United Kingdom, Black Mountains, Wales
Wales's highest surfaced road climbs open sheepwalks above the Wye valley.
Length
11 km
In miles
6.8 mi
Driving time
17 min
Atlas rating
8.9 / 10
The run
Hay-on-Wye to Capel-y-ffin. Drive it in either direction, though the views usually favour the climb.
Season
The highest road pass in Wales, closes in heavy snow
Checked by the Drivers Atlas desk
Scored and written by the Drivers Atlas editorial desk, drawing on driven routes across the UK and Europe, mapping data and member road reports. Every road in the library carries a driving and scenery score set by the same method. How we score roads.
Last reviewed 18 March 2026
Nearby
43 km away
Elan Valley Road
A serene reservoir road threading dams and pine forest deep in mid Wales.
52 km away
Black Mountain Pass
A ribbon of hairpins climbing a bare Welsh moorland made famous by Top Gear.
82 km away
Cardigan Coast Road
A rolling coastal A road with sweeping bends and constant glimpses of Cardigan Bay.
112 km away
Horseshoe Pass
A famous horseshoe bend switchback climbing out of the Vale of Llangollen.
124 km away
Evo Triangle, A5
The connecting stretch of the Evo Triangle beloved for its rhythmic fast corners.
127 km away
Evo Triangle, A543
One leg of the legendary Evo Triangle, a flowing high speed moorland test road.
Plan around it
Curated drives
United Kingdom, Wales
Black Mountain Pass
The A4069, Britain's most photogenic set of hairpins.
United Kingdom, Scotland
North West Highlands
Empty single-track, sea lochs and the Bealach na Bà.
United Kingdom, Scottish Highlands
Bealach na Bà and Applecross
Britain's most alpine road, then a coast road that most people never bother to finish.
A to B journeys
4 days
London to Lake Garda
The classic run south from England to the Italian lakes, taken the long way through the Alps rather than straight down the autoroute.
4 days
London to The Dolomites
The best pass driving in Europe sits at the end of this one, reached through Germany and Austria rather than Switzerland.
3 days
London to Monaco
Straight down France and into the Alpes Maritimes, with the Route Napoléon and Col de Turini as the finale.
Longer journeys