Why visit the Brecon Beacons?
Stunning scenery
With mountains, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, hills and great swathes of dense forest, there’s no doubting that the Brecon Beacons National Park packs an awful lot of gorgeous scenery into its 520 square miles. That makes it a particularly fine area for hikers to give their boots a good workout, but there are also plenty of options for enjoying it at a more leisurely pace, on short strolls from towns like Crickhowell and Abergavenny or perhaps settling in the beer garden of a rural pub.
Activities galore
Fancy a challenge? There are plenty of those around in the Brecon Beacons National Park. This is a place where you can go rock climbing, caving, mountain biking, horse riding, paragliding or whitewater rafting or try all sorts of watersports and walking trails. For something a bit different, head to Zip World Tower, near Aberdare, where you can climb a former colliery tower to zoom down on the fastest seated zipline in the world.
Spectacular stargazing
Exceptionally low levels of light pollution mean that this is a great area for looking up into the heavens, whether you’re a keen astronomer or just fancy an evening under the stars with your partner or the kids. The whole of the national park was designated as an International Dark Sky Reserve in 2012, so you should get some good starry displays wherever you stay – you can bump up your chances a bit further with a read of our guide to dark sky camping.
Essential things to do in the Brecon Beacons
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Climb Pen y Fan, South Wales’ tallest peak but also one of its most accessible, thanks to well-maintained paths
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See several cascades on the Four Waterfalls, including the chance to walk behind a curtain of water at Sgwd Isaf Clun-Gwyn
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Browse the bookshops of Hay-on-Wye, the National Book Town of Wales and the host of an internationally acclaimed book festival
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Explore the subterranean scenery by going underground at the National Showcaves Centre for Wales
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See the ‘most romantic ruin in Wales’ on a visit to Carreg Cennen Castle, near Llandeilo
Unexplored Brecon Beacons
Less-travelled trails
The popular trails are popular for a reason – but there are plenty more options around if you’d like to escape the crowds. Head to the western stretch of the park for hikes around less-well-known peaks like Fan Gyhirych and Fan Nedd, or find trails to more unusual sights like the Wellington bomber crash site near Waun Rydd.
Try the Welsh whisky
Scotland and Ireland are famous for their whisky, of course – but did you know that there’s also whisky being made right here in the Brecon Beacons? Penderyn, the ‘home of Welsh Whisky’, is in the village of the same name, and it makes a fine selection of award-winning whiskies and gins. The distillery is open for tours and masterclasses – or you can just drop into the shop to pick up a bottle or two.
Feed the birds
You may well spot some wildlife while you’re out exploring the national park, but for a guaranteed sighting of some of its grandest residents you’ll need to head to the Red Kite Feeding Station near Llanddeusant. Over here you’ll be able to get up close to the big birds of prey as they swoop in for their daily feed – perhaps getting some impressive pictures as they do so.
Here’s how
All this fabulous scenery isn’t just for hikes and activities, you know – it also makes the Brecon Beacons a fantastic area for camping. Staying right there in the open air means that you’ll have much more scope to soak up the views, from your morning coffee right through to an evening drink by the firepit.
Our range of Brecon Beacons campsites caters for all sorts of styles, from cheap tent pitches through to fully equipped glamping options for something more luxurious to look forward to at the end of your walk. Our tick-box filters will help you narrow down the choices according to style and features – or you can pick something from one of our popular collections below.
Once you’ve explored the Brecon Beacons thoroughly, set off to see more amazing scenery in Wales’ other national parks: Snowdonia National Park and the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Alternatively, check out all our options for camping in Wales.
