrynmair Walk to Llanwddyn Walk to Pontrobert Walk to Welshpool Onward Travel

15.5 16.75 11.25

14

Total Distance 57.5

WALKING IN THE HEART OF WALES

WWSGW3—8 DAYS & 7 NIGHTS

WWSGW2—7 DAYS & 6 NIGHTS

Day Route Miles

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Arrive in Knighton Walk to Felindre Walk to Abbeycwmhir Walk to Lllanidloes Walk to Dylife Walk to Machynlleth Onward Travel

15.5 15.5 15.25

14 14

Total Distance 74.25

Day Route Miles

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Arrive in Knighton Walk to Felindre Walk to Llananno Walk to Bwlch-y-Sarnau Walk to Llanidloes Walk to Dylife Walk to Machynlleth Onward Travel

15.5 10 9

12.5 14 14

Total Distance 75

GLYNDWR’S WAY

Description: The Northern section from

Machynlleth to Welshpool. This itinerary breaks

down the Northern route into more manageable

sections.

Walking Days: 5

Nights: 6

Average Daily Distance: 12 miles

Grade: Moderate

Accommodation

We specifically choose inns, guest houses and

B&B’s to ensure that you enjoy every minute of

your stay. They all offer a warm welcome to

walkers, traditional hospitality and delicious local

food. We always try and book your

accommodation as close as possible to the trail.

Occasionally a short transfer may be required but

you will always be advised of this.

Additional Nights and Extensions

Many of our clients choose to add extra nights

along the way to sample more of the wonderful

walking and attractions available on the

Glyndwr’s Way. Machynlleth and Welshpool are

great for recovery days or sightseeing

opportunities. There is also the potential to

extend the full trip by adding a section of the

Offa’s Dyke trail to complete a full circle.

Single Rooms

If you require single rooms we would be happy to

accommodate you although there is a single

room supplement payable.

Solo Walkers

We welcome solo walkers on the Glyndwr’s Way,

although you should of course take extra care in

the outdoors when walking solo. Supplements

will apply to baggage transfers.

Meals

A hearty breakfast is included each morning.

Lunch and dinner are not included so you are

free to choose from the available options. Most of

your accommodations will more than happy to

provide a packed lunch on request and this can

be booked on arrival. Dinner is available either at

your accommodation or nearby pubs/restaurants.

Baggage Transfer

Your bags will be transferred from your

accommodation as per your itinerary and moved

onto your next overnight accommodation. We

ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to

15kg per person.

Grade

This tour is graded Moderate to Strenuous. For

those wishing to complete the entire walk it is

advisable that you have some previous long

distance walking experience.

The route is a mixture of paths, hill ascents and

some minor road walking. Some of the path

sections can be rocky and steep as you traverse

the higher ground.

Navigation

The route is way-marked with wooden posts and

with the national trail acorn symbol, plus a red

dragon—navigation skills may be required if you

intend to venture off the trail for any distances.

Equipment

Your information pack has a detailed equipment

list which includes standard walking gear such as

good walking boots or shoes, warm and

waterproof clothes and a day pack.

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs

Adventure that you have suitable travel

insurance which covers you for the activity and

emergency evacuation and hospital care.

Getting to Knighton

By Train– Knighton is on the Shrewsbury to

Swansea train line and connections from major

towns and cities to these points are well served.

The journey time from Shrewsbury ranges from

just over an hour to 3 hours depending on

changes. From Swansea the journey time ranges

from around 3 to 5 hours depending on changes.

For schedules and fares please go to the

National Rail website.

By Car—The most direct route from Shrewsbury

is the A488 with an estimated driving time of 1

hour. There are no designated car parks but we

would endeavour to accommodate you in

properties with secure parking should it be

required.

Getting from Welshpool

By Train/bus—There is a train station in

Welshpool and trains/buses regularly serve

Shrewsbury to allow train travel back to Knighton

or to further destinations.

TRAVEL INFORMATION

WALKING IN THE HEART OF WALES

WWSGW5—7 DAYS & 6 NIGHTS

Day Route Miles

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Arrive in Machynlleth Walk to Llanbrynmair Walk to Llangadfan Walk to Llanwddyn Walk to Pontrobert Walk to Welshpool Onward Travel

15.5 11 7.5

11.25 14

Total Distance 59.25

GLYNDWR’S WAY

TOUR INFORMATION

Getting to and from Machynlleth

By Train— There is a direct train service from

Shrewsbury to and from Machynlleth. The

journey time is approximately 1.5 hours.

By Car— The A458 goes directly from

Shrewsbury to Machynlleth with a journey time of

about 1.5 hours. A good source of reference for

travel details is the travel line website:

www.traveline.org.uk

Price

Please refer to our website for up to date prices.

Availability

This walking tour is best enjoyed between the

end of March and start of October.

Springtime weather is changeable but usually is

the driest time of year, from April to June. This is

when hills and valleys are verdant are often filled

with wildflowers. Also this is the time when the

woodlands are filled with bird song.

You can start on any date that suits your travel

plans. The Glyndwr’s Way can be very popular

and accommodation can get booked quickly so it

is best to book as far in advance as you are able

to.

Included

Bed and breakfast accommodation in ensuite rooms wherever possible

Door to door baggage transfer.

A detailed info pack and guidebook

Emergency telephone support from our office in the event of a problem.

Excluded

Lunches, dinners, snacks and drinks.

Travel Insurance.

Transport should you need to skip a stage

Maps not included though we recommend OS Landranger series 125, 126, 135, 136, 137 and 148

We operate tours in some of the most beautiful

areas of the British Isles and try to operate in an

environmentally aware and sustainable manner.

We do this by following our M.A.C.S.

Responsible travel policy. We believe that by

engaging our team and clients in environmental

and community projects we can make a real

difference. Travel and our business activity does

of course contribute to carbon output and climate

change. We have put several policies in place to

minimise our carbon footprint. Macs Adventure

has worked hard to ensure that our holidays are

sensitive to the community you are visiting and

sustainable over the long term.

When you are ready to book you can do so securely online at www.macsadventure.com or by phone: +44 (0) 141 530 8886.

Financial Security

In accordance with "The Package Travel,

Package Holidays and Package Tours

Regulations1992" all passengers booking with

Macs Adventure Ltd are fully protected for the

initial deposit and subsequently the balance of all

monies paid to us, including repatriation if

required (this insurance will not cover repatriation

to the country of origin for the passengers

outside of the EU), arising from cancellation or

curtailment of your travel arrangements due to

the insolvency of Macs Adventure Ltd

ABTA Member Statement

Macs Adventure Holidays is

a Member of ABTA. ABTA

and ABTA members help

holidaymakers to get the

most from their travel and assist when things

don’t go according to plan. We are obliged to

maintain a high standard of service to you by

ABTA’s Code of Conduct. For more information

on ABTA, the Code of Conduct and the

arbitration scheme available to you if you have a

complaint, contact ABTA, 30 Park Street, London

SE1 9EQ, Tel: 020 3117 0581 www.abta.com

Book with Confidence. We are a member of

ABTA which means you have the benefit of

ABTA’s assistance and Code of Conduct. We

provide full financial protection for your money

PRICE AND AVAILABILITY

M.A.C.S RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL

WALKING IN THE HEART OF WALES

HOW TO BOOK

BOOK WITH CONFIDENCE

GLYNDWR’S WAY