Don’t want summer to end? Join the queue. As we approach the end of September the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer. This means there is less time to squeeze in as many activities and experiences, but if you’re determined enough to have a good time experiencing the captivating nature and history that Wales has to offer before Autumn arrives then this list is for you, filled with things to do across Wales inspired by our friends over at National Trust who provide some of the best experiences across the UK.

Kickstarting our list off is the beautiful Bodnant Garden, a prizewinning garden, respected for it’s vast collection and fascinating heritage.

Upon your visit, you will find yourself wondering just how big Bodnant is. As it is home to cosy corners, lavish lawns, dense woodlands and a whole variety of aspects that you’d often find in completely different gardens. But here at Bodnant, it’s all rolled into one. Featuring flowerbeds with flowers from each corner of the globe filling the corners of the bed accordingly and the sublime eye for design the previous owner, the McLaren family outlined the garden with. The garden is a true oasis within the towering peaks of Snowdonia, in which you can marvel at an exhibition of beauty and uniqueness of 150 years of truly stunning scenery.

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Up next on the itinerary is a formidable Welsh treasure that stands the test of time. Penrhyn Castle and Gardens built in the early 1800s, unfortunately doesn’t come from humble beginnings but rather the opposite. Built up from a fortune earned through transatlantic slave trade, social disputes and industrial unrest which funded railways, roads, education, hotels, housing, churches and farms across North Wales. This castle’s relentlessly intimidating battlements are very fitting for it’s history. Penrhyn’s interior continues this trend, being a testament to an era not forgotten, with extensive rooms filled with artefacts soaked in the aforementioned colonial history.

Despite it’s history, within it’s own walled garden and surrounding grounds Penrhyn is a testament to reciprocating the surrounding North Wales beauty, of Snowdonia’s peaks, dense woodland rich in diversity and the nearby twisting and turning Menai Strait.

With Autumn on the way now is the best time to visit Penrhyn, from the 11th of September you can collect your own trail map at the visitor centre for the self-led tree trail. On your journey learn how trees play an essential role across the globe.

Explore Penrhyn for yourself!

FUN FACT!

The oldest castle in Wales is called Chepstow Castle, dating back to an extraordinary 1067, when construction started by Earl William Fitz Osbern.

The castle is also home to the oldest castle doors in all of Europe! A strange accolade to hold but impressive nonetheless.

Continuing our deep dive into welsh heritage, Chirk Castle, born out of an intent to conquer. Built in 1295 under the reign of Edward I in an attempt to overthrow the last prince of Wales. The castle is now part of the Myddelton family inheritance, being the castle from this period still currently lived in today.

However, the castle although a highlight of the land it sits on is not the only eye-catching part of the 480-acre estate. 5.5 acres of that whopping number is made up of beautifully vibrant herbaceous borders, trimmed yews, maintained lawns, shrub and rock gardens and much more ready to be explored. We’re done yet though, the remaining 475-acres of parkland is crammed full of meadows, sheep, cattle, beautiful walking trails including a well-preserved section of Offa’s Dyke Path the 177 mile long trail across Wales.

Rather fittingly, the estate is part of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty as well as being set as a site of scientific interest due to rare bats, fungi, and wildflowers located here.

Want to find out more about the Castle and its History?