by Silva Payne

Created on: August 01, 2010

Driving between Devon and Wales may look like a simple task on a map. However, the many roads that lay between the two locations each have their own drawbacks and advantages. Your choice of route will largely depend on the area of Devon and Wales that you are starting from and end at.

To travel out of or into Devon with Wales in mind, the most obvious choice of route is the M5 motorway. Many people shun motorways as boring and dangerous, but the stretch through Devon and Somerset has some interesting scenery and plenty of junctions to pull off at if you need to stop.

The M5 west ends at Exeter, so if your journey goes beyond that in a westerly or north west direction, you will need to exit at a suitable point. For Barnstaple and the north Devon coast you have 2 main options: the A361 and the A377. Both of these routes are relatively easy roads to negotiate and are well used by local traffic.

Taking the M5 from Devon will deliver you to the city of Bristol in approximately 2 hours. This is where your destination in Wales becomes more important. For those travelling to north or east Wales, it is sensible to remain on the M5 and head towards Gloucestershire. If you are travelling to south or west Wales, you will need to decide which crossing of the Bristol Channel you want to take.

There are two large bridges spanning the River Severn giving access by road to Wales. Both are operated by the company Severn River Crossing Plc, and both bridges have a toll charge when you travel into Wales only. Visitors on foot and bicycle are not permitted to cross the newer bridge.

The old Severn bridge is accessed by the M48 between Bristol and Chepstow. The new Severn bridge takes the M4 motorway between Bristol and just south of Caldicot. Both bridges may have one or more lanes closed to traffic during periods of high winds. If this is the case, you may still need to take the longer M5 route into or out of Wales.

The M4 motorway extends into south Wales as far as Llanedi where it joins the A48. This road leads through or close to most of the major conurbations of south Wales such as Newport, Cardiff and Swansea.

If your destination or origin is in east or north Wales, the M5 will be your route for much of your journey to and from Devon. Just north of Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire, you can join the short stretch of M50 and head towards Ross-on-Wye and Herefordshire. This is a picturesque section of the West Midlands and an ideal route for locations in mid-Wales.

Continue on the M5 and then M6 motorways to just north of Birmingham and you will meet the M54 motorway to Telford in Shropshire. This route gives the easiest access to the coastal town of Aberystwyth by using A-roads across Wales through Shrewsbury, Welshpool and Newtown.

The M6 motorway will lead you further north for north Wales. Your options for leaving the motorway will depend on your destination. However, if you are heading to or from Bangor in north Wales, leaving the M6 at Crewe and heading towards Chester is a common route. This then leads to the A55 coastal road towards Rhyl, Conwy, Bangor and the isle of Anglesey.

From the most westerly point in Devon to the north west tip of Wales, a straight forward journey by car should take you approximately 7 hours including a brief comfort stop. Road works and inclement weather conditions can extend this time considerably, so always be prepared for a longer journey.

Learn more about this author, Silva Payne.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.