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Hi

I'm going to Black Rock Sands (Porthmadog) in a couple of weeks - an area I haven't visited for many years.

In the old days I used to drive (solo) along the B4391 over the hills from Llanfyllin to Bala.

It's been so long that I can't recall if the road is suitable for a large twin axle - bearing in mind I have a powerful car so I am not scared of hills :) - and have been towing for many years so am well used to having the van in tight spaces.

Was thinking in terms about how well made the road is (don't fancy 20 miles of pot holes) and any nasty corners that don't want ot meet a truck on :).

Thanks

Last time I used it was about 12 months ago, and the section over the top of the mountain was quite badly pitted following two hard winters. I don't know whether the local council have resurfaced recently.  There are also a number of VERY tight corners, eg, here...

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=bala,+gwynedd&daddr=Shrewsbury,+Shropshire&hl=en&ll=52.907401,-3.516741&spn=0.000052,0.041156&sll=52.704461,-2.755086&sspn=0.328269,0.658493&geocode=FVdXJwMdUAvJ_ylnjyDhSkBlSDHW8_pC-Gh0EA%3BFXc-JAMdLv_V_ynDFdz0VXZvSDHEzdZ4B4LXbg&gl=uk&mra=ls&t=m&z=15&layer=c&cbll=52.907215,-3.516693&panoid=qLHwn4J1hbtvxlLTsAB3vQ&cbp=12,321.3,,0,14.21

To be honest it would be just as fast, if not faster, going up the A5. The section up to Llangollen is wide (dualled in places), and then through Corwen and A494 to Bala is standard A road with a good surface.

Ok thanks for that - was trying to avoid the A5 on the first weekend of the summer holidays - thought it might be a bit mad - but then given the weather :)

Oh! you didn't say it was peak time! :-)

The busieset section is from Shrewsbury up to Chirk. Once you turn off for Llangollen, it quietens down, even in peak times. 

I compromised and drove the A5 from Shrewsbury to just past Corwen - then turned left towards Bala down the A494.

Once at Bala I turned right and drove along the A4212 toward Trawsfynedd - a great drive and lovely scenary.

At Trawsfynedd i turned right on to the A470 and then left on the A487 toward Porthmadog.