Lodging - Text

I can’t speak from experience over these routes – try www.streetfinder.co.uk or the AA routefinder website. However, I suspect that the fastest route will be to come as far down on the M6 as possible, possibly all the way down to the M5 so that you can use the directions above. If you try another route, the A483 is a generally excellent road which goes almost all the way north to Chester, and can be accessed via the M56 leading down to the Chester ring road.

Travelling from the South

Come to Wales via the M4 or M48.

Turn North off the M4 at J24, just after the bridge, onto the A449, signed towards Abergavenny.

Take the A449 along until the second junction (about 8 miles), when you can turn off West onto the A40, also signed towards Abergavenny.

Once you have passed through Abergavenny (over a couple of roundabouts), the A40 becomes a single carriageway.

Six miles later, you’ll pass through the town of Crickhowell. Take a look at your mileometer – it’s easy to miss the next turn.

1.8 miles after Crickhowell, you will approach (on the right hand side) a large pink pub.
Take the right-hand turn immediately after for the A479 towards Builth Wells.

Stay on the A479 through Talgarth and Bronllys – the road does not run straight through the towns; you’ll need to follow it through a few sideways steps, which are often poorly signposted. The signs you will often see will be for the A470. This runs in North-South, so ensure you take the route North to Builth Wells.

Travelling North on the A470, you will follow the River Wye. Builth Wells lies 11½ miles after Talgarth.

In the town of Builth Wells, you will approach a medium-sized building with a large picture wall facing you. The shop is for “Cribs Clothing”. Consider zeroing your mile counter. Follow the road round to the right – it remains the A470, and is now signed for Rhayader.

This section of the road has very few overtaking points, so be patient. 4 ½ miles from Builth, you will come to a single-lane bridge controlled by traffic lights, and you may have to stop.

A mile later, you will pass through the town of Newbridge (5 ½ miles from Builth).

The next significant landmark is the A4081 to Llandrindod Wells. Don’t take it unless that’s where you want to go. You are now very close to Doldowlod, where the wedding is being held. Just 1.1 miles down the road (8.2 miles from Cribs Clothing in Builth) is the turnoff for Doldowlod Hall. It is preceded by a high red brick wall on the left hand side of the road. Slow down – there is a turn-in on the left-hand side, downhill, into the drive for Doldowlod Hall.

We’ll mark it with signs, and hopefully some balloons. If you see a red phone box on the right hand side of the road you have gone too far. If you miss it don’t worry; there are several places along the next couple of miles where you can turn round, including a small service station.

Travel time from crossing the bridge into Wales depends massively on traffic – if there are queues, or a few tractors, it may take you three hours; if clear, you may take as little as 1¾ hours. It’s difficult to overtake, so if you’re stressed and stuck behind a tractor, pull over somewhere to relax for a few minutes – you’re unlikely to miss an overtaking opportunity, and you don’t want to get stressed on the way.

The simplest route from the region of Birmingham is via Worcester – these directions are coming from the M5.

Come off the M5 at Junction 7, and take the A4440, which will enable you to bypass Worcester itself.

At the end of the A4440, join the A44 going West towards Leominster. This is a fairly fast single-carriageway A-road, with quite good visibility enabling overtaking, but it is a little winding.

After the A44 passes through Leominster, it will be signposted for Lyonshall and Rhayader. Rhayader may be where you are aiming for, but the quick way to Doldowlod Hall is through Llandrindod Wells along the A483.

Shortly after a small service station on the right is a roundabout which will allow you to take the A483 towards Llandrindod Wells. Zero your mile-counter here; it is just 3.4 miles to the Metropole Hotel in the middle of Llandrindod Wells.

Inside the town, the A483 will bear to the left over a small roundabout, before bringing you to the Metropole Hotel. This (or the Glen Usk) may be your destination, but assuming you wish to continue to Doldowlod, you need to get round to the far side of the square. Because of the one-way system, you need to continue past the Metropole along the A483 and take the first available right.

This will bring you back to the (triangular) square, this time opposite the Metropole. Signs are in short supply here, but continue on this road (signed for “Gwalia Offices”) and bear left, away from the hotel ‘square’. At the next mini-roundabout, you will see a road for the A4081 towards Rhayader.

The A4081 is 4½ miles long, and comes to a T junction with the A470 where you should turn right towards Rhayader. You are now very close to Doldowlod, where the wedding is being held. Just 1.1 miles down the road is the turn-off for Doldowlod House. It is preceded by a high red brick wall on the left hand side of the road. Slow down – there is a turn-in on the left-hand side, into the drive for Doldowlod.

We’ll mark it with signs, and hopefully some balloons. If you see a red phone box on the right hand side of the road you have gone too far. If you miss it, don’t worry; there are several places along the next couple of miles where you can turn round, including a small service station.

Travel time Worcester to Doldowlod can be as little as two hours, but does depend somewhat on traffic – if there are queues, or a few tractors, it may take you longer. It’s not too difficult to overtake on the A44, although there are some areas of poor visibility, so if you find yourself at the back of a long string of traffic, you may be stuck there (pull over somewhere for cup of tea!)