Best route from north London to north west Wales

[2something]

I have read the previous posts on the varied and joyous ways of tackling the drivers paradise that is Birmingham and the M6 and was just wondering if anyone had any up to date thoughts on the following small road trip:

Leaving London sometime between 8-9am and aiming for the M54 -> A5 into Wales -> A470

Is there a better route to take than M1 -> M6 -> M6 toll -> M54 ?

I briefly toyed with going to the end of the M4 and going cross country for some good driving, then decided winter was probably not the wisest time try this ...

[icb]

That's the way I always go.

[houlbt]

Depends where you live in London but in my opinion (and I do Central London to Chester pretty frequently) but I think the M40 is the quickest road out of the South (better than the M1). Then the M6 Toll and in my case half way up the M6 and then across Cheshire on the A500 (now dual carriage way for a good stretch)

[DanRS]

If you wern't in a hurry, try and follow the original A5 route, after all its a london to holyhead road, and some of the scenery along it is truly gorgous.

[boma]

I'm with the last option for the first part...

get off the M1 onto the A5 at J9, then A5 all the way to Telford (watch out for loads of cameras in Staffs).

At the end of the new dual carriageway bypass after Shrewsbury, turn off the A5 for Knockin on the B4396, then be carefull not to miss a turning off onto the B4391 and over the top to Bala. This stretch has to be one of the best driving roads in britain, period, with very little traffic usually. At Bala, you can choose to head back to the A5 and up towards the Evo triangle, or off to Trawsfyndd on some awesome fast A-road. I live between Abersoch in N.W.Wales and Leicester, so luckily get to drive this route on a regular basis and it's a corker.

Edited by boma on Thursday 18th January 02:03

[2something]

boma said:

I'm with the last option for the first part...

get off the M1 onto the A5 at J9, then A5 all the way to Telford (watch out for loads of cameras in Staffs).

At the end of the new dual carriageway bypass after Shrewsbury, turn off the A5 for Knockin on the B4396, then be carefull not to miss a turning off onto the B4391 and over the top to Bala. This stretch has to be one of the best driving roads in britain, period, with very little traffic usually. At Bala, you can choose to head back to the A5 and up towards the Evo triangle, or off to Trawsfyndd on some awesome fast A-road. I live between Abersoch in N.W.Wales and Leicester, so luckily get to drive this route on a regular basis and it's a corker.

Edited by boma on Thursday 18th January 02:03

Sounds like a very good route thanks, I guess I stayed on the A5 a little to long as I arrived at Bala on the A494. The A4212 from Bala was fantastic though, it's a beautiful part of the country.

[DanRS]

boma said:

I'm with the last option for the first part...

get off the M1 onto the A5 at J9, then A5 all the way to Telford (watch out for loads of cameras in Staffs).

At the end of the new dual carriageway bypass after Shrewsbury, turn off the A5 for Knockin on the B4396, then be carefull not to miss a turning off onto the B4391 and over the top to Bala. This stretch has to be one of the best driving roads in britain, period, with very little traffic usually. At Bala, you can choose to head back to the A5 and up towards the Evo triangle, or off to Trawsfyndd on some awesome fast A-road. I live between Abersoch in N.W.Wales and Leicester, so luckily get to drive this route on a regular basis and it's a corker.

Edited by boma on Thursday 18th January 02:03

i drive the road to bala lots, its great fun! well worth a look!