The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Travel
20 reasons to visit the Brecon Beacons
From medieval castles to Michelin stars, Paul Bloomfield reveals the best things to experience in the Welsh national park
ROAM WALES’S MOST ROMANTIC RUIN
Crowning a limestone crag in the southwestern foothills of the Brecon Beacons, Carreg Cennen Castle is the archetypal medieval stronghold: fractured, tumbledown, yet still monumental and intact enough to give a palpable sense of its former eminence. Mostly dating from Edward I’s ambitious 13th-century pan-Welsh construction project, the forbidding curtain walls, gatehouse, towers and “secret” passage to the cave beneath are ineffably atmospheric, and the views from its clifftop eyrie – west across Carmarthenshire and south to the Black Mountain – are breathtaking. Entry £5.50/£3.50 adults/concession; carregcennencastle.com
DISCOVER HIDDEN DEPTHS In 1912, the brothers Morgan clambered into a cleft in the rock from which the river Llynfell gushed. They discovered by flickering candlelight the 11-mile long chain of caverns and tunnels that now comprises Dan-yr-Ogof National Showcaves Centre. You can gawp at waterfall-echoing, monumental Cathedral Cave; Bone Cave, in which 42 Bronze Age skeletons were found; and Dan-yr-Ogof itself, adorned with glistening limestone formations. Various family-friendly attractions – lifesized dinosaur models, a shire horse centre, a reconstructed Iron Age village – round off a visit but it’s the spectacular cave system that mesmerises. Entry £16/£13 adults/children; showcaves.co.uk
TAKE THE REINS
Herds of hardy Welsh mountain ponies have roamed these ridges and valleys for centuries. Though no longer working on – and indeed under – the Brecon Beacons as draft or pit ponies, today the few hundred surviving representatives of this rare breed perform an important conservation role, their unfussy tastes and perennial grazing helping to keep upland habitats in good condition. For a chance of meeting one of the remaining herds in the hills above Brecon, join a pony trek into the national park from Cantref Riding Centre.
Treks from £41.25/£68.50 half-day/ five-hour ride; cantref.com/trekking
WOLF WELSH RAREBIT
The roots of this curiously named snack are, if not lost in the mists of time, certainly blurry: a jibe at Welsh peasants, perhaps, or simply a nod to a common dish of the valleys. The melting treats served at the International Welsh Rarebit Centre redefine the genre, with half a dozen imaginative variations on the original mustard-and-cheese toastie. And this enticing café, in an imaginatively converted Victorian schoolhouse, is more than a one-trick bunny: discover an entertaining exhibition on rarebit and regional history, a gallery displaying pieces by local artists, plus pop-up restaurant nights, music and literary events.
Facebook: International Welsh Rarebit Centre; 01874 636843
JOIN KITE CLUB
Persecuted to the brink of extinction across Britain, by the end of the 19th century just a handful of red kites clung on in Wales. Thankfully, following intensive protection efforts, this magnificent bird of prey is now thriving again – and you have a good chance of admiring its aerial prowess in the skies above the Brecon Beacons. For a guaranteed encounter, visit Llanddeusant Red Kite Feeding Centre where regular afternoon feasts attract dozens of these raptors vying for
tidbits, plus buzzards and ravens eager to share the spoils.
Entry £6/£3 adults/children; Wednesday-Sunday 3pm (daily school and bank holidays); redkiteswales.co.uk
CROSS FOUR RANGES ON FOOT
Despite its name, the Brecon Beacons National Park encompasses not just the central Beacons but also three adjacent but distinct ranges: the Black Mountains, Fforest Fawr and Black Mountain. To appreciate the national park’s four-in-one scenic diversity, take to the trails – specifically, the 99-mile Beacons Way that crosses the reserve between Llangadog and Abergavenny. This wilfully circuitous meander, usually completed over eight undulating days, takes in wild upland moors, glacial lakes, standing stones, sheer escarpments and sweeping views. Drovers Holidays is among operators offering supported self-guided tours, from £695 including eight nights’ B&B, maps and luggage transfers; droverholidays.co.uk
SAVOUR WELSH SPIRIT Whisky, it has to be said, isn’t the tipple most associated with Wales. Yet the country has a long history of distilling – albeit a stop-start one – reputedly beginning in the fourth century. Today’s standout producer is
Penderyn, which in 2004 launched the first whisky distilled in Wales for more than 100 years, using spring water from the southern Brecon Beacons to create a light, fast-maturing single malt. Join a weekly masterclass to learn about the distilling and barrel-maturing processes – and, importantly, to sip the resulting spirits; gin, vodka and rum round off the range.
