ELAN VALLEY

By day or by night, this dramatic swathe of rural Wales offers plenty of ways to embrace the great outdoors

Why go

The glacier-cut landscape cradled within Wales’s Cambrian Mountains is beautiful during the day, but for many, it’s all about the night. Whether explored solo or on one of the privately owned estate’s events, this wild haven in the heart of the country is an International Dark Sky Park — one of just 10 in the UK recognised for their phenomenal night skies. It isn’t the stargazing alone that draws more than 200,000 people to the valley every year — when dawn breaks, there’s a new world of hiking trails, architectural heritage and pristine landscapes to discover. elanvalley.org.uk

What to do

The Victorian dams of the Elan Valley are formidable. Built to allow the flow of fresh, clean water 73 miles east to Birmingham, they’re connected by a smooth, 16-mile hiking and cycling track that takes in the spectacular Craig Goch, as well as the fortress-like Claerwen. Experience one of the Elan Valley’s dam open days, where you’ll descend into the dark stone passages of Pen-y-garreg to the sound of the river colliding with its retaining wall. Emerge by the dam’s crowning valve tower for a bird’seye view of the reservoir, and acres upon acres of woodland.

Where to stay

In the nearby village of Builth Wells, follow a tree-lined road to the Grade II-listed Caer Beris Manor Hotel, a Tudor-revival country house flanked by hills and looped by the River Irfon. The lounge and bar are decked out in art nouveau wallpaper and furnished with wingback armchairs. A full Welsh breakfast using local Brecon ingredients is included. From £140. caerberis.com

We like

Discovering the wildlife — the valley is a region of Celtic rainforest, home to unusual insect and fungi species and more than

180 bird species. As you follow the marked trail through the landscape, you’ll pass sessile oak, lucid patchworks of lichen and waterfalls. Join a ranger-led walk to spot some of the Valley’s critters, including birds, bats and glow worms.

Where to eat

Get knockout portions of traditional fare at The Old Swan Tea Rooms, a cosy roost set at the market town crossroads in Rhayader. Further afield but worth the journey is The Felin Fach Griffin, a renowned pub in the Brecon region, for dishes such as lamb breast with white bean mash and sweetbreads. eatdrinksleep.ltd.uk NORA WALLAYA