Best that Wales has to offer?

[Hoofty]

Chris71 said:

Respect to the guy who pulled over to let you past in the first one too - we need more people like that.

Check the reg plate - he's not English. Can't help but think that has something to do with it...

[steve z]

peanutjb said:

Chris71 said:

bugeyewrx said:

Made the trip to Wales a couple of weeks ago

Here is are a couple of videos fron the Elan valley , not the whole thing but enough to get a feel for what the road is like......

Elan Valley pt 1

Elan Valley pt 2

Looks like fun! Respect to the guy who pulled over to let you past in the first one too - we need more people like that.

There's quite a lot of foleage though - don't think I'd be able to see over the banks in the Seven!

I find that 90% of the time, other cars in Elan Valley will happily pull over to let you pass as soon as you rock up to the back of them. It's truely refreshing!

Went up there yesterday and I have to say it was uncanny, every single time I came up behind something they pulled over. Brilliant stuff.

[Swiller]

My new fav road is the b4519. A few old school rally cars enjoying the b4519 around noon today including some mk2 escorts, gt5s, all stickered up sounding great. Some sort of meet on. A very authentic rally experience trying in vain to keep up with them today as the road is bumpy and twisty and deserted.(in an e90 330i)
It has a real private rally track feel through the military firing range section. The warning signs before you enter, the army huts, big flags everywhere and its quietness etc make you feel like you are not on public roads.
For a 20 mile hoon, the b4519 sothwards from garth, then the b4520 down to brecon takes some beating.

[steve z]

Swiller said:

My new fav road is the b4519. A few old school rally cars enjoying the b4519 around noon today including some mk2 escorts, gt5s, all stickered up sounding great. Some sort of meet on. A very authentic rally experience trying in vain to keep up with them today as the road is bumpy and twisty and deserted.(in an e90 330i)
It has a real private rally track feel through the military firing range section. The warning signs before you enter, the army huts, big flags everywhere and its quietness etc make you feel like you are not on public roads.
For a 20 mile hoon, the b4519 sothwards from garth, then the b4520 down to brecon takes some beating.

I agree. I think the B4519 and B4520 are as good as anything in Wales.

[Chris71]

steve z said:

Swiller said:

My new fav road is the b4519. A few old school rally cars enjoying the b4519 around noon today including some mk2 escorts, gt5s, all stickered up sounding great. Some sort of meet on. A very authentic rally experience trying in vain to keep up with them today as the road is bumpy and twisty and deserted.(in an e90 330i)
It has a real private rally track feel through the military firing range section. The warning signs before you enter, the army huts, big flags everywhere and its quietness etc make you feel like you are not on public roads.
For a 20 mile hoon, the b4519 sothwards from garth, then the b4520 down to brecon takes some beating.

I agree. I think the B4519 and B4520 are as good as anything in Wales.

Must try those next time! From the map it looks like they'd provide the ideal link from South Wales (and indeed the bridge) to places like the Elan Valley and onwards to Snowdonia.

[steve z]

Chris71 said:

steve z said:

Swiller said:

My new fav road is the b4519. A few old school rally cars enjoying the b4519 around noon today including some mk2 escorts, gt5s, all stickered up sounding great. Some sort of meet on. A very authentic rally experience trying in vain to keep up with them today as the road is bumpy and twisty and deserted.(in an e90 330i)
It has a real private rally track feel through the military firing range section. The warning signs before you enter, the army huts, big flags everywhere and its quietness etc make you feel like you are not on public roads.
For a 20 mile hoon, the b4519 sothwards from garth, then the b4520 down to brecon takes some beating.

I agree. I think the B4519 and B4520 are as good as anything in Wales.

Must try those next time! From the map it looks like they'd provide the ideal link from South Wales (and indeed the bridge) to places like the Elan Valley and onwards to Snowdonia.

Here's a route from the bridge.

B4235 Chepstow to Usk
B4598 Usk to Abergavenny
A465 Abergavenny to Brynmawr
B4560 Brynmawt to Llangyndir
B4558 Llangyndir to Brecon
B4519/20 Brecon to Garth
A483 Garth to Treflys
B4358 Treflys to Llysdinam
A470 llysdinam to Rhayadaer

Then onto the Elan Valley. Enjoy.

Edited by steve z on Monday 3rd August 12:09

[Chris71]

steve z said:

Chris71 said:

steve z said:

Swiller said:

My new fav road is the b4519. A few old school rally cars enjoying the b4519 around noon today including some mk2 escorts, gt5s, all stickered up sounding great. Some sort of meet on. A very authentic rally experience trying in vain to keep up with them today as the road is bumpy and twisty and deserted.(in an e90 330i)
It has a real private rally track feel through the military firing range section. The warning signs before you enter, the army huts, big flags everywhere and its quietness etc make you feel like you are not on public roads.
For a 20 mile hoon, the b4519 sothwards from garth, then the b4520 down to brecon takes some beating.

I agree. I think the B4519 and B4520 are as good as anything in Wales.

Must try those next time! From the map it looks like they'd provide the ideal link from South Wales (and indeed the bridge) to places like the Elan Valley and onwards to Snowdonia.

Here's a route from the bridge.

B4235 Chepstow to Usk
B4598 Usk to Abergavenny
A465 Abergavenny to Brynmawr
B4560 Brynmawt to Llangyndir
B4558 Llangyndir to Brecon
B4519/20 Brecon to Garth
A483 Garth to Treflys
B4358 Treflys to Llysdinam
A470 llysdinam to Rhayadaer

Then onto the Elan Valley. Enjoy.