Tour/masterclass £11.50/£60; penderyn.wales
EXPLORE AN INDUSTRIAL POWERHOUSE
From the 18th century, Britain’s industrial might was forged in the valleys of south Wales, where coal mines, limestone quarries and ironworks yielded raw materials for the nation’s factories, shipyards and railways. Blaenavon, at the southern edge of the Brecon Beacons, was a focal point for all of these activities, and today you can explore a cluster of immersive industrial attractions here including the Georgian Ironworks (£5.50/£3.90 adults/children; cadw.gov.wales), Blaenavon Heritage Railway (bhrailway.co. uk) and, for a deep dive into Welsh mining history and culture, the Big Pit National Coal Museum (free; museum. wales/bigpit).
PEDAL PEAKS AND VALLEYS The Beacons beguile bikers: more than 100 miles of trails lace the park’s diverse terrain, from grassy moorland to gnarly forest single tracks. For a concentrated dose of
adrenaline, make for BikePark Wales (day entry with/without uplift from £37/£14; bikeparkwales.com), where 40-plus flow and technical trails range from green beginner-friendly routes – including the newly opened Kermit – to challenging red and black runs. To explore higher and wilder reaches, pick up the National Park Authority’s pack of route descriptions (£8.50; shop. beacons-npa.gov.uk) or book a guided tour with an experienced guide through Treads and Trails (full day, up to three riders £140; treadsandtrails.co.uk). 10
FEAST ON LOCAL FLAVOURS
A constellation of artisan producers and restaurants has come to orbit the attractive market town of Abergavenny. The focal point of the culinary calendar is the annual food festival (September 18-19 2021; abergavennyfoodfestival.com), when big-name chefs and writers beef up a programme of talks, tastings, masterclasses and cookery lessons. But with its enviable array of cooking and baking schools, markets showcasing local artisan producers – which include award-winning Sugar Loaf Vineyards (sugarloafvineyards.co.uk) – and restaurants led by Michelin-starred the Walnut Tree (thewalnuttreeinn.com), it’s a tasty destination year round.
11
PLAY LORD OR LADY OF
THE MANOR
Architectural etiquette in Wales has changed somewhat over the years. Following their conquest, Norman nobles planted burly stone castles as a statement of power; in Tudor times, entertaining peers became a higher priority for the landed gentry. Explore medieval mores from both eras at Tretower Court and Castle, whose hulking 13th-century stone tower overlooks a 15th-century court built by the influential Vaughan dynasty to host family and friends; visit the restored great hall, prepared for a grand feast, and learn how to party like it’s 1469.
12
RIDE HIGH ON THERMALS The sheer escarpments of the Brecon Beacons don’t just look dramatic – they also generate powerful air currents that provide superb conditions for gliding of all kinds, whether fixed-wing or under fabric foils. The northern slopes of the Black Mountains, in particular, are renowned for strong thermals and long flight times – and with about 70 miles of ridges nearby facing in different directions, you’ll almost always find a suitable spot from which to soar. To discover the thrill of unpowered flight, book a i On top of the taster session with the Black Mountain world: the region Gliding Club at Talgarth. offers hiking for all Gliding Experience £125; levels of ability blackmountainsgliding.co.uk
13
CRUISE A CANAL
Two centuries ago, the waterway now known as the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal was bustling with barges transporting coal, limestone and iron from the pits, quarries and forges of south Wales. Today, the “Mon and Brec” is literally a backwater, an aquatic country lane along which kayakers, stand-up paddleboarders, cyclists and narrowboats noodle. Hire an electric day boat from Dragon Fly in Brecon (£30/£50 for one/ three hours; brecondayboats.com) or a Road House Narrowboat (three-night short breaks from £703; narrowboatswales.co.uk) to explore the 35-mile stretch between Brecon and Pontymoile Basin, admiring otters, kingfishers and country pubs en route.
