Heart of Wales Self-Guided

Essentials

Accommodation-

The standard accommodations for this region's self-guided itineraries are guesthouses and bed and breakfasts (B&Bs). Generally, these have between 4 and 10 guest rooms and the owners/providers live on the premises. In almost all cases the bathroom facilities are ensuite (self-contained within the room), and the room facilities usually include a television and tea/coffee making facilities. There is a communal reading / television lounge. Small family run hotels are also used in a few locations. The providers are excellent sources of local information.

Breakfast is always included. Most guesthouses do not offer an evening meal.

When you book a tour, your pre-trip planner will have more details about the specific facilities and services provided by the accommodations.

Examples of our guesthouses in this region include;

• Abergavenny Hotel
• Grange Guest House

Getting there-

The most convenient international airports are Cardiff Airport, Bristol Airport and London’s Heathrow Airport. Gatwick Airport is a bit further away and less convenient than Heathrow, but still doable.

From Cardiff Airport you can get to Cardiff Central Station by Cardiff Bus (every hour) or by taxi – journey time is around 25 minutes. Arriva trains run an hourly service from Rhoose Cardiff International Airport Station to Cardiff Central Station – but you have to take a taxi or bus to the Rhoose station.

From Cardiff Central Station there are hourly trains to Abergavenny run by Arriva – journey time around one hour.

From Bristol Airport the Bristol International Flyer is a regular shuttle bus that stops at Bristol Temple Meads Railway Station and terminates at Bristol Bus Station, with a journey time of around 25 minutes.

From Bristol Temple Meads you can take a First Great Western train to Newport and then an Arriva train form Newport to Abergavenny

From London Heathrow Airport, National Express runs a direct bus service to Newport (2 hrs 30 mins). From Newport take an Arriva train to Abergavenny.

Alternatively Railair operates a regular bus shuttle from Heathrow to Reading Station from where you can take a First Great Western train to Newport. From Newport take an Arriva train to Abergavenny.

Otherwise from Heathrow take the Heathrow Express to London Paddington Station (15 mins) and take a First Great Western train from Paddington to Newport. From Newport take an Arriva train to Abergavenny.

From Gatwick Airport, take the Gatwick Express to London Victoria Station (30 mins). Then either take a National Express bus from Victoria Coach Station (5 mins walk from Victoria Rail Station) to Newport, or take a London Bus or the Underground to Paddington Station and take a First Great Western train to Newport. From Newport take an Arriva train to Abergavenny.

On arrival in Abergavenny, it is easiest to take a taxi to your accommodation.

Climate-

Wales, In common with the rest of the UK, has a temperate climate – meaning that it never really gets very hot or really cold. The best times to visit is during the summer months. May, June, July, August and September are generally the sunniest and driest months. During the winter it can rain quite a bit, but temperatures rarely drop below zero. Places close to the English border and in SE Wales have colder winters and warmer summers.

The UK is well known for the variability of its weather – from day to day, season to season, year to year and place to place. Its position in the mid-latitude westerly wind belt on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean with its relatively warm waters, yet close to the continental influences of mainland Europe, plays a major role in this. Changes in topography and land use over relatively short distances, together with a long coastline and numerous islands, all add to the variety of weather.

In general, places in the east and south of the UK tend to be drier, warmer, sunnier and less windy than those further west and north. Also, these favourable weather conditions usually occur more often in the spring and summer than in autumn and winter.

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