Route to North West Wales

[Marcus_5113048]

I'm due to be travelling from Wiltshire to a CL near Morfa Nevin in Gwynedd, North West Wales on Wednesday. Two separate route planners and my sat nav are directing me through the middle of Wales. From the M4 at Newport onto the A449, then A40, A479, A470, A44, A470 again, then through Snowdonia to Porthmadog and onto the B4354. Anyone have any experience of this route? Caravan is a 26ft twin axle.

 

[waffler]

I live on the border of Wales and visit it frequently. The road surfaces in Wales are usually good but the route you suggest is windy and hilly. Very tiring. I'd suggest. M5, off at Jct 6 A442 to Telford. Some traffic at Kidderminster and the Kidderminster to Bridgnorth stretch is hilly and bendy. M54, A5 to Chirk. Lots of dual carriageway. Then north, bypass Wrexham. Then A55 across N Wales. From Chirk to Lleyn is dual carriageway. Good stopping places for lunch : Norh side of Kidderminster on right hand side- big layby, North of Quatford cafe on right with lots of parking, North of Shrewsbury Montford bridge picnic area- lots of turning space. On A55 lots of lay bys. Good journey.

 

[MikeA]

Hi Marcus,

Hmmm, that's some journey.

With a big van on the back I would prefer to stick as much as possible to dual carriageways where I could. But of course there are few in mid Wales.

I would run up the M5, a little bit of the M6, then the M54 to Telford, A5 to Shrewsbury (say goodbye to dual carriageways after this); A458 to Welshpool and Dinas Mawddwy; A470 to Dolgellau and Maentwrog and then pick up your local route across the Lleyn Peninsula. You are going to see an awful lot of countryside whichever route you take.

Try using Google maps, not because it suggests good routes, but because the "drag and drop" facility allows you to experiment with alternatives very easily to check distances.

Good luck and enjoy both the trip and the Lleyn.

Mike A

 

[Hamer_5041128]

Marcus,

I live just outside Porthmadog, have a Swift Conqueror 655 Twin axle and do the journey to the M5 south many times a year.

I always use the same route with no problems whatsoever.

M5,M6,M54,A5 to Chirk, Llangollen, Corwen,A494 to Bala,A4212 to A470, Porthmadog, Pwllheli, Morfa Nevin.

The roads are excellent to tow on with wonderfull views especially between Bala and Porthmadog.No hills to worry about just gentle inclines.

The A4212 goes off to the right just before the start of Bala main street, good road markings.

Hamer

 

[Marcus_5113048]

Hamer, your route souds ideal.

Thanks all for your assistance.

Marcus

 

[Marcus_5113048]

Followed Hamers route. Pretty good apart from the stretch from Chirk to Bala.

However, after talking to the friends we were visiting, decided to follow the route back through mid Wales using the A470, A40 & M4. Very scenic, not as tiring as expected, slightly shorter, quicker and more economic.