14
FORAGE FOR WILD FOOD Beefsteak fungus, wild sorrel, hedgehog mushrooms and more: the menu of free-range food in the Brecon Beacons is extensive and, for most of us, somewhat mysterious. Fortunately, foraging expert and writer Adele Nozedar is on hand to advise on the choicest (and safest) morsels to squeeze, sniff and pick. Join her on a 2½-hour sensory stroll through the hills around Abergavenny, seasoned with tidbits of arboreal and local lore (last Sunday of each month; £40; breconbeaconsforaging.com). Or add a miniature donkey to the mix for a family-friendly foray (£35/£25 adults/children; gooddayout.co.uk).
15
PADDLE PEACEFUL LAKES Where mountains loom, lakes and rivers abound. The Brecon Beacons are studded with liquid gems – from mystical Llyn y Fan Fach (with its folklore legend of the Lady of the Lake, a beautiful girl who arose from the lake only to return there), to the lively little mere of Llangorse, beloved of windsurfers and fishers; the Wye flows along the national park’s northeastern boundary, too. For maximum peace and panoramic views, launch into the serene Pontsticill, Pentwyn and Usk reservoirs, where sheltered conditions make for relaxing canoeing with a sprinkling of birdwatching – spot tufted duck, pochard and numerous migrants.
A guided half-day reservoir excursion with Sandeman Canoe Company costs from £55/£45 adults/children; sandemancanoecompany.co.uk
16
TO MARKET, TO MARKET The perky market town of Llandeilo, at the Brecon Beacons’ westernmost corner, is a photographer’s (and gourmet’s) delight. Pastel-hued houses tumble down the hillside to the Tywi river, guarded to the west by the muscular remains of Dinefwr Castle, that medieval hilltop bastion flanked by a deer park surrounding 17th-century Newton House (entry £8/£4 adults/children; nationaltrust.org.uk/dinefwr).
Fill your memory card with shots of stone battlements, fallow deer and the Capability Brownadvised landscapes, then fill your picnic basket with venison salami – among the delectable treats at Ginhaus deli (ginhaus.co.uk), the pick of Llandeilo’s many gastronomic highlights. 17
FALL FOR THE CASCADES Gorge-walking is a somewhat misleading name for an activity best enjoyed in the rocky valleys cleaving the Brecon Beacons’ southern slopes. In truth, you see, there’s less walking involved, more clambering, sliding, leaping, splashing, gulping, gasping and yelling. Few parts of Britain offer either the thrills or the natural beauty of the rocklined, waterfall-foamed rivers north and west of Merthyr Tydfil; a littoral traverse with Adventure Britain offers an alternative to hiking the busy trails. Don neoprene and helmet, and choose between gorge-walking and canyoning, one notch up on the adrenaline gauge.
From £55 per person; adventurebritain.com
18
STAY UP FOR STARGAZING
In a region where sheep outnumber humans 30 to one, light pollution is virtually nonexistent – a quality of the Brecon Beacons recognised in 2013 with designation as an International Dark Sky Reserve. On clear, moonless nights the heavens glister with constellations, comets and nebulae, and the Milky Way lies draped across the firmament like a glowing gossamer scarf. It is certainly a sight to behold. To learn the names of those infinite astral bodies, as well as absorbing some of the mythology and science of the cosmos, join a nocturnal astronomy adventure with the experts at
Dark Sky Wales.
Group stargazing sessions £20; darkskywalestrainingservices. co.uk
19
ENJOY BOOKS, BITES
AND BOATS
Sure, Hay’s 30-ish bookshops and renowned literary festival draw bibliophiles like moths to a flame. But there is more to the allure of this beguiling burg, guarded by the remains of a Norman castle and the Jacobean mansion built within its stone walls, which are currently undergoing restoration. The Wye sweeps past, demarking the northernmost corner of the Brecon Beacons. Hire a canoe to paddle the half-day stretch to Whitney (£35; canoehire. co.uk). Then cool off with the finest sheep’s-milk ice cream from Shepherds (shepherdsicecream.co.uk), whose unique flavour combinations include damson and sloe gin, and gooseberry and elderflower crumble. hay-on-wye.co.uk
20
HIKE THE HEIGHTS In the east of the national park, ridges unfurl from Waun Fach like gnarled fingers, with remote, verdant valleys burrowed between each digit. Less sheer but also far less busy than Pen y Fan and the central Beacons, an ascent of Waun Fach – at 2,660ft the loftiest peak in the Black Mountains – is a walk on the wild side, rewarding with far-reaching views across to the Wye Valley. Join a guided 14-mile hike with Trigpoint Adventures to traverse high-level ridges, descend via the “Dragon’s Back” (Y Grib) and visit the atmospheric hilltop remains of Castell Dinas, the highest castle in the whole of England and Wales.
