Glyndŵr's Way

Glyndŵr's Way

A walking holiday tracing the history of Owain Glyndŵr through the spectacular landscape of Mid Wales.

4 to 15 nights
46-166 miles
Moderate / Demanding to Demanding

From £485 per person

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About the trail

In the early 15th century, Owain Glyndŵr led an ill-fated rebellion against English rule. This superb walk through some of the finest scenery in Wales visits many of the sites connected with his campaign for an independent Welsh nation. Beginning in the old market town of Knighton on the English border, the walk enjoys a landscape of rich farmland, rounded hills, quiet forests, gentle riverbanks and hidden valleys, with excellent, far-reaching views throughout.

As well as many wonderful little settlements, Glyndŵr's Way boasts a wealth of amazing history to discover, with landmarks of interest including the ruins of Abbey Cwmhir and the magnificent Powis Castle.

We offer multiple holiday options along this trail. If you wish to experience the entire trail, simply select the first option from the list below.

Choose your route

  • Glyndŵr's Way and Offa's Dyke Link Path
  • Glyndŵr's Way
  • This route includes dog friendly tour options Glyndŵr's Way - South Section
  • Glyndŵr's Way - North Section
  • This route includes dog friendly tour options Glyndŵr's Way Short Break

Dog friendly tours available

Dogs are welcome on select routes along this trail. Look for the pawprint icon when choosing your holiday.

About this route

6 nights
76 miles
Moderate / Demanding to Demanding
2nd January to 24th December
Includes Dog-Friendly Tours

From £745 per person

Glyndŵr's Way - South Section

The South section of Glyndwr’s Way runs from the border town of Knighton to Machynlleth, the ancient capital of Wales, taking in the country’s turbulent history as well as its varied landscape and breath-taking scenery.

The rolling hills, open moors and rural farmland are peppered with quiet villages and bustling towns waiting to be explored, with chances to spot an abundance of rare wildlife in between.

The trail also boasts plenty of intriguing landmarks, such as Castell-y-Blaidd or ‘Wolf’s Castle’ and the Roman lead mining town of Dylife, meaning there is plenty to discover throughout your walk.

Available tours

Code Tour Duration Difficulty Price per person
GLYWS1 From Knighton to Machynlleth(L) 6 nights, 5 days walking Demanding £745

Short breaks

Code Tour Duration Difficulty Price per person
GLYWSB From Llanidloes to Llanbrynmair(L) 4 nights, 3 days walking Moderate / Demanding £485

Glyndwr's Way - South Section 6 nights, 5 days walking

£NNN per person
  • Itinerary
  • What's included?
  • Extra nights?
  • Tour facts
  • Route profile
  • Travel info
  • Weather
  • Holiday Highlights
Start

Travel to Knighton where your first night's accommodation will be booked

Day 1

Knighton to Felindre(T). 15 miles (24km) / 2467 ft (752 m) ascent

Day 2

Felindre(T) to Abbeycwmhir(L). 15.5 miles (25km) / 2356 ft (718 m) ascent

Day 3

Abbeycwmhir(L) to Llanidloes. 15.5 miles (25km) / 2602 ft (793 m) ascent

Day 4

Llanidloes to Dylife(T). 14.5 miles (23.5km) / 2697 ft (822 m) ascent

Day 5

Dylife(T) to Machynlleth(L). 14.5 miles (23.5km) / 2283 ft (696 m) ascent

Finish

Depart from Machynlleth(L) after breakfast

Your Itinerary

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this tour. Sometimes there may be a shortage of available accommodation in a preferred location, in which case we will transfer you from the trail to your accommodation and back again at no extra charge. Overnight stops marked with a (T) will always require transfers as standard.

Overnight stops marked with an (L) have very limited accommodation, and therefore more often than not will also require a transfer, particularly on bank holidays and weekends. We will use non-transfer accommodation wherever possible.

The daily mileages quoted are average trail miles only and do not include the distance from the trail to your accommodation. We do not expect you to have to travel more than a mile from the trail to your accommodation in most cases; should your accommodation be further than this, transfers will be provided as standard if practical. A very limited number of stops will require you to travel on foot up to two miles off the trail, however these instances will be clearly communicated to you if applicable.

Further transfers may also be required due to some accommodations having a two-night minimum booking policy, especially at weekends.

