Top Gear Roads Driving Routes
One of our main activities is the enjoyment of driving those excellent local Welsh roads within easy reach of our homes. We include great driving roads that you may recognise from Top Gear programmes and magazine photo-shoots. We have refined our routes over the years, including having to stop doing one of them thanks to the traffic police: the A4069 from Llangadog to Brynamman is one of the best scenic and driving roads in the country but was ruined a few years ago when 40 mph Average Speed Cameras were installed. In December 2024 there were reports of the cameras being cut down so we may give the route a go again in future.
We aim to fit in four different routes each year, usually on a Thursday, with two variants to the north, one to the south and one heading west. These are the default routes, most starting in Llanllwni at the junction of B4336 and the A485 (w3w: ///snooping.educates.panting). All routes include an early stop for breakfast and usually end at Lloyds Fish & Chip Shop in Lampeter, or JT’s Fish Bar in Llandovery.
Please click on the map images to view more detailed maps of the routes and full details including timings and sector distances.
Top Gear Roads North – Clywedog route
Llanllwni – Lampeter – Pontrhydfendegaid – Devil’s Bridge – Nantymoch Dam – Talybont – Machynlleth – Dylife – Clywedog Dam – Llanidloes – Llangurig – Rhyader – Newbridge-on-Wye – Beulah – Llanwrtyd Wells – Tirabad – Epynt Ranges – Llywel – Llandovery – Llanwrda – Lampeter Fish & Chips – disperse. ~200 miles
Top Gear Roads North – Elan Valley route
Llanllwni – Lampeter – Pontrhydfendegaid – Devil’s Bridge – Cwmystwhttps://roadsterscarclub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/TGRN-Elan-Valley-map-and-route.pdfyth – Craig Goch Dam – Elan Valley Visitor Centre – Rhyader – Newbridge-on-Wye – Beulah – Abergwesyn – Llyn Brianne dam – Porthyrhyd – Lampeter Fish & Chips – disperse. ~125 miles
Top Gear Roads South route
Llanllwni – Rhydcymerau – Coffee stop at Owl’s Nest, Llandovery – Brecon – Bwlch – Llangynidr – Garnlydan – Blaenafon -Llanfoist – Lunch stop at Baffle Haus cafe, Goetre – Dowlais – Pontsticill reservoir – Talybont reservoir – Libanus – Sennybridge – Llandovery fish & chips – disperse. ~150 miles
Top Gear Roads West route
Newcastle Emlyn – Cenarth – Boncath – Efailwen – Haverfordwest – Newgale – St David’s – Porthgain – Goodwick – Llanychaer – Tafarn Sinc – Eglwyswrw – Boncath – Cenarth – Newcastle Emlyn – disperse. ~100 miles