Hikes cost £38 per person; trigpointadventures.co.uk
12
RIDE HIGH ON THERMALS i On top of the The sheer escarpments of the world: the region Brecon Beacons don’t just look offers hiking for all dramatic – they also generate levels of ability powerful air currents that provide superb conditions for gliding of all kinds, whether fixed-wing or under fabric foils. The northern slopes of the
Black Mountains, in particular, are renowned for strong thermals and long flight times – and with about 70 miles of ridges nearby facing in different directions, you’ll almost always find a suitable spot from which to soar. To discover the thrill of unpowered flight, book a taster session with the Black Mountain Gliding Club at Talgarth.
Gliding Experience £125; blackmountainsgliding.co.uk
13
CRUISE A CANAL
Two centuries ago, the waterway now known as the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal was bustling with barges transporting coal, limestone and iron from the pits, quarries and forges of south Wales. Today, the “Mon and Brec” is literally a backwater, an aquatic country lane along which kayakers, stand-up paddleboarders, cyclists and narrowboats noodle. Hire an electric day boat from Dragon Fly in Brecon (£30/£50 for one/ three hours; brecondayboats.com) or a Road House Narrowboat (three-night short breaks from £703; narrowboatswales.co.uk) to explore the 35-mile stretch between Brecon and Pontymoile Basin, admiring otters, kingfishers and country pubs en route.
14
FORAGE FOR WILD FOOD Beefsteak fungus, wild sorrel, hedgehog mushrooms and more: the menu of free-range food in the Brecon Beacons is extensive and, for most of us, somewhat mysterious. Fortunately, foraging expert and writer Adele Nozedar is on hand to advise on the choicest (and safest) morsels to squeeze, sniff and pick. Join her on a 2½-hour sensory stroll through the hills around Abergavenny, seasoned with tidbits of arboreal and local lore (last Sunday of each month; £40; breconbeaconsforaging.com). Or add a miniature donkey to the mix for a family-friendly foray (£35/£25 adults/children; gooddayout.co.uk).
15
PADDLE PEACEFUL LAKES Where mountains loom, lakes and rivers abound. The Brecon Beacons are studded with liquid gems – from mystical Llyn y Fan Fach (with its folklore legend of the Lady of the Lake, a beautiful girl who arose from the lake only to return there), to the lively little mere of Llangorse, beloved of windsurfers and fishers; the Wye flows along the national park’s northeastern boundary, too. For maximum peace and panoramic views, launch into the serene Pontsticill, Pentwyn and Usk reservoirs, where sheltered conditions make for relaxing canoeing with a sprinkling of birdwatching – spot tufted duck, pochard and numerous migrants.
A guided half-day reservoir excursion with Sandeman Canoe Company costs from £55/£45 adults/children; sandemancanoecompany.co.uk
16
TO MARKET, TO MARKET The perky market town of Llandeilo, at the Brecon Beacons’ westernmost corner, is a photographer’s (and gourmet’s) delight. Pastel-hued houses tumble down the hillside to the Tywi river, guarded to the west by the muscular remains of Dinefwr Castle, that medieval hilltop bastion flanked by a deer park surrounding 17th-century Newton House (entry £8/£4 adults/children; nationaltrust.org.uk/dinefwr).
Fill your memory card with shots of stone battlements, fallow deer and the Capability Brownadvised landscapes, then fill your picnic basket with venison salami – among the delectable treats at Ginhaus deli (ginhaus.co.uk), the pick of Llandeilo’s many gastronomic highlights. 17
FALL FOR THE CASCADES Gorge-walking is a somewhat misleading name for an activity best enjoyed in the rocky valleys cleaving the Brecon Beacons’ southern slopes. In truth, you see, there’s less walking involved, more clambering, sliding, leaping, splashing, gulping, