A Travel Guide to Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park
Established in 1957 as the third and final Welsh National Park, Bannau Brycheiniog (The Brecon Beacons) is a region that 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 trails, or some sensational star gazing then this is the national park for you.
Within the park there are four distinct regions. In the west, there is the lonely Black Mountain (Mynydd Du), home to the beautiful glacial lakes of Llyn-Y-Fan Fach & Fawr.
The south of the park contains the Great Forest (Fforest Fawr), which contains dozens of wonderful waterfalls, one of which has featured in the Batman Trilogy.
The centre of the park houses the Brecon Beacons (Bannau Brycheiniog), A series of magnificent flat-topped peaks which includes the parks highest mountain, Pen-y-Fan (886m).
Finally, in the east are the Black Mountains (Y Mynyddoedd Duon) a series of rolling ridges and peaks which are straddle the border of England and Wales.
To make your decision easier and help narrow down your choice of where to visit and what to do I have written this comprehensive guide. Within which I have listed the top things to see and do in the Brecon Beacons, alongside the best hikes, a guide to the waterfalls, and listed some of my favourite places to eat.
I hope you find it useful and if you have any questions or comments feel free to drop me a message via email or instagram.
Individual hike and area guides
Central Brecon Beacons
Western Brecon Beacons
Waterfall Country
Eastern Brecon Beacons
Getting to and around the Brecon Beacons
The Brecon Beacons is located between South and Mid-wales just north of the countries capital of Cardiff. The park covers over 520 square miles and straddles three Welsh counties meaning it can be accessed very easily from south and mid-Wales, alongside England.
By Train
There are train stations available in Abergavenny, Llandeilo, Llandovery, and Merthyr Tydfil. From Cardiff, you can get hourly direct trains to Abergavenny on the Cardiff-Manchester line, and you can get trains to Merthyr Tydfil every half hour which take around one hour.
By Bus
Regular services run into the park from South Wales and Hereford.
The T4 runs from Cardiff to Newtown via Brecon.
The T6 runs from Swansea to Brecon.
The X55 Cymru Clipper service from Swansea and Neath now runs to the Angel Inn in Pontneddfechan, which provides easy access to Waterfall Country.
If you are looking for a combined package then the Explore Wales Pass offers unlimited travel on all rail services and most local bus services in Wales. It can be used on all local bus services (except services 1, 2, 442, T2 and X75) in and around the Brecon Beacons National Park.
The pass is valid for a period of eight consecutive days. Trains can be used on four of these days and buses can be used on all eight days. https://www.traveline.cymru/
Where to eat in the Brecon Beacons National Park
There are numerous highly rated pubs and cafes dotted throughout the park with several of them being located in the town of Brecon. I have listed five below which have taken my fancy but a full list can be found here.
Hills Brecon - A family run burger restaurant, which has gained legendary status in the national park. Situated just outside the town of Brecon, they specialise in a wide range of incredible burgers with all of their produce being sourced locally. Open Tuesday to Sunday alongside bank holidays, you will have to book in advance to avoid disappointment.
Brecon Tap - Homely café & pub offering a wide range of savoury pies alongside local & international beers. A perfect place for refilling after a long day in the hills.
Cat Soup Kitchen - A small café with lots of outdoor seating situated on the banks of the River Usk in Brecon. Serves lunch, breakfast, and dinner alongside hot drinks and at a very affordable price.
Latte Da Tea Room - Situated in Crickhowell, Latte Da serves great coffee, homemade cakes, gourmet sourdough sandwiches, award winning gelato alongside wide variety of breakfast options.
Casa Brecon - Lovely little café with friendly staff, delicious wraps, sandwiches and bagels
Proper Pizza - A Local pizza company offering a wide variety of handmade, locally sourced stone baked pizzas.
Where to stay in the Brecon Beacons
As I live locally I have always travelled into the National park for day trips or wild camped here.
Alongside Air B&B there are a whole range of options to suit people of all budgets. A full list of accommodation options in the Brecon Beacons can be found here.
The only place i have stayed in the Nant Ddu lodge for work. Situated 3.5 miles from the the start point of Pen-y-fan, it’s a 3 star hotel with a great onsite restaurant alongside a pool and spa.
Although the rooms are a little dated, it’s in a great location, has plenty of free parking and is a great option if you are looking to unwind after a day in the hills.
If you have a car, I would consider looking at accommodation options in the cities of Cardiff or Swansea. Alongside being more lively in the evenings you can reach the main locations in the Brecon Beacons in under an hour.
Go Wild Camping - For an experience and a view like no other. Yes, it may be technically illegal but it’s widely tolerated across the UK national parks as long as you follow the unofficial rules, which I have stated in my blog post below, and leave no trace.
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For more hiking and photography inspiration check out my in-depth guide to Wales’s other key regions below