B4404
| B4404 | ||||
| Location Map ( geo) | ||||
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| From: | Pont Felin-y-ffridd (SH751022) | |||
| To: | Cemmaes Road (SH816041) | |||
| Distance: | 4.4 miles (7.1 km) | |||
| Meets: | A487, A489 | |||
| Primary Destinations | ||||
| Highway Authorities | ||||
| Traditional Counties | ||||
| Route outline (key) | ||||
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The B4404 is a typical example of a rural Mid Wales S1.75 road, connecting the primary A487 at Pont Felin-y-ffridd to the primary A489 just outside Cemmaes Road, before the latter road starts its multiplex with the A470. For most of the year the B4404 is a quiet road serving the village of Llanwrin and the surrounding farms, but the road also serves the next crossing of the Dyfi river upstream of the Dyfi bridge on the A487, a bridge that is liable to flooding during the autumn and winter months and HGV strikes at other times. There are permanently mounted "flip" signs at each end of the road indicating its use as a diversionary route but these are only used during flood closures of the Dyfi bridge.
Starting from the A487 end the road starts at a regular T-junction. This is a great improvement over the original junction that joined at a bend and had very poor visibility. The rock cutting and re-alignment works have lead to a much better junction, but the B4404 does fall relatively steeply from the road down to the arch bridge over the Dulas. The road is around a lane and three quarters wide at this point as it twists its way up the hillside towards Hendreseifion farm. The road has a great view across the Dyfi flood plain as it winds its way towards Llanwrin (the road is thankfully well above the level of the flood plain!). A few narrow sections can catch the unwary out here, but there is usually ample room for two light vehicles to pass.
The road dips down over a brow to cross the single-track Aberffrydlan bridge and the climb the other side brings you out to the village of Llanwrin. The road widens to full S2 through the village, but quickly narrows back to S1.5/S1.75 as it carries on through farmland to the Jubilee bridge which crosses the Dyfi and is very rarely closed. At this point the road widens out to a well aligned full S2 with great sightlines and is a great opportunity to overtake the tractor that may be in front of you! The road then goes under the Machynlleth to Shrewsbury railway line before a double bend leads to the A489 terminal junction.
