Got to go to Anglesey from Aylesbury - any decent roads ?

[hman]

I have to visit the Wylfa nuclear meltdown, I mean nuclear power station in a couple of weeks

I've looked at the autoroute and its coming up with chucking a left off the M6 before manchester and going across welsh wales.

I was thinking of trying to find some decent roads on the way to liven up my day but I dont have enough experience with this neck of the woods to find any.

Suggestions?

Edited by hman on Wednesday 20th February 17:38

[Johno]

I've gotta go across in May and I'm taking in the EVO triangle on the way . . ..

EVO Traingle

[Landy Andy]

I agree, definately make sure you do the triangle on the way

[mmm-five]

Depends on how much time you've got to get there.

You could always come off the M40 before Birmingham and drive cross-country through Kidderminster, Ludlow, Welshpool and then over the hills and through Snowdonia, up to Bala, over to Twrawfynydd (spellin?), across to Caernarfon and then onto Ynys Mon (Anglesey).

I usually plan a route using google maps or my large scale paper map and then plot it in my satnav.

http://www.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&hl=en&geo...

[Don]

mmm-five said:

Depends on how much time you've got to get there.

You could always come off the M40 before Birmingham and drive cross-country through Kidderminster, Ludlow, Welshpool and then over the hills and through Snowdonia, up to Bala, over to Twrawfynydd (spellin?), across to Caernarfon and then onto Ynys Mon (Anglesey).

I usually plan a route using google maps or my large scale paper map and then plot it in my satnav.

http://www.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&hl=en&geo...

This is a great route. Done it myself. Takes in a lot of what North Wales is about.

Even the A5 through the mountains (M54,Telford,Shrewsbury, etc) A5 up to Anglesey is highly scenic.

If you want to get there quickly, however, you should use the M6 Toll, M56, A55 Coast road. Not so scenic (although not terrible) and waaaaay faster.

If you need to stay on Anglesey I recommend the Olde Bulls Head Inn in Beaumaris...although its a fair way from Wylfa. The food is fab.

I grew up in North East Anglesey. Upsides are scenery, rural charm and lifestyle. Downsides are low population density means few facilities and an economy that will collapse when Wylfa closes - but as a business visitor or tourist you won't notice.

[cowellsj]

Llanberis Pass and the roads surrounding Snowdon are pretty good.
Driving on Black rock sands is a giggle if you've got a rwd or 4wd car.

You're right to get out of Aylesbury, all the roads are turning to 30 or 40 limits and bus-lanes. Shame you have to go to Wales to see what a real road looks like these days.

[hman]

Correct about the speed limits, - however I genrally take the back roads (a413 etc.) which bring a smile to my face when I "fire up the quattro".

- I also quite like the idea of quattroing around on the black sand (and then charging the company for the mileage he he!)

Is the evo triangle on the way then?

[chris7676]

In my opinion EVO triangle and most other Welsh roads are overrated. Next time I go to Trak Mon, I will use mostly motorways (however boring they are). Sorry if that sounds negative.

[Alex@POD]

If you are a little pressed on time but not in a rush either, stick to the A5. Nice enough road with great scenery, and of course you can take the triangle along the way!

[GTO Scott]

One of my favorite driving routes:

From Shrewsbury (end of the M54/A5 dual carriageway), head out to Nesscliffe on the A5, then turn off onto the B4396 heading toward Knockin (past 'The Knockin Shop'), keep going until the end of the road in Llynclys, cross over the A495 onto the B4398 - keep going on this road and follow signposts to Bala, just after Llangedwyn take the left turn signposted Bala and onto the B4391 at Penybont-fawr. Stay on this road through Llangynog and up the side of the Tanat Valley, then over the top and down the other side the road twists and turns down the mountains into Bala - keep an eye out for the crash barrier on a left hand bend with an unpainted section (the rest of it is white and black) - I hit it 6 years ago in a Cavalier and the repaired sections are still unpainted, just to remind me I was an idiot that night) - as you arrive in Bala past Llyn Tegid follow the road to the end, then turn right and then immediately left (staggered crossroads) onto the A4212 signposted Trawsfynydd - this is a spectacular road, all wide high-quality blacktop. Follow this road right to the end in Trawsfynydd, turn right onto the A470/A487 and stick with it all the way to Porthmadog, and onwards to Caernarfon and Bangor.

Well worth driving, espcially if the weather is good

Otherwise, the A5 is nice, and possibly a bit quicker.

