Historic and Scenic Borderlands Tour

Touring without the crowds to places where the tour buses can’t go!
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Cultural, Historic and Scenic Photo Friendly Tour Up to 8 Hours Featuring a variety of interesting tour content and attractions
On tour with Boutique Tours of Wales at Rhuddlan Castle - historic Wales
On tour with Boutique Tours of Wales at Rhuddlan Castle - historic Wales
The scenic Vale of Clwyd from Offa’s Dyke
The scenic Vale of Clwyd from Offa’s Dyke
On tour with Boutique Tours at the Horseshoe Pass
On tour with Boutique Tours at the Horseshoe Pass
Horse Drawn Canal Cruise on the Llangollen Canal
Horse Drawn Canal Cruise on the Llangollen Canal
The river setting of the Horseshoe Falls, Llangollen
The river setting of the Horseshoe Falls, Llangollen
The UNESCO Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
The UNESCO Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

This Historic and Scenic Borderlands tour presents three of the ‘Seven Wonders of Wales’ along with some great historic hidden gems, along with beautiful scenic landscapes. Discover this spectacular ‘hidden’ corner of North East Wales, known as the Borderlands. The river Dee forms the northern border between England and Wales and contains many fortified towns that bears witness to the centuries of disputes over the territory. King Edward 1st of England annexed Wales to the English crown at Rhuddlan in 1284 and developed a chain of castles in the Clwyd valley. The Borderlands tour visits many ‘hidden gems of wales’, from the historic ruined castle at Rhuddlan to unique places of worship – with the smallest Church and the smallest Cathedral in all of Great Britain along with a holy shrine where royal kings and queens use to visit. Then there’s the beautiful landscaped scenery of the region, where you can get to enjoy the stunning viewpoints as we tour through a scenic pass with amazing valley views. A feature of our tour is riding along some of the scenic back roads to pick up the best views of the stunning valleys. We have a couple of beautiful short panoramic walks in the hills overlooking the valleys of the Borderlands and you can even get to take in a stretch of the ancient 7th century border of King Offa’s Dyke. The highlight of the day is discovering the Unesco Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. The aqueduct is the longest and highest in Britain and you can enjoy a scenic walk across the ‘stream in the sky’! The tour also takes in the scenic riverside town of Llangollen where you can step back in time before the age of steam and machinery to enjoy a unique experience of a ‘Horse drawn canal cruise’.

TOUR ITINERARY HIGHLIGHTS

The Smallest Church in Great Britain
One of most unusual attractions and set beside the ocean. Here you will learn about the legend of why so many places in Wales are named after Saints.
Rhuddlan Castle
Set in an elevated position overlooking the river Clwyd and one of the lesser known castles constructed under the reign of King Edward 1st in his conquest of Wales. (Photo Stop).
The Smallest Cathedral in Great Britain
A ‘Hidden Gem’! The site was founded in the year 560 and the present building was begun in the thirteenth century. The Cathedral is the home to one of the original copies of the Welsh Bible and as such provides a vital link with Welsh culture and literature.
St Winifride's Well Shrine
One of the 7 Wonders of Wales! A historic hidden gem, the well is reputedly the oldest continually visited pilgrim site in Britain. The healing waters are said to cause miraculous cures and have attracted visits from royalty since medieval times. Entrance fee of £2 per person.
Country Antique Showroom
For those looking for something unusual and collectable, our country antique showroom features an Aladdin’s cave of treasures from silver crystal, Royal Doulton, Moorcroft, to the quirky and traditional gifts.
King Offa’s Dyke
Enjoy the most amazing stunning landscapes as we take you off road and up single-track roads to enjoy the rolling hills and beautiful scenery of Wales. There’s the opportunity to get out and take a short walk along the famous 7th century border of Wales with England.
The Horseshoe Pass
A spectacular scenic photo stop with amazing panoramic views all around and the valley below.
Valle Crucis Abbey
Extensive remains of Cistercian abbey founded in 1201. The church dates from the thirteenth century, and the east range of the cloister was remodelled around 1400. There is a fine collection of medieval memorial sculpture.
Llangollen
The scenic riverside border town nestled amongst the hills has attracted people for centuries and is famous for its 14th century bridge which crosses the river Dee. The bridge is one of the ‘Seven Wonders of Wales’.

In Llangollen you have a choice of options:

  • Horse Drawn Canal Cruise
    The Llangollen Canal and is rated as one of the most scenic canals in the UK. Here you can experience travel from a time gone by and before the age of steam with a unique 45 minute Horse drawn canal cruise. Tickets are £8 per person.

Or alternatively, you might want to consider a visit to:

  • Plas Newydd
    Home to the “The Ladies of Llangollen”, Lady Eleanor Butler and Miss Sarah Ponsonby, from 1780 – 1829. They became celebrated throughout the country as the story of their friendship spread through Regency Society. The house retains the Gothic features they introduced. Entrance fee of £7 per person.
Scenic Touring
You will be blown away with our stunning remote drive on single track roads, far away from where the conventional tour buses can go. We climb out of the valley and ride high up onto a plateau for the amazing scenic panoramic views of the Dee valley.
Horseshoe Falls
A lovely short walk that takes you along the canal where it meets the river Dee at a very picturesque setting with the weir. As with all good walks, it ends at a riverside inn, where you can enjoy a leisurely drink on the terrace.
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
The UNESCO site is one of the great gems of touring through this region and if you’ve got a head for heights, you can enjoy a walk across the ‘Stream in the Sky’ and witness some of the best scenic views in Wales! The aqueduct was built more than 200 years ago and is the highest and longest in Britain, standing at over 126 feet above the river Dee flowing below and stretching out across the valley at 1000 feet in length.

Tour Testimonial and Endorsement

“Wonderful touring day in North Wales!”

Four of us recently spent an incredible day touring North Wales with John from Boutique Tours. You don't want to tour Wales without him! He made the most of the limited time we had, showing us locations and vistas that we could never have found on our own. He selected varied locations so we had the opportunity to experience a breadth of what North Wales has to offer. His arrangements for us were warm and comfortable throughout. Highly recommended.
Keith Barger from Tennessee, USA
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Thank you for considering Boutique Tours of Wales as your private tour provider for your visit to Wales.  We are a small, family run business and every booking is extremely important to us.

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Our private tour rates sit very competitively against the rates quoted by The Guild of Professional Tour Guides, along with the Association of Professional Tourist Guides and the Driver-Guides Association.

Not found what you are looking for?

It’s your very own private tour and we can custom design the tour itinerary and arrangements to suit what you want to do and see. Our flexibility allows you to make changes to our itineraries. So take something out and add something more appealing to your desires. Alternatively combine an element of this tour with that of another tour. All you have to do is ask and if it is possible then it will be our pleasure to accommodate your wishes.

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