Established in 1957 as the third and final Welsh National Park, the Brecon Beacons is a region which encompasses some of the finest scenery in South Wales.
It may not be the highest or most rugged mountain range in Wales but if you’re looking for jaw dropping waterfalls, spectacular hilly hikes, beautiful bike
The two most impressive features of the Brecon Beacons are its mountains and waterfalls with miles of stunning walking trails to explore. So with that being said I’d recommend packing your walking boots & waterproofs and hitting the hiking trails.
To make your decision easier and help narrow down your choice of where to visit and what to do I have written this list of the top things to see and do.
I have first listed my three favourite locations in the Brecon beacons below, all three involve some form of walking and are accessible for most ages and abilities. I have secondly listed a numerous other destinations and things to see and do within the park.
If spending a weekend in the Brecon Beacons my recommendation would be to spend one day in the mountains and one day exploring waterfall country. However if the weather is a complete washout then two days exploring the waterfalls is still time well spent.
I hope you find this list useful and if you have any questions or comments feel free to drop me a message.
And remember there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.
Hike up Pen-y-Fan
Standing at 886m and located in the heart of the Brecon beacons, Pen y fan is the highest mountain in southern Britain which offers magnificent 360 views across the Beacons.
There are dozens of routes to reach the summit, however my recommendation would be to complete the Pen-Y-Fan horseshoe
.
This moderately challenging 9 mile circuit starts from the Taf Fechan forest, taking in the beautiful peaks of Corn Du (873m), Pen-Y-Fan (886), Cribyn (795m) and the hilariously named Fan-Y-Big (717m).
The walk should take 4-6 hours and the summit is extremely popular so don’t expect to have the place to yourself. You can find all information on the hike, including where to park and interactive maps in my detailed blog post below;
if you do have a little more time and energy in the legs I would recommend extending this loop to include the Blaen-y-glyn waterfalls and the beautiful ridgelines of the central Brecon beacons. all the details of this 20km circuit can be found below.
If you are pushed for time or just fancy a shorter and easier walk then the summit can be reached from the car parks on the side of A470 close to the the Storey arms. The two mile path to the summit, nicknamed the motorway, is suitable for young children and involves 440m of climbing. The route description be found here.
Hike around Llyn y Fan Fach to Picws Du
Llyn-Y-Fan Fach, (Welsh meaning Lake of the small hill) is an enchanting glacial lake set beneath the steep flat topped hills of the Carmarthenshire countryside.
This is a lesser known gem situated on the western border of Brecon Beacons but in my opinion is one of the most beautiful locations in Wales.
Although slightly more difficult to reach than the popular Pen-Y-fan, this breath-taking area epitomises the beauty of the Brecon Beacons and should definitely be on your ‘must visit’ list.
The lake has also featured in Lonely Planets list of 1,000 ultimate sights across the globe within the top 10 most unusual lakes category.
If you do plan to visit this location you will also have the option of visiting Llyn y Fan Fawr, a slightly larger glacial lake located two miles to the east.
There are two main hikes around this area, the shorter and easier hike starts to the north of the mountain in Llanddeusant.
This 6 mile loop visits Llyn y Fan Fach whilst summiting the peaks of Picws Du and Bannau Sir Gâr. For a detailed hike guide including directions and where to park check out my blog post below;
Alternatively you can approach this mountain from the south via the Nant-y-llyn. This 10 mile loop is my favourite hike in the Brecon Beacons and epitomises everything which is beautiful about the area. A full hike guide can be found below.
Llyn-y-fan Fawr
Llyn y fan fach
Wonder through Waterfall Country
If there’s one thing you are bound to encounter here in Wales apart from a sheep, its rain. So when visiting its best to factor the weather into your plans and schedule in an activity which isn’t ruined by bad weather.
Fortunately waterfalls are a perfect place to visit rain or shine and the Brecon Beacons are blessed with some of the most impressive falls in the UK.
Waterfall Country is an area of over a dozen waterfalls between Pontneddfechan and Ystradfellte in the south western part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. They may not be the most tropical or the biggest, but their surroundings combined and the fact that you can walk behind several of them makes them some of the most spectacular you’ll visit.
