There's a good reason Britain's car magazines and YouTubers head to Wales so often. The Black Mountain Pass over the Brecon Beacons ticks all the necessary boxes.

Fabulous scenery (when the weather is kind), smooth asphalt with a heady mix of tight twists and open corners and relatively easy access – the southern point at Upper Brynamman is less than 20 miles from the M4 motorway. From there the A4069 cuts across the western edge of the Brecon Beacons national park over 12 miles of exhilarating driving.

You can be sure there will be one or two interesting cars in the lay-bys and need to be aware that you might also meet some mid-corner. Then there's the sheep and the ponies to consider so please drive Caerphilly! Detour's most recent trip was a baptism of fire with a 17-year-old Detourist, where years of playing Grand Theft Auto and a teenage approach to risk assessment proved that you don't need a lot of horsepower for a thrilling ride. Shame we didn't capture it on camera.

Words Nik Berg Twitter | Instagram
Photography Nik Berg

Roadbook

• Class: Mountain Pass

• Name: A4069 Black Mountain Pass

• Route: Upper Brynamman to Llangadog

• Country: Wales, UK

• Distance: 12 miles