We’re thinking of taking that route in a few days with the family but my road map shows very little information. So, I’m worried that it will take ages and my foot wells will be full of toddler piss because there are no toilets.

Questions to the STW massive…

a) Is it a reasonable and quick road?

b) Will there be somewhere for my lad to have a slash? Alfresco weeing in these strong winds is not a good idea for even the most experienced of swordsmen.

That’s a pretty horribe route.

Chester M6, M5, M50, M4, A48 Tenby. Boring (all dual carriage way) but quicker than those A roads. Or try M50 – Heads of the Valleys – M4.

The A483 and A40 aren’t quick roads. Nice if you have plenty of time.

There’s loos in the car park at Llandovery, which is a good stopping point. You could also visit the West End cafe there, one of the best fry-up venues in Wales, very popular with bikers, coppers, truckers, farmers and other discerning clientele.

That’s a pretty horribe route.

Thanks. That’s the one that my sat nav picked but I think I’ll take the motorway option.

Well horrible route but beautiful, if you know what I mean!

Enjoy Tenby – great beaches around there for toddlers and ice cream on Caldey.

I don’t think its too bad a route. The only really slow but will be Newtown to Llandovery.
I’d take that over a M6 / M5 route TBH.

Oh no. Now I have a dilema!

I’ll be doing this on a Friday afternoon so I expect the motorways to be carnage.

I used to do that drive loads – I lived in Chester and would go to visit family in Fishguard.
It is a beautiful journey with mountains, seaside, red kites, and lakes. Loads of nice villages to go through for pub food (if you can get past the ‘slaughtered lamb’ moment – think American werewolf in London where they enter the pub).
Time wise it takes about 4-4.5hrs depends mainly on the roads Chester side as I always seemed to get stuck behind a tractor.
IMHO a much better option than the motorways which will be a chelsea tractor car park on a Friday afternoon.
Just checked the route – are you planning to go via Camarthen or Aberystwyth? Aber is the route I know but it is the most direct to Fishguard.
Anyhoo the A40 has apparently been designated the ‘Cork – Validvostok highway’ so if you want to bore people in the pub with stories of your travels it sounds so much better than a40/ motorways.

I’ll be doing this on a Friday afternoon so I expect the motorways to be carnage.

No question then M6/M5 on a Friday afternoon 😯

Route is Manchester – Chester – Oswestry – Newtown – Llandeilo – Camarthen – Tenby.

Friday afternoon? You’re stuffed! 😀

I’d have a look at Google Maps Traffic before you set off and see how bad the M6-M5 are. 160 miles on A roads across Wales is a damn long way! (3.5-4hrs according to web). Some of those A roads would be almost B roads in other parts of the UK. Great driving if you are on your own but with toddlers – no thanks.

BTW – toddlers – Welsh A roads? Every layby is a potential toilet

i would never do the m6 and m5 if there is an option. worked in Chester and lived in Cheltenham for 6 months, my route would be m5 to worcester north then across to the a5 then up from there, it avoids the road works on the m6 and birmingham.

I have done Newport to Chester on the back roads and whilst a scenic drive you do loose the will to live after a while.

Route is Manchester – Chester – Oswestry – Newtown – Llandeilo – Camarthen – Tenby

Haven’t done all of that particular route but did not enjoy Chester – Oswestry so much so I vowed never to do that journey again. Funny thing is five years later I can’t remember why it was so bad.
As for the toddlers just give em Medised and say nighty night. 😀
EDIT: Mrmo how can you avoid Birmingham if you have to travel from Chester to Worcester North?
DOUBLE EDIT: Ignore me Mrmo – I’m talking sh..

I drive from Milford Haven to Preston most weeks, which takes about 4.5 hrs. It’s far quicker than going the motorway route, and relatively quiet most times so you can make good progress, though Fridays are slower than other days, but I image you expected that…

Lovely scenery, and a few forests / picnic sites & pubs on the way to stop off at. I think the only McD once off the Motorway near Mold/Ruthin is at Aberystwyth if that’s what the kids are after…

I know it’s in reverse, but from Tenby best go over the Preseli mountains from Haverfordwest to Eglwyswrw (my favourite hangman placename) to Cardigan, up the coast to Aberystwyth then Dolgellau, Bala lake (now there’s a lovely place to stop!) and onto Ruthin…
HTH

Just south of Wrecsam the A483 loses dual carriageway status but gains lots of roundabouts. There is overtaking but it can be a bit risky and if you get caught behind a slow mover/tractor you could have problems.
As said above get on the motorway unless you want the slow scenic route.

As said above get on the motorway unless you want the slow scenic route.

The motorway route will be slower.

No it won’t. 😈

Bug**r all those routes and take the direct route from Chester to Dolgellau via Bala (past Coed Llandegla). Then take the A487 all the way along the coast until you pass Cardigan – then take the A478 direct to Tenby.

Not only is this road usually quiet and the road quality pretty good, it’s also far more scenic than any of the other routes mentioned above and there’s plenty of villages, pubs, beaches etc to stop when little one needs a break. Aberaeron is a good stopping point at just over half way. The kids can explore the harbour and there’s a good chippy, pubs and cafe.

We regularly visit St Davids from Manchester and have tried all the route options suggested above. This route is by far the best. Record time so far is 4hrs St David’s to Manchester – traffic was light. Expect from Chester to Tenby to take between 4 to 4 1/2 hrs at a more leisurely pace.

Google has it down as being over an hour longer. That may be a bit conservative depending on traffic on the M6/M5, but the motorway route will be slower to some degree.

I drive that route, or a variation of it twice a year at least.

No it won’t.

Errr, we have tried the motorway quite a few times and it’s only ever been significantly quicker if it’s been fairly late at night and very quiet. Any time other than late at night there’s just too much potential for hold ups around Birmingham and the M4 past Cardiff. Also have you seen the state of the M6 southbound on a Friday night. 50mph average if you’re very, very lucky. Not a place I’d choose to be.

Plus on the motorway the view is absolutely pants ;o)

ds – I’m sure your Spanish travel advice is good though.

as i said earlier i did Cheltenham to Shotton (Chester) weekly for six months, i had been doing it a little less frequently for a few years before.

The Motorway for that section can be done in a a bit over a couple of hours if the traffic is in your favour, but i have taken over 4 hours before, simply weight of traffic, road works, getting past Birmingham.

If i take the Wrexham, Oswestry, Shrewsbury, Bridgenorth, Kidderminster, Worcester, route it took 3 hours, didn’t matter what conditions were like.

Cross Country is slower than the motorway in ideal conditions, but how often does that happen! and on a friday afternoon no chance.

Ellesmere(Shrops) to (RAF)Lyneham in two hours by motorway? 😀

ellesmere or ellesmere port? and lyneham in Wiltshire? Google maps gives 174miles. which means an average of 87mph?

So while it is possible with on the right day… how many of those do you get?

So while it is possible with on the right day… how many of those do you get?

I’d say you’ve got a greater chance of having a clear run down the motorway than down the A483, if the M54/M5 looked heavy I’d head through Bridgenorth. It was a while ago that I was working in that area though, so road conditions might have changed.

Just to add, the Newtown-Crossgates section of the A483, I hope you aren’t traveling with anyone who is remotely susceptible to car sickness. It’s a great road on the bike, but in a car, no thanks.

My two offerings to you would be to head A41 Whitchurch, then A49 Leominster, A438 to Brecon, then A40/477 to Tenby.
Either that or the previously mentioned Ruthin/Dolgellau/Aberystwyth/Cardigan and down to Tenby.

I am also not a fan of the M5/6 combo, even on a bike where traffic is less of an issue.