I'm new to towing and I am off to the gower region in south wales. I was wondering should I go down the M5 to M4 and along or should I go M5 to M50 / A40 (with lots of hills etc). 2nd route is the shortest but got caught out last time I took the shortest route.
Also, do you pay to get into wales or on the way out and how much does it cost if you have a caravan in tow?
Best route is to take the M50 just after Strensham services then A40 which will bring you onto the M4 at Newport. If you take the other option you will have to cross the Severn rip-off Bridge - around £5 to cross into Wales (to keep the foreigners out) and nothing to cross back into England (to allow foreigners to leave cheaply).LOL
On your return trip you could go the other way. You pay to get into Wales, not out and it is just over £5 but not sure of the exact figure though I am crossing next week myself. There is nothing wrong with the A449 / M50 route, but I find it seems to go on for ever. That said, It is the route I usually take. It is deceiving how much farther east the M5 is from the A449 junction so to take the bridge is significantly further albeit all motorway. The A449 between Newport and the M50 is a bit of a chore with a few sets of traffic lights and roundabouts, but is by no means a lane. As motorways go the M50 leaves a bit to be desired, but is at worst a decent dual carriageway.
Haveing reread and seeing you are heading for the gower, I would suggest picking up the A465 heads of the valleys road at your earliest opportunity and taking this down to the M4 at Neath. The A465 is a pretty decent road and it is a much shortr route. I often go towards Swansea from south Wales and find it shorter to head up the A470 from Cardiff and take the A465 from where it intersects the A470. From Junction 32 of the M4 to neath, this is about 8 miles shorter iirc. From Hereford area, this would be a lot shorter again. Unfortunately I cannot recall the exact route the road takes from Dowlais Top but I know you can pick through somewhere around Hereford. I am writing from the caravan so don't have full access at the moment!
The only traffic lights on the A449 are at Monmouth, 1 set, plus only 3 roundabouts, 1 at the top of the hill at Ross, 1 at the bottom of the hill at Ross, and 1 just on the outskirts of Monmouth. All the other junctions are normal "fly-over" type.
If you are concerned about hills and 3 lane, single carriageway roads do NOT use the A465, Heads of the Valley road. Also currently there are road works along it.
The Hereford route is not bad but again if concerned about hills and narrower A roads not one I would recommend. Goes towards Hay and Three Cocks, where it soon joins the A470 to Brecon.
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Topic: Wolverhampton to Sth wales
