The Register’s acting Chairman, Neil Brant, accompanied by his navigator Ollie Brant, spent four days in June driving the mountain, moorland and coastal roads in Wales. Using the Metropole Hotel in Llandrindod Wells as their base, Ollie and Neil headed out in their 1969 MGB GT to explore the scenic routes that Wales has to offer, covering just under 800 miles overall and strictly without the use of SatNav, just a Collins 1 inch to 12 miles road atlas.

Day 1, covered 186 miles from Somerset to Llandrindod Wells via the Brecon Beacons and Black Mountains, including the well known Black Mountain Pass ‘Top Gear’ route, albeit the mountain pass was shrouded in low cloud and in drizzle. In the afternoon, a stop-off in Brecon was made for a coffee before heading across the Sennybridge military training area on a very rewarding B road, with sweeping bends and great Scenery. The revised speed limits across Wales, including 20mph limits in all built-up areas, creates a challenge in being able to recognise what is expected of motorists for varying road types, resulting in a new game of ‘guess the speed limit’, as you can’t go from a National Speed Limit to 20mph, so most villages have ridiculously short 40 or 30mph transition speed limits. A speed hump in one village south of the Black Mountains nearly claimed our exhaust before we had barely begun, but a reminder to crawl over them at a snail’s pace in our slightly lowered GT.

Day 2, and after a good evening meal, night’s sleep and full Welsh breakfast in the Metropole (the routine was kept up for the duration of our stay), we set off on a 170-mile drive with a wet start but soon clearing to a mainly dry and sunny day. A circuit through the Elan Valley took in the various lakes, reservoirs and dams at Caban Coch and Craig Goch on amazing roads with virtually no other traffic, but plenty of sheep. We then headed on to the abandoned lead mines at Blaenycwm before lunch on the promenade at Aberystwyth. After lunch, a loop north on the coast road to Dolgellau before heading inland to take the valley road back to Machynlleth (well known for being the military low-fly training area in Wales, and we were buzzed by a few jets) and then the reservoir at Llyn Clywedog.

Day 3, and a 250 mile, 7½ hour drive on a circular route up to Barmouth for mid-morning coffee and then onto the coast road via Harlech before heading inland and on through the Snowdonia National Park. The photos will never do justice to just how spectacular the drive through Snowdonia is, with overhanging rocks in places and inclines of up to 26% (1:3.8). We steered clear of the usual tourist traps and sought out the mountain roads and routes where possible. As always, the MGB GT gets lots of interest when we park up, and at Llanberis this included a group of Indian social media influencers that wanted to film themselves talking to camera whilst on and in the B GT. No doubt it’s now on Instagram or suchlike.

Day 4, and final day of our Welsh wanderings, covering a 135-mile trip home via the Brecon Beacons and significant lengths of single track roads to the reservoirs and dams at Talybont and Pontsticill. Onwards from there on mainly A roads before joining the M4 south of Cwmbran. We hit the traffic at Bath and crawled from there for the final and tedious 16 miles home, a reminder of the pleasure of driving much quieter, and significantly better maintained, roads across mid and north Wales.

We had a great four days away on a road trip in our MGB GT, with very good hotel accommodation at the Metropole in Llandrindod Wells. The B GT performed faultlessly despite being driven quite hard at times on some challenging roads and tracks, leaving it fi lthy and in need of a deep clean. We averaged 35 mpg for the 800 mile trip, despite so many miles driven on mountain roads requiring constant gear changes. It’s an amazing little car that never ceases to please us, and those that come over to chat about it.