Driving down the B4235 chasing a big bike earlier this year was one of my all time top drives. I found that all the crests on the B4560 meant visibility was an issue in a low-slung car though - still an epic road, but I couldn't see over the horizon to tell if there was an errant sheep about to impact the windscreen!

Would probably have to work in the Black Mountain Road and the A4059 too!

How do you reckon mid and north Wales compares to the Beacons? Never driven anything interesting in Snowdonia.

[bugeyewrx]

A couple more videos from my trip to the Elan Valley .

First the open section of the A4069 mentioned on this thread - A4069

Second the B4343 this leads in to the Elan Valley from the west - B4343

Again not from start to finish but enough to get an idea of what they are like .

[993Targa]

bugeyewrx said:

A couple more videos from my trip to the Elan Valley .

First the open section of the A4069 mentioned on this thread - A4069

Second the B4343 this leads in to the Elan Valley from the west - B4343

Again not from start to finish but enough to get an idea of what they are like .

Thanks for these , currently in the process of planning a day out from the Midlands for 3 of us driving an Atom, 911 GT3 and a modified VX220 Turbo taking in as many of the good roads as possible.
I was looking at the B4343 as a way of linking up to the West side of the Elan Valley going through to the B4518 to Llanidloes however I'm really wondering how good the Elan Valley is if you want to drive in a spirited fashion.

The other option I have after finishing the A4069 heading along the A40 East bound to pick up the B4520 at Brecon?

After finishing the A4069 is it worth making the detour for Elan Valley heading upto Lampeter and onto the B4343 for entering the Elan Valley from the West side?

Is the Elan Valley really good for or is visibility restricted so pressing on can be a bit difficult?

Thanks

John

[peanutjb]

993Targa said:

Is the Elan Valley really good for or is visibility restricted so pressing on can be a bit difficult?

Thanks

John

There are some tighter sections but generally it's well sighted and lowly traffic'd. The mountain road out to aberthingy (the way in from the west) is simply great.

If you can, avoid wet days - it gets very wet in wales and isn't anywhere near as much fun

(damn i hate being in East Anglia right now!)

[bugeyewrx]

993Targa said:

I was looking at the B4343 as a way of linking up to the West side of the Elan Valley going through to the B4518 to Llanidloes however I'm really wondering how good the Elan Valley is if you want to drive in a spirited fashion.

We drove the A4069 > A482 > B4343 then on into the Elan Valley . What really limits you through the Elan Valley apart from visibility are the bumps . A lot of the corners that are already off camber have a nice little bump somewhere in them . You can hear my RX8 crashing and banging over a couple of them , the softer sprung Impreza dealt with them better

Given the cars you're taking I'd say drive through the valley and expect a 50 / 50 chance of a good run .... the B4343 on the other hand I think you'll find is great in your cars .

Other thing we had going for us was timing .... we drove from 3:00 > 7:00 pm noticed alot less traffic after about 5:00 pm .

All IMHO

[davekeel]

Here's a blog i have written which includes the Aberglesyn Pass. It is about my latest drive from Liverpool right through Wales.
Hope it isn't boring ...
http://cid-4cf6f4ecb4dc223c.spaces.live.com/blog/c...

[thatone1967]

[D4VE 3LL]

davekeel said:

Here's a blog i have written which includes the Aberglesyn Pass. It is about my latest drive from Liverpool right through Wales.
Hope it isn't boring ...
http://cid-4cf6f4ecb4dc223c.spaces.live.com/blog/c...

nice write up, bet your glad you went now! I usually do the route the opposite way round (Elan to North Wales) and the Mach Mountain road is sublime!

[Chris71]

bugeyewrx said:

A couple more videos from my trip to the Elan Valley .

First the open section of the A4069 mentioned on this thread - A4069

Second the B4343 this leads in to the Elan Valley from the west - B4343

Again not from start to finish but enough to get an idea of what they are like .

Were those filmed from an RX8 by any chance?

Just trying to work out where I'd heard that noise before.

[snorkel sucker]

Chris71 said:

bugeyewrx said:

A couple more videos from my trip to the Elan Valley .

First the open section of the A4069 mentioned on this thread - A4069

Second the B4343 this leads in to the Elan Valley from the west - B4343

Again not from start to finish but enough to get an idea of what they are like .

Were those filmed from an RX8 by any chance?

Just trying to work out where I'd heard that noise before.

your living room whilst doing the hoovering, perhaps....

[bugeyewrx]

snorkel sucker said:

Chris71 said:

bugeyewrx said:

A couple more videos from my trip to the Elan Valley .

First the open section of the A4069 mentioned on this thread - A4069

Second the B4343 this leads in to the Elan Valley from the west - B4343

Again not from start to finish but enough to get an idea of what they are like .

Were those filmed from an RX8 by any chance?

Just trying to work out where I'd heard that noise before.

your living room whilst doing the hoovering, perhaps....

Yep it's a Dyson, sorry RX8 pz

[mycerbera]

Thought i'd add a few photos of my wet weekends in Wales

Edited by mycerbera on Friday 21st June 22:20

[thetapeworm]

If you have a TomTom or Garmin that supports them you can grab some routes here:

http://www.drivingroads.co.uk/index.php?cPath=29&a...

[ben]

mycerbera said:

One day