Below are the additional costs that may apply depending on your requirements. Dog-friendly tours are subject to a Daily Dog Charge, which will be listed below if applicable. Our standard prices per person are based upon two people sharing a room; if you are on your own, or are part of a group but require a room of your own, then the Solo Traveller or Single Supplements apply respectively:

A note about transfers
Solo Traveller Supplement
£75.00 per person / per night
Single Supplement
£55.00 per person / per night


You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops:

Extra night (Standard)
£65.00 per person / per night
Standard
Interactive
© Contours Walking Holidays Glyndŵr's Way - South Section map
Knighton to Machynlleth
76 miles (121 km)
2nd January to 24th December

Holiday highlights

Exploring the narrow streets and ancient buildings of the border town of Knighton.

Spotting the abundance of birdlife soaring in the skies of Mid-Wales, including buzzards and the majestic red kite.

Admiring the far-reaching views towards Cadair Idris and Snowdonia.

What's included?

  • 6 nights' accommodation in en-suite rooms (where available) in selected B&B’s, hotels, inns and guesthouses along the trail, or a short distance away via taxi provided at our expense.
  • Breakfast each day.
  • Door to door luggage transfer.
  • Maps with the route marked on and a guidebook or route notes describing the trail.
  • An information pack containing an itinerary, instructions on how to find your accommodation each night and a kit list.
  • Detailed travel instructions on how to get to the start of your holiday and back from the end of it.

Extra Nights & Rest Days

Taking an extra night is a wonderful way to extend your holiday and ensure that you have time to explore some of the most interesting locations along the trail.

Knighton, with its quaint narrow streets, central clock tower and 'narrows' lined with interesting little shops, is a good choice for an extra night.

Machynlleth is another popular choice. It is a delightful town with a wide main street lined with brightly-painted shops, Glyndwr's Parliament House which houses an exhibition on his life, Plas Machynlleth, the 17th century mansion of the Marquess of Londonderry, which houses Celtica, an exhibition of all things Celtic; and the Wales Museum of Modern Art. The world famous Centre for Alternative Technology just outside the town provides a great day out.

You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops:

Extra night (Standard)
£65.00 per person / per night

Tour Facts

Total distance: 75.5 miles (121 km)
Duration: 6 nights, 5 days walking
Minimum daily distance: 14.5 miles (23.5 km)
Maximum daily distance: 15.5 miles (25 km)
Code: GLYWS1 Grade: Demanding
Season: 2nd January - 24th December
Start of holiday: Knighton
End of holiday: Machynlleth(L)

Route Profile

Glyndwr's Way - South Section Route Profile

Travel Information

Useful information and travel links that will assist you in your plans to travel to the start of the holiday and back from the end of it are sent to you with your full tour pack. A summary is given below:

By Air - The most convenient major city and international airports are Birmingham and Cardiff.

By Rail - There is a rail station at the start of the trail (Knighton) and also at the end of the trail (Machynlleth).

By Bus - Various bus services run to Knighton and from Machynlleth.

From London - Trains run from London Euston & Paddington stations to Knighton.

Return To The Start - The easiest way to return to the start of the trail by public transport, is to take the train from Machynlleth to Knighton, although this is a rather lengthy journey, so you may wish to consider a taxi.

Weather Information

To find out more about the weather forecast for your chosen holiday's general location, please see the following websites:

  • MetCheck - This website allows you to look up detailed weather information for specific locations as far as six months in advance.
  • Met Office - This website shows regional area forecasts a few days in advance, with a general UK forecast description of up to 30 days in advance.
  • Mountain Forecast - This website shows what the forecast is like up on specific hills and fells, and offers forecasts a few days in advance.

Customer reviews from the Glyndŵr's Way - South Section

“It was everything that I had hoped. Thanks for organising the trip.”
Mr Henderson, UK
“I did enjoy the walk, though it was certainly challenging in terms of ups and downs, and I speak as one who has done many long-distance walks over a number of years.”
Mr McDowell, UK
“Holiday was very nice.”
Dr Harding, UK
“Stunning scenery and comfortable accommodation. Meals, on the whole, were wholesome and tasty. It was all very picturesque. Mountain tops were windy and bracing with distant views of the Snowdonia area.”
Mr Bailey, UK
“Excellent scenery and very remote - just what we wanted! (Never saw another walker on the trail the entire week!)”
Mr Pitcher, UK
“Excellent. Enjoyed the remoteness, beautiful countryside and the lack of other walkers.”
Ms Severn, UK
“It was a great walk. Glyndwr's Way was well marked and easy to follow.”
Prof Watkinson, UK
“Lovely and very diverse countryside, the Glyndwr's way is well sign-posted. Luggage transport was absolutely hassle free. The transfer to and from the starting points for two of the days was surprisingly pleasant. In general, we always found satisfying to very good places for dinner.”
Dr Otto, UK
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