Drivers AtlasThe world's best roads

Seven days · Wales

Seven days driving in Wales

Short, intense mountain roads with almost no dual carriageway to get in the way.

A week is enough to link two regions or to loop one properly with two nights in the best base. Keep at least one rest day in the plan.

Days

7 days, 6 nights

Rough distance

1391.9 mi

Daily average

198.8 mi

Best months

April to October

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. Daily distances are set for enjoyable driving rather than maximum ground covered. How we score roads.

Last reviewed 19 June 2026

Day by day

How the trip breaks up

Day 1

Black Mountain Pass and Llanberis Pass

  • Black Mountain Pass · 11.8 mi · 9.4 / 10. A ribbon of hairpins climbing a bare Welsh moorland made famous by Top Gear.
  • Llanberis Pass · 9.9 mi · 9.3 / 10. A dramatic pass beneath Snowdon's crags linking two of Wales's most storied villages.

About 198.8 mi and 5 hr 10 min behind the wheel including transit.

Day 2

Evo Triangle, A543 and Gospel Pass

  • Evo Triangle, A543 · 14.9 mi · 8.9 / 10. One leg of the legendary Evo Triangle, a flowing high speed moorland test road.
  • Gospel Pass · 6.8 mi · 8.9 / 10. Wales's highest surfaced road climbs open sheepwalks above the Wye valley.

About 198.8 mi and 5 hr 6 min behind the wheel including transit.

Day 3

Evo Triangle, A5 and Horseshoe Pass

  • Evo Triangle, A5 · 6.2 mi · 8.8 / 10. The connecting stretch of the Evo Triangle beloved for its rhythmic fast corners.
  • Horseshoe Pass · 11.2 mi · 8.8 / 10. A famous horseshoe bend switchback climbing out of the Vale of Llangollen.

About 198.8 mi and 4 hr 56 min behind the wheel including transit.

Day 4

Elan Valley Road and Crimea Pass

  • Elan Valley Road · 6.2 mi · 8.7 / 10. A serene reservoir road threading dams and pine forest deep in mid Wales.
  • Crimea Pass · 8.1 mi · 8.6 / 10. A former mountain pass road with fast sweepers overlooking slate valleys.

About 198.8 mi and 4 hr 50 min behind the wheel including transit.

Day 5

Cardigan Coast Road

  • Cardigan Coast Road · 24.2 mi · 8.5 / 10. A rolling coastal A road with sweeping bends and constant glimpses of Cardigan Bay.

About 198.8 mi and 5 hr behind the wheel including transit.

Practical

Where to start and what it costs

Base yourself

Betws y Coed or Brecon

Nights to book

6 nights. On anything longer than five days, book two nights in the best base rather than moving hotel every evening.

Fuel and tolls

Budget for roughly 1391.9 miles of driving plus any vignettes or tunnel fees for the countries you cross.

Other lengths

More time, or less, in Wales