Travel back in time with TrawsCymru this Easter

With more castles per square mile than any other country in Europe, we do history pretty well here in Wales.

There’s some 400 castles still standing or in ruin across the country, meaning you’re never too far away from an historic site.

So, if you’re on the hunt for great days out this Easter, why not take a step back in time with us and visit some of our favourite castles and historic sites along the TrawsCymru network!

Chepstow Castle – T7

Situated high on the western banks of the river Wye, Chepstow Castle has stood watch over the border between England and Wales for more than 900 years!

Building was started in 1067 by Earl William fitz Osbern, a close friend of William the Conqueror, making it one of the first Normal strongholds in Wales.

The castle offers fantastic views across up the Wye estuary and across to the village of Tutshill on the eastern river bank. It’s easily accessible from the bus station in Chepstow town centre.

More information about entry and opening times can be found here.

The T7 timetable is available here.
 

Criccieth Castle – T2

We’d like to think that Llewelyn ap Iorwerth and his grandson, Llewelyn ap Gruffudd, had one eye on the postcards when they built Criccieth castle – and if you take a visit, you’ll see what we mean!

Standing atop its own rocky headland, Criccieth castle commands astonishing views over the town and out across Cardigan Bay.
The castle came under the control of the English in 1283 as part of Edward I’s conquest of north Wales, but was ironically destroyed by Wales’ most powerful prince, Owain Glyndwr during his revolt in 1404 and was never rebuilt.

More information about entry and opening times can be found here.

The T2 timetable is available here.

Dolforwyn Castle – T12

Photo Credit: Cadw

Another of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd’s strongholds, Dolforwyn Castle sits on the hillside in the Severn valley, above Abermule.

The castle was a flashpoint in Anglo-Welsh relations from the get-go when Edward I ordered Llewelyn to stop his building on the castle. Llewelyn continued in defiance but this was ultimately short lived when Marcher Lord Roger Mortimer seized the castle in 1277.

The ruins sit peacefully amid the mid Wales countryside and are just a short walk from where the T12 stops in Abermule.

What’s more, the castle is free to enter. More information can be found here.

The T12 timetable is available here.

 

Neath Abbey – T6

Photo Credit: Visit Wales 

The impressive relic lies just a stone’s throw from Neath town centre and is easily accessible by the T6 bus service.

Founded in 1130 by Norman Knight Sir Richard de Granville, by the late 13th century Neath Abbey was one of the wealthiest abbeys in Wales and housed 50 monks.

The abbey also made a name for itself as a site of industrial might in later years, housing a copper smelting plant with furnaces, workshops and workers’ dwellings, and having an ironworks as its next-door neighbour.

The site is free to enter and more information on opening times can be found here.

The T6 timetable is available here.

 

St Davids Bishop’s Palace – T11

Photo Credit: Visit Wales 

This mighty medieval palace creates a lot of buzz around the UK’s smallest city.

Together with its next door neighbour, St Davids Cathedral, Bishop’s Palace helped solidify St Davids as one of the most significant ecclesiastical sites in Wales.

The T11 service takes you straight to the heart of St Davids, situated in the beautiful Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.

More information on entry and opening times can be found here.

The T11 timetable is available here.

 

Booking your journey

Travelling with us is easy – simply plan your journey and purchase tickets using our TrawsCymru app.

Our new app lets you view bus timetables, view live vehicle tracking updates and informs you of how much carbon emissions you’re saving by travelling with us – comparative to if you were driving.