I would recommend firstly tackling either the ‘Four waterfalls walk’ or ‘The Elidir trail’.
Sgwd Einion Gam, a hidden waterfall located off the Eildir Trail
Each walk is less than four miles and visits several wonderful waterfalls. As both of the trails are very close to each other you could easily complete both hikes in around 5-6 hours if you have the time and stamina.
After that take the time to visit the magnificent Henrhyd falls, the highest waterfall in South Wales and a filming location for the Batman movie, The Dark Knight Rises. This waterfall can reached in 10 minutes via a short walk from the car park.
Don’t make the mistake of visiting Henrhyd falls first, as this will make all the waterfalls on the Elidir trail and four waterfalls walk slightly underwhelming.
For a detailed description of the all the waterfalls including walking routes and where to park, check out my Brecon Beacons waterfall guide below;
Henrhyd Falls
Hike one of the many other trails within the park
Aside from the the hikes that I have already listed, The Brecon Beacons is home to hundreds of miles of spectacular trails encompassing its wild, open scenery, and magical forests.
So whatever you age or ability there is a hike for you, just grab an OS Map or download a hiking app and get walking.
If you’re like me and seek out the most adventurous hikes, which bring the best views then check out my blog post below;
Go Star Gazing
The Brecon Beacons National officially became a dark sky reserve in 2013 and on a clear night you can see the milky way, major constellations, bright nebulas and even meteor showers. In August of 2020 I managed to capture Comet Neowise from the Central Brecon Beacons.
For more information on the best places to see the stars check out the link below; https://gostargazing.co.uk/regions/brecon-beacons-dark-sky-reserve/
Take a tour of Penderyn Whiskey Distillery
Situated in the foothills of the Brecon Beacons, Penderyn distillery is the producer of award-winning single malt whiskies and spirits. For those who like a taste of the stronger tipple, the distillery & visitor centre is open seven days a week from 9.30am - 5pm, and offers tasting tours alongside whiskey making masterclasses.
Go Canyoning
Canyoning is basically white water rafting but without the raft. Accompanied by a guide you’ll head deep into the Brecon Beacons forest and descend it’s many hidden gorges and wonderful waterfalls by any means necessary. This can involve sliding and swimming down rapids, floating down fast flowing chutes, and jumping off waterfalls.
For more information check out this link; http://www.adventurebritain.com/activity/canyoning/
Bike Park Wales
The UK’s first full scale mountain bike park situated in the heart of the South Wales valleys which was built by riders for riders. The complex offers a huge range of downhill routes ranging from serene to extreme.
Alongside bike & equipment hire they offer an uplift service and have a fully licensed woodland café onsite. I don’t consider myself to be an expert rider but the trails and facilities here are incredible and definitely worth visiting.
Go underground at the National Show Caves of Wales
Housing some of the most important cave systems in Europe, the Brecon Beacons is just as spectacular beneath the surface as it is above.
The National Show caves centre within the park has not one but three different caves systems to experience - Dan-yr-Ogof, Cathedral Cave and Bone Cave, each offering a unique underground adventure. The main attraction is the 1km of decorated passageways found within Dan-yr-Ogof cave and for ay Jurassic park fans there is also a collection of 220 life-sized dinosaur models on site.
Visit Big Pit National Coal Museum
Big Pit is a real coal mine and one of Britain's leading mining museums with facilities to educate and entertain all ages. Although technically located just outside the Brecon Beacons, its rich history and significance to South Wales meant it had to be included on the list.
Llangorse lake & Activity centre
The largest natural lake in South Wales with many water sports available from its north shore. The nearby activity centre is an award winning indoor and outdoor training facility which offers the following activities; Indoor rock climbing and bouldering, outdoor tree challenge, horse trekking, zip wires, rope course and scrambles. The lake is also located within the Beacons dark sky reserve and is a perfect location for star gazing.
So there we have it, my must visit locations in the Brecon Beacons National park.
If you found the blog useful or have any locations you think I’ve missed, drop us a comment below as I’m always on the look out for new spots.
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For more travel and photography inspiration around Wales check out my in-depth guides to each of my favourite regions below.