Five wonderful Welsh road trips
Black Mountain Pass Photo Nik Berg
Wales may be small, but it is perfectly formed for drivers, with its hills and valleys shaping a road network into one of the most entertaining on earth. Here are five of Detour’s favourite Welsh drives.
Photo Humphrey Muleba / Unsplash
Anglesey
The isle of Anglesey is home to possibly the most picturesque racing circuit on the planet, but you don’t need to be going flat-out to enjoy this northernmost point in Wales. Once you’ve crossed the Menai Strait follow the A4080 and take in a lap of the entire island for sensational seascapes and the occasional sighting of Snowdonia in the distance. Find out more.
Llanberis Pass
Right in the heart of Snowdonia, the Llanberis Pass from Capel Curig to Llanberis is 16 miles of Wales’ finest. The A4086 climbs high above the twin lakes of llyannau Mymbyr to a peak over over 1,000 feet and then drops in a roller-coaster ride to the finish. Find out more.
Photo Charlotte Vowden
Lake Vyrnwy Loop
This is a gentle run gliding past waterfalls, Gothic towers and over spectacular bridges, circumnavigating the lake in a 12-mile loop. It’s a big hit with classic car drivers who take it a slow pace and then enjoy a delicious ice cream at the end. Find out more.
Photo Nik Berg
Black Mountain Pass
A long-time favourite of Top Gear’s Chris Harris, whose skid marks can still be seen on its most-filmed hairpin, the Black Mountain Pass is 12 miles of amazing. Cutting across the edge of the Brecon Beacons there are stunning views across the valley below and plenty of bendy bits to entertain. Find out more.
Photo Bentley
Pendine Sands
It may not be a road, but it is still possible to drive on Wales’ famously swift stretch of sands where Land Speed Records aplenty have been set since the 1920s. Unless you’re taking part in the Pendine or Bust races you’ll have to stick to a rather pedestrian pace, but its place in history makes a visit well worth it. Find out more.