WALES – SCENE BUT NOT HEARD

Wales is home to some of the world’s most incredible scenery, but where can drivers go to explore it without the chaos of traffic congestion?

Compiled is a list of the 15 least-used scenic roads in the UK using a combination of traffic figures from the Department for Transport and recommendations from Visit Britain.

These roads take drivers through some of Wales’s most picturesque areas, including the Brecon Beacons, Snowdonia and the Cambrian Mountains.

But they are also some of the country’s least used A-Roads, with one being used by as few as 400 vehicles per day.

Credit: https://www.gocompare.com/motorbike-insurance/scene-but-not-heard/

Wales’s 5 quietest scenic A-Roads

1: A4120 – Aberystwyth to Rhayader – Ceredigion

• Heading east from the postcard town of Aberystwyth, the A4120 ascends the Cambrian mountains passing through miles of lush green moors, hilly vistas and stunning valleys. It also passes by Devil’s Bridge, home to the dramatic waterfall which inspired Turner and Wordsworth. On average, only 431 vehicles drive along this route each day.

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2: A4069 – Llangadog to Upper Brynamman – Carmarthenshire

• This 14-mile stretch is known as the ‘Black Mountain Road’, and is widely regarded as one of the UK’s best driving roads. The route twists and turns its way through the stunning Breacon Beacons National Park. Despite its reputation among petrol-heads, it is only used by 462 vehicles per day.

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3: A4086 – Llanberis to Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd

• This is one of many scenic routes running through Snowdonia National Park, the A4086is definitely one of the quietest. Despite being awash with stunning photo opportunities, only 1,985 vehicles pass through the route daily, while other roads in Gwynedd see more than three-times as many vehicles each day, on average.

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4: A470 – Conwy to Merthyr Tydfil

• A surprise inclusion given that this is a 154 mile route through the centre of Wales, but it is a must-drive given that it cuts through Snowdonia and the Brecon Beacons. Although the route can get busy in places, daily traffic flow south of Snowdonia is around 2,300 vehicles per day – around a third of the average number of vehicles that travel on the rest of Gynedd’s road network.

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5: A5 – Chirk to Bethesda

• From the English border town of Chirk, which is home to an Edwardian castle, the A5 follows the River Dee before winding through the north end of Snowdonia. Breathtaking mountains, valleys and quaint villages surround the A5, which cuts through the park, and photo opportunities at stunning natural landmarks such as the Swallow Falls are plentiful throughout the journey. Just 4,315 vehicles can be spotted on this route during the day, below average for the rest of Conwy’s road network.

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