Wales Ultimate Road Trip, Wales
All road trips

Wales

Wales Ultimate Road Trip

Castles, Eryri, Pembrokeshire and Bannau Brycheiniog

7 days~585 kmCalculating… drivingConwy → Brecon

North to south: castles, Eryri, Cardigan Bay, Pembrokeshire and the Bannau.

Make This Trip Yours

Love the route? Change your starting point, adjust the duration and personalise the journey to suit your adventure.

Your Road Trip

ConwyBrecon

7 days · One-way

About this route

This is Wales top to bottom in a week: roughly 365 miles and 13–14 hours of actual driving, split into easy, scenic days. You start among the castles of the north coast, spend a full day in Eryri (Snowdonia), follow the coast past Portmeirion, Harlech and Barmouth to Aberystwyth, then give two whole days to Pembrokeshire — St Davids, Barafundle Bay and Tenby. The final run crosses Carmarthenshire to Brecon and the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons). It suits cars, campervans and motorhomes, couples and families, with optional hikes for walkers and narrow-road warnings where larger vehicles should take care.

CastlesMountainsBeachesScenic drivesHikingHistoric townsFamiliesCampervans

Day by day

Today's drive: about 15 miles / 40 min. Morning: Conwy Castle and the town walls. Lunch: mussels or fish and chips on the quay. Afternoon: Llandudno pier and the Great Orme (tram or cable car for families). Evening: sunset from the Orme summit, dinner back in Conwy.

Roads: A547 · Marine Drive (Great Orme)

  • Optional: Bodnant Garden, 15 minutes south of Conwy.
  • Family pick: the Great Orme Tramway and the Smallest House.
  • Motorhomes: Marine Drive is narrow in places; Conwy has a large Morfa Bach car park outside the walls.

Weather on this route

Best travelled April to October; May, June and September are the sweet spot. Dates beyond the 16-day forecast window show a seasonal outlook.

Weather along the way

Checking the forecast for your dates…

Approximate costs

Indicative totals for 7 days, 2 adults. Fuel is based on the live route distance.

Budget

£400–£950

  • Accommodation£150–£360
  • Food & drink£180–£280
  • Attractions & activities£0–£140
  • Fuel£50–£75
  • Parking£20–£110

Comfort

£1,200–£2,250

  • Accommodation£600–£1,000
  • Food & drink£390–£650
  • Attractions & activities£140–£420
  • Fuel£50–£75
  • Parking£20–£110

Premium

£2,400–£4,750

  • Accommodation£1,200–£2,300
  • Food & drink£700–£1,250
  • Attractions & activities£420–£1,050
  • Fuel£50–£75
  • Parking£20–£110
  • Approximate fuel: about 37 litres for a car, 50–65 litres for a campervan or motorhome over the full route.
  • There are no toll roads on this route.
  • Pen-y-Pass parking must be pre-booked in season; the Sherpa'r Wyddfa bus is a good alternative.
  • Castle entry (Cadw sites) and the Snowdon Mountain Railway are the biggest optional costs.
  • Estimates only — Roadly never quotes live prices.

Who this route suits

Families

excellent

Short drives, castles, beaches and steam trains — ideal for children.

  • · Conwy, Harlech and Pembroke castles are hands-on and full of towers to climb.
  • · Llyn Padarn, Swallow Falls and Bosherston Lily Ponds are easy walks for small legs.
  • · Tenby's sandy beaches and harbour are a natural family highlight.
  • · Snowdon Mountain Railway and Vale of Rheidol Railway get you up high without hiking.

Campervans

excellent

Wales has a dense network of campsites and very van-friendly towns.

  • · Good campsites at every overnight stop, many with sea or mountain views.
  • · Park4Night lists plenty of approved stopovers along Cardigan Bay and Pembrokeshire.
  • · Overnighting in car parks is often prohibited — check signs.

Motorhomes

good

Very doable, with a few narrow sections to plan around.

  • · Llanberis Pass (A4086) and the Aberglaslyn Pass are narrow with tight stone walls — take them slowly.
  • · Portmeirion, Stackpole Quay and Whitesands have restricted or busy parking for large vehicles.
  • · Tenby town centre is not suitable for large motorhomes — use park-and-ride or campsites outside town.
  • · Service points are available at most larger campsites.

Electric vehicles

Charging is good in Conwy, Aberystwyth, Tenby and Brecon, thinner in Eryri and rural Pembrokeshire. Roadly EV mode will plan charging stops when your vehicle is configured.

  • · No toll roads on the route.
  • · Total distance about 365 miles (585 km); roughly 13–14 hours of driving across the week.

Practical travel notes

Best time to visit
April to October. May, June and September offer the best balance of weather, daylight and crowds.
Recommended duration
7 days at an easy pace; 9–10 days adds Cardiff, Hay-on-Wye or a rest day in Pembrokeshire.
Fuel
Around 585 km in total. Fuel is easy to find in towns; fill up before the mountain roads of Eryri and before leaving Tenby for Brecon.
Road conditions
Mostly good A-roads. Expect single-track lanes to beaches, slow tractors and sheep on unfenced mountain roads. Drive on the left.
Welsh mountain roads
The Llanberis Pass (A4086) is narrow, twisty and busy in summer, with stone walls tight to the road. Large motorhomes should take it slowly and avoid peak hours.
Parking
Pay-and-display in most towns. Pen-y-Pass is pre-book only; Conwy, Tenby and Barmouth car parks fill by late morning in summer.
Campervan considerations
Campervans are welcome on campsites everywhere. Wild camping is not legal in Wales without landowner permission; use campsites, CLs/CSs or approved aires.
Weather
Changeable all year. Pack waterproofs even in July; the west coast is often sunnier than the mountains.
Mobile signal
Patchy in Eryri valleys, around Pen-y-Pass, the Dyfi Valley and parts of the Pembrokeshire coast. Download offline maps before setting off.
Walking & hiking
Proper boots, waterproofs, food, water and a paper map for Yr Wyddfa or Pen y Fan. Start early and turn back if cloud drops.
Travelling with children
Castles, beaches, steam railways and short walks make this one of the most family-friendly UK road trips. Driving days are short.
Travelling with dogs
Very dog friendly. Some beaches (including parts of Tenby and Whitesands) have seasonal dog bans from May to September; keep dogs on leads near livestock.
Language
Signs are bilingual Welsh/English. Eryri = Snowdonia, Yr Wyddfa = Snowdon, Bannau Brycheiniog = Brecon Beacons.

Roadly tips

  • · Book Pen-y-Pass parking or use the Sherpa'r Wyddfa bus — don't just turn up in summer.
  • · Check tides before Barafundle, Whitesands and Freshwater West.
  • · Mountain weather changes fast: check conditions before hiking Yr Wyddfa or Pen y Fan.
  • · Freshwater West has dangerous rip currents — enjoy the view, swim elsewhere.
  • · Motorhomes: avoid the Llanberis Pass at peak times and the lane to Stackpole Quay at busy weekends.
  • · Pick up Welsh cakes and bara brith wherever you see a bakery.
Loading map…

Highlights

Best time to go

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
bestgoodpossiblechallenging
  • Best travelled April to October; May, June and September are the sweet spot.
  • Mountain weather in Eryri and Bannau Brycheiniog can change within an hour — check the Met Office mountain forecast before any hike.
  • Summer weekends and school holidays bring heavy traffic around Llanberis, Pen-y-Pass, Tenby and Pen y Fan.