Subscribe now

Retracing Charles Darwin’s travels across North Wales

Contact an expert to book or discuss this tour.

Email us to book or discuss

UK: +44 20 3884 9735

USA: +1 281 214 2540

13 May and 23 September 2024 - 6 days for £2995

Uncover the best of Wales as you explore the dramatic landscapes of Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park and examine the region's geology and how it has been transformed by volcanic and glacial activity over millions of years. Discover the story of Charles Darwin's 1831 and 1842 tours of Wales, and retrace his travels on this small group journey from his birthplace of Shrewsbury, England, into Snowdonia. 

The Snowdonia scenery has been hundreds of millions of years in the making and is dominated by sedimentary and volcanic rocks from the Cambrian and Ordovician periods. Admire sites such as South Stack Lighthouse on Holy Island, scenic Llyn Ogwen and the incredible glacier-formed landscapes around Llanberis and Cwm Idwal. Also see signs of Welsh history and conflict around ruined forts and well-kept castles.

You will be accompanied throughout by Darwin expert Michael Roberts, who will immerse you in the story of Darwin’s life as you explore the famous evolutionary biologist's hometown of Shrewsbury as well as guide you on short walks in Snowdonia to the exact locations Darwin visited on his tours. Hear how Darwin trained in understanding the Welsh landscape and geology before his famous voyage of discovery on HMS Beagle, which led to the groundbreaking theory of evolution by natural selection. Geology professor Rob Knipe will also join you to delve deep into the beautiful landscape and geology of this area. Visit the beautiful Isle of Anglesey, with its rich geological treasures and impressive coastline, and learn how Darwin and Cambridge Professor Adam Sedgwick's might have travelled here.

Enjoy comfortable accommodation throughout your tour, starting with a Darwin-themed Georgian townhouse in Shrewsbury that boasts a relaxing garden and well-appointed rooms. Travel on to a welcoming country house hotel and restaurant in north Wales, offering an exceptional menu of delicious Welsh dishes.

Take away a unique experience of travelling in Wales and Snowdonia, with a fascinating look at Darwin’s life and work, and enjoy walks to areas of incredible beauty and interest.

In partnership with GeoCultura.

Discovery tours Darwin wales Itinerary MapDAY 1: SHREWSBURY DARWIN'S HOMETOWN

Your journey begins in the welcoming town of Shrewsbury, England, where you will meet up with your tour leader, Michael Roberts – your Darwin expert guide – and Rob Knipe from GeoCultura, as well as the rest of the group at Darwin’s Townhouse, which will be your hotel for the night. Named after and dedicated to the man himself, this boutique hotel is the perfect springboard for your journey into Wales.

Michael will set the scene for Darwin’s tour of Wales with an engaging talk on the theories of the time, Darwin’s own beliefs and ideas, and the importance that the 1831 Wales expedition held for Darwin’s landmark voyage on HMS Beagle, which departed later that year.

DAY 2: INTO WALES  ON DARWIN'S TRAIL

Enjoy breakfast in Shrewsbury before travelling over the border into Wales, following Darwin’s route through the rolling foothills of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

On the way, stop off at a number of sites where Darwin was taught to "read the rocks and landscapes" by geologist Adam Sedgewick. You will also see the impressive Chirk Aqueduct, 700-year-old Chirk Castle, and the hilltop ruin of Castle Dinas Brân. 

Rounding off the day, you will travel through Gwydir Forest Park to reach your accommodation for the next few days, Ty’n Rhos. This comfortable, 19-bedroom country house hotel is the ideal place to unwind after the day’s expedition.

DAY 3: CWM IDWAL – MOUNTAINS, VALLEYS AND LAKES

Heading out from Ty’n Rhos, the morning’s drive will take you to the Cwm Idwal, the very first Welsh National Nature Reserve, and an important site in Charles Darwin’s scientific life.

With its own plant life and distinctive, fossil-filled boulders, Cwm Idwal and Llyn Ogwen Lake helped to spark Darwin’s understanding of rock movements and deep time. He also revisited the area in later years and enhanced his knowledge on how glaciation created the extraordinary landscape.

Leaving the valley, you will take lunch at Plas y Brenin, an old coaching inn where Darwin stayed and dined. Plas y Brenin has superb views of Wales’s tallest mountain, the towering Mount Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa, in Welsh). Snowdonia is an uplifted, 400-million-year-old volcanic centre, and a product of millennia of ice ages and glacial movement – all key inspirations for Darwin as he developed his understanding of landscapes. 