Edited by GTO Scott on Saturday 23 February 12:51

[GTO Scott]

cowellsj said:

Driving on Black rock sands is a giggle if you've got a rwd or 4wd car.

Many happy days spent there with my old Omega when I used to live 2-3 miles from Black Rock sands...... just remember to visit the jet-wash in Porthmadog after to remove all the sand.

[Shropshiremike]

GTO Scott said:

One of my favorite driving routes:

From Shrewsbury (end of the M54/A5 dual carriageway), head out to Nesscliffe on the A5, then turn off onto the B4396 heading toward Knockin (past 'The Knockin Shop'), keep going until the end of the road in Llynclys, cross over the A495 onto the B4398 - keep going on this road and follow signposts to Bala, just after Llangedwyn take the left turn signposted Bala and onto the B4391 at Penybont-fawr. Stay on this road through Llangynog and up the side of the Tanat Valley, then over the top and down the other side the road twists and turns down the mountains into Bala - keep an eye out for the crash barrier on a left hand bend with an unpainted section (the rest of it is white and black) - I hit it 6 years ago in a Cavalier and the repaired sections are still unpainted, just to remind me I was an idiot that night) - as you arrive in Bala past Llyn Tegid follow the road to the end, then turn right and then immediately left (staggered crossroads) onto the A4212 signposted Trawsfynydd - this is a spectacular road, all wide high-quality blacktop. Follow this road right to the end in Trawsfynydd, turn right onto the A470/A487 and stick with it all the way to Porthmadog, and onwards to Caernarfon and Bangor.

Well worth driving, espcially if the weather is good

Otherwise, the A5 is nice, and possibly a bit quicker.

Edited by GTO Scott on Saturday 23 February 12:51

A great suggestion Scott - more interesting than the over-hyped Triangle imo.....and where Jag test a few of their cars as well

[johnbear]

chris7676 said:

In my opinion EVO triangle and most other Welsh roads are overrated. Next time I go to Trak Mon, I will use mostly motorways (however boring they are). Sorry if that sounds negative.

Sorry Chris, but the roads in Wales are outstanding. But you have to stay off the main ones as there now too full of traffic.

Join us on the next North Wales Tour and see if you still hold the same view at the end.

Next tour will be end of March.

[Shropshiremike]

GTO Scott said:

cowellsj said:

Driving on Black rock sands is a giggle if you've got a rwd or 4wd car.

Many happy days spent there with my old Omega when I used to live 2-3 miles from Black Rock sands...... just remember to visit the jet-wash in Porthmadog after to remove all the sand.

It was only fun if you could evade the Beach Patrol jeep who disapproved of people drifting in the sand .....

Edited by Shropshiremike on Thursday 28th February 08:03

[GTO Scott]

Thats why living there in the winter was good - no beach patrol in the 'off' season

[Shropshiremike]

GTO Scott said:

Thats why living there in the winter was good - no beach patrol in the 'off' season

Oh yes, we used to have a few late night razzes on there in old Escorts

[hman]

So....

Did the trip today, aylesbury to telford, a5 to evo triangle, then a5 to Anglesey then turn round and come back.

Result:-

1 evo traingle lap complete

1 grin that was difficult to shake before the site visit at the nuclear powerstation at Cemaes

total 10.5 hours driving - average 24.5 mpg - not bad for a 3.0 quattro being nailed for a day

Thanks for your suggestions guys, after all that A road blatting, i now realise just how mundane motorways are!

[Shropshiremike]

hman said:

So....

Did the trip today, aylesbury to telford, a5 to evo triangle, then a5 to Anglesey then turn round and come back.

Result:-

1 evo traingle lap complete

1 grin that was difficult to shake before the site visit at the nuclear powerstation at Cemaes

total 10.5 hours driving - average 24.5 mpg - not bad for a 3.0 quattro being nailed for a day

Thanks for your suggestions guys, after all that A road blatting, i now realise just how mundane motorways are!

Good to enjoy your car for a change eh?! Tend to take the roads round our way for granted - it's only when I drive round London or similar you realize how much great tarmac stretches there are in Wales

[GTO Scott]

Whilst visiting the family last week I took the opportunity to drive the route I posted above - and I took a couple of pics.....

Both images taken on the Bala - Trawsfynedd section.....





And the still-unpainted Armco where I had my accident.....

[Shropshiremike]

GTO Scott said:

Whilst visiting the family last week I took the opportunity to drive the route I posted above - and I took a couple of pics.....

And the still-unpainted Armco where I had my accident.....

I'll have a look for that bit next time Scott!