Rugby to Porthmadog - the scenic route

[carjerk]

I'm looking for some advice on a good route to take from Rugby to Porthmadog for our family holiday next week.

Last time we went we had a 1.8 Mondeo and a baby who slept the whole way, so we took the fastest root the satnav could give.
(M6 - M54 - A5 - then I think through Snowdonia via Bala).

Even in that car I really enjoyed the roads through Snowdonia, so I'd like to make the most of it now I'm running something more interesting. Plus I get the feeling we'll need plenty of stops for my son.

So, any advice on route and stop-off points would be greatly appreciated!

[Welshbeef]

Turn off the A5 after Shrewsbury on the B4396
Then A495
Back to the B4396
B4391 through Bala
Then A4212 and onward to Porthmadog.


This route is a superb drive cross country and the 15 odd miles before Bala as you go over the mountain it stunning - take a picnic and park up. Watch out for sheep in this section of the road it is very fast and free flowing.



Enjoy.

[carjerk]

Nice one, thank you! I think that's the route we took between Shrewsbury and Porthmadog last time. We had an absolute hoot! A Picnic's a great idea.

I wondered if it was worth the extra time and effort to go further north this time and do a bit of the Evo triangle.

[Welshbeef]

carjerk said:

Nice one, thank you! I think that's the route we took between Shrewsbury and Porthmadog last time. We had an absolute hoot! A Picnic's a great idea.

I wondered if it was worth the extra time and effort to go further north this time and do a bit of the Evo triangle.

For me I've done them all and for me this is the perfect route - I love the hard drive up the mountain with sheer drop on one side

[littleredrooster]

Welshbeef said:

Turn off the A5 after Shrewsbury on the B4396
Then A495
Back to the B4396
B4391 through Bala
Then A4212 and onward to Porthmadog.


This route is a superb drive cross country and the 15 odd miles before Bala as you go over the mountain it stunning - take a picnic and park up. Watch out for sheep in this section of the road it is very fast and free flowing.



Enjoy.

This is probably as good as it gets, TBH. The trouble with trying to get from Rugby to any point West is the dirty big hole called Birmingham which gets in the way.

So it's just as easy to bite the bullet and use M6/M6 Toll/A5 (or M54) and get the urban sprawl out of the way ASAP.

The B4391 beyond Shrewsbury is great; the only other route I could think of involves being much further South in Wales and using the A487/A470 from Newtown - Machynlleth - Dolgellau - Porthmadog, but that means going around the South side of Brum - not such a good idea as it adds a considerable time and distance to the trip.