You will spend the afternoon tracking Darwin’s journey across Snowdonia. Highlights include assessing the glacial landscapes of Nant Peris and a visit to the National Slate Museum at Llanberis, a site dedicated to one of Wales’ most famous and contested exports (the origin of slates was a significant scientific controversy in Darwin’s time). The Museum contains the largest working waterwheel in Britain, and exhibitions showing how slate workers lived and worked.

DAY 4: ANGLESEY - INTO THE UNKNOWN

Today you will be exploring what is now considered part of Darwin’s first tour. No official records show that Darwin visited the Isle of Anglesey, but Michael’s research has uncovered plenty of evidence to suggest that he accompanied Cambridge professor Adam Sedgwick to the island.

Your Anglesey tour will take you to the north-west corner of the island where you can view the dramatic coastal scenery and the 1809 lighthouse at South Stack. Darwin and Sedgwick’s tour was guided by John Stevens Henslow and his pioneering geological map of Anglesey. Also a Cambridge professor, Henslow became Darwin’s friend and mentor, a sounding board for his developing thoughts and ideas, and the man who "fixed" Darwin’s place on board the Beagle. 

Darwin’s finds on Anglesey, including small areas of rare serpentinite rocks holding fragments of ancient oceans, helped him propose a new hypothesis for the origin of the Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago in the Atlantic, which he visited during his voyage on the Beagle.

You will also visit the fascinating Parys Mountain, a huge source of copper that has been mined for 4000 years, leaving vivid streaks of colour spattered across the landscape. On our way off the island, you will pick up some culture at Oriel Môn, a gallery dedicated to Welsh art and artists, such as the landscape painter Sir Kyffin Williams.

DAY 5: RETURN TO SHREWSBURY: SITES OF SNOWDOWNIA

It is time to bid farewell to Ty’n Rhos and head back to Shrewsbury, but don’t worry – the journey is through the spectacular landscapes of southern Snowdonia.

After a pleasant morning stop in a Welsh vineyard, head south through Snowdonia, following part of the "long walk" Darwin made in 1831 to meet his Cambridge friends in Barmouth. A few stops along the way will reveal some of the key geological wonders Darwin and other geological giants of the 1800’s visited. Like Darwin, we will lunch in Barmouth. 

From here, you will pass around the Cadair Idris mountain, with its shark-toothed profile, and hear the tales about earlier giants from Welsh folklore that have "inhabited" this landscape.

DAY 6: DARWIN'S TOWN AND JOURNEY'S END

It is nearly the end of the Wales tour, but there is time to explore the start of Darwin’s story, with visits to key locations from his early life.

After a restful night at Darwin’s Townhouse, you will have the morning to take a guided tour around Shrewsbury. Accompanied by an expert, take in the significant sites from Darwin’s childhood. Darwin was born in Shrewsbury in 1809 and the town still holds his historic home, The Mount, and the distinct rounded church of St Chad’s where he was baptised. We also plan to have a private visit to the famous Shrewsbury School to view some of Darwin’s letters and manuscripts, not normally accessible to the public.

Other places of interest are Darwin’s old school (now the town library) and the enigmatic "Bellstone", a mysterious rock that was later demystified when Darwin returned to the town armed with geological knowledge. Famously, Darwin’s tour of Wales (which you have just retraced) concluded in Shrewsbury, where he received the coveted invitation to join the Beagle voyage and sailed into history.

The tour will conclude in the late morning, after which you will be able to continue exploring the historic delights of Shrewsbury or begin the journey home. 

Contact an expert to book or discuss this tour.

Email us to book or discuss

UK: +44 20 3884 9735

USA: +1 281 214 2540

Contact an expert to book or discuss this tour.

Email us to book or discuss

UK: +44 20 3884 9735

USA: +1 281 214 2540

Highlights

  • Walk in the footsteps of famous naturalist and geologist Charles Darwin and discover sites from his childhood and the places where he prepared for his legendary voyage on HMS Beagle.
  • Witness the spectacular landscapes of north Wales, including the mountains of Snowdonia National Park, the tranquil Llyn Ogwen lake and the rugged coasts of Anglesey.
  • Relive the experience and discover the evidence that Darwin used to unravel the origin of these landscapes in 1831 and 1842.
  • Learn about the human history behind Darwin’s discoveries from Darwin expert Michael Roberts.
  • You will be accompanied throughout by geologist Rob Knipe, who will offer talks and walking seminars with details on the geological formations that you see. 
  • Stay in style at highly recommended hotels, including a Darwin-themed hotel in Shrewsbury and a welcoming country-house hotel in north Wales.

Meet the expert

Michael Roberts - Darwin geology Wales expert

Michael Roberts (May and September)

Eminently qualified to tell the story of Charles Darwin and his discoveries, Michael Roberts has travelled the world as a geologist, but he has also practised as a vicar in north Wales, bringing together the sometimes-opposing worlds of science and religion.

Michael’s travels as a geologist have taken him to Africa and, closer to home, to the spectacular mountain ranges of Wales and Snowdonia, where he has traced the footsteps of Darwin across the landscape.

For his work in bridging the gap between Darwin’s research and Christian teachings, Michael’s efforts have been recognised by a number of institutions, including the John Templeton Foundation, which awarded him the Exemplary Paper in Science and Theology prize for “Darwin’s Doubts about Design”.

Michael remains an active scholar, studying Darwin, geology and the role religion has played in developing scientific theories. He also likes to remain physically active by cycling and mountain climbing across Wales.

Rob Knipe - Darwin geology Wales expert

Rob Knipe (May and September)

Rob Knipe, an emeritus professor of structural geology at the University of Leeds, UK, splits his time between homes in Yorkshire and Wales and revels in engaging the public in the history and application of science. He also created and led Rock Deformation Research, a leading structural geological consultancy.

Rob has developed a passion for Wales's geology and landscapes that almost rivals his passion for its culture. He has won several awards for his work, including the prestigious William Smith medal from the Geological Society of London, and he is a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales.

Rob is currently involved in energy transition, and he works with local and national groups promoting changes towards a carbon neutral society. He is also part of the World Heritage site team working to raise awareness of the slate landscapes in north Wales.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

  • The services of your tour experts, who will be with the group throughout the tour, providing pre-visit briefings, walking seminars and will be available to answer questions.
  • A tour leader, who will attend to logistical matters, oversee the group’s health and safety and assist participants with their queries.
  • All transportation costs from the start to the end of the tour, including the services of a professional coach driver.
  • All accommodation costs for the nights stated.
  • All breakfasts and lunches, and five dinners.
  • Entry fees, local guide fees and activity fees, where arranged as part of the tour.
  • Most gratuities and all service charges.

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

  • Travel insurance. Participants should carry their own health and travel insurance in case of accident or unforeseen circumstances.
  • Transport to the tour start point.
  • Alcoholic drinks with meals are not included.
  • Optional activities as described in the tour itinerary or extra activities that are not described in the itinerary.
  • Personal expenditures, including bar bills, laundry bills and the cost of meals on two free evenings.
  • Passport and visa fees.
  • Single supplement – May: £243, September: £355.

HOW TO GET THERE

This tour begins and ends in Shrewsbury, UK. Please speak to the team at GeoCultura for travel advice.

PACE AND PHYSICALITY

This tour will include short walks of up to 3.2 kilometres. Sturdy waterproof footwear is essential for these days.

TRANSPORT

You will travel by small luxury coach with air conditioning, a professional driver and plenty of space for luggage.

WEATHER

Weather in May and September generally means daytime highs between 14 and 21°C (57-70°F) and night-time lows of 10-13°C (50-55°F). This is Wales and rain is likely, so please be prepared. You should bring warm and waterproof clothing.

SOLO TRAVELLERS

All of our tours, cruises, expeditions and weekenders are perfect for solo travellers. If you want your own room, you will need to pay a solo supplement of £243 (May) or £355 (September) for this tour. However, if you are happy to share a room with a fellow guest of the same sex, we will do all we can to match you with another guest so you don't have to pay the solo room supplement.

Accommodation

Darwin’s Townhouse, Shrewsbury

New Scientist Default Image

Tucked away in the heart of Shrewsbury, Darwin’s Townhouse is a Grade II* listed building that offers a 19-bedroom boutique bed and breakfast experience, just steps away from the River Severn and the eclectic town. Outside the townhouse there is a terrific lawned garden and a light-filled conservatory where locally sourced breakfast includes artisan jams and free-range eggs.

Ty’n Rhos, Caernarfon

New Scientist Default Image

A beautifully situated country house hotel, the Ty’n Rhos has grown out of a former farmstead to include 19 bedrooms and a restaurant. Along with its comfortable, well-equipped bedrooms, the Ty’n Rhos menu includes marinated wild trout and haddock with Welsh rarebit for breakfast.

Note: If required for reasons beyond its control, GeoCultura reserves the right to substitute alternative accommodation of equal or higher quality or adapt the itinerary if required.