The A470 runs nearly 200 miles through the heart of Wales from Llandudno to Cardiff Bay.

It was created to connect north and south of the country yet it takes four hours – sometimes more - to make the journey. It's certainly not the fastest road in the UK but to drive the A470 is to truly understand the landscape, history, culture and language of Wales.

Cerys Matthews continues her journey down the A470 in search of a nation's identity and the essence of Welshness.

As she travels south Cerys hears many different definitions and descriptions of the A470: a road to nowhere; the road Wales deserves; a highway of loss; the Welsh M1.

She discovers the crossroads of Wales in Rhayader, a town populated by rebels and red kites, she hears stories of the A470 from historians, poets, bikers and musicians and she finds herself serving customers in a roadside snack bar.

The A470 - and her journey – comes to an end in the re-vitalised Cardiff Bay, once known as Tiger Bay and now home to the Senedd, the seat of Welsh government. Here she meets Hassan Panero, a young poet from Cardiff's Somali community who gives Cerys his own definition of Welshness.

Producer: Jeremy Grange

First broadcast on BBC Radio in January 2014. Show less