Two spectacular road trips in North Wales among UK's most popular but both have drawbacks

As the seasons change some landscapes lose their lustre. Others retain an ability to captivate even in the depths of winter, especially when viewed from the comfort of a heated car.

Wales is not short of picturesque roads and some are legendary, such as Bwlch y Groes mountain pass in the Aran Mountains, the second-highest road in Wales. View hunters also head for the Abergwesyn Pass in Powys or the Narrow Mountain Road past Llyn Clywedog, the latter giving vast panoramas of Eryri (Snowdonia). The descent from the A487 Talyllyn Pass is always guaranteed to take your breath away.

In its “Highways to Heaven” series, Visit Wales recommends the “Bala Loop” via Trawsfynydd and the “A5 gateway” from Llangollen to the Ogwen Valley in Eryri. Another is a lap of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) via Beddgelert and Capel Curig.

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These are all well known and well travelled. But when assessed via reviews, online searches and social media metrics, they’re not always the most popular, according to analysis by The Trade Centre UK, Britain’s largest used car network.

Its findings suggest that familiarity, accessibility and variety of interest also play a part when people hop into cars for the sole purpose of driving aimlessly to admire the scenery. While the epic North Coast 500 route, around the Scottish Highlands, topped the pile, others were a little more surprising.

Old Colwyn to Llandudno

Leading the Welsh rankings, and third overall in the UK, was a scenic jaunt along the Conwy coast between Old Colwyn and Llandudno. It’s a classic trip for leisurely tourists (most of it has a 20mph speed limit): the shortish ride takes in the revamped promenades of Colwyn Bay and Rhos-on-Sea, and their pristine sandy beaches, before heading to the Victorian grandeur of Llandudno’s seafront.

A TripAdvisor reviewer said: “There’s nothing better than sauntering along the seafront from Colwyn Bay to the characterful splendour of Llandudno either by car or on foot. It’s all by the sea and so provides a pretty backdrop to any transport you’d care to take.”

At the end of this route is a genuine road trip gem. Five-mile Marine Drive around the Great Orme (Y Gogarth) is one of the most scenic roads in Wales, hugging cliffs to give breathtaking views of Anglesey and Eryri’s snow-capped mountains. They only get better as the road ascends.

Drivers need to be mindful that rockfalls periodically close the circular route. It's also a toll road and in recent years the price has risen as steeply as parts of the road. As the £5.50 ticket covers the cost of parking at the Great Orme – and the cost of removing boulders that occasionally tumble onto the road – it’s still reasonable value for an unrivalled driving experience.

Even without Marine Drive, the coastal route is a social media favourite: the Colwyn Bay section alone has 79,100 Instagram hashtags. And with a 4.5 TripAdvisor rating, it earns its place near the top of the road trip list. Sign up now for the latest news on the North Wales Live Whatsapp community

Horseshoe Pass

This is another online favourite but for completely different reasons. Like many classic road trips this is a mountain pass that snakes up from Llantysilio to give ample views of the surrounding hills and valley.

Historically, however, it was a little less than leisurely. Motorcyclists loved the famously twisty A542 and the chance to pitstop at the Ponderosa Cafe at the top (now closed until early 2025). In 2022, the speed limit was cut to 40mph and the pace is now a little less frenetic.

Dating back to 1811, the Horseshoe Pass (Bwlch yr Oernant) carries traffic on the eight-mile trip between Llangollen and Llandegla. As well as panoramic views, there are any number of scenic walks from the top.

Named as a TripAdvisor “travellers choice” favourite, the road has 11,400 Instagram hashtags and attracts 5,400 monthly searches on average. But users have a word of warning: as with other roads in the Clwydian Range, dozy-eyed sheep are liable to idle onto the road. Even at 40mph, encountering a woolly wanderer around a sharp bend can cause a sharp burst of adrenaline.

Drivers considering this route need also be aware that, in winter, it is sometimes closed due to snowfall or landslides. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox

UK’s top road trips

1. North Coast 500, Scottish Highlands

2. Causeway Coastal Route, Northern Ireland

3. Old Colwyn to Llandudno, Conwy

4. Golden Road, Isle of Harris, Outer Hebrides

5. Hardknott Pass, Lake District

6. Glen Lyon, Perthshire, Scotland

7. Horseshoe Pass, Llangollen

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