Portmeirion is a wonderful hill village in Wales, with some Gothic pinnacles, eucalyptus groves, a crenelated castle, a Mediterranean bell tower, a Jacobean town hall and an Art Deco cylindrical watch tower.

Pormeirion is actually a resort, where no one has ever lived. Today the village belongs to  charity, run by Sir Clough’s grandson Robin Llywelyn, who is the author of a gloriously illustrated lively history books.

During the high season (summer), about 200 guests a night pack into Portmeirion’s two hotels and dozen of bed-and-breakfast cottages.

While the tourists are hiking in the village they are going to be surround by lush gardens, lined paths with formal topiary rows and palm trees. There’re also 70 acres of tree ferns, redwoods, gingkos and rhododendrons (Gulf Stream currents in the estuary make for a subtropical microclimate). The contrast between the architecture and the exotic groves is surreal.

Portmeirion is a two-hour drive from Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham and nearly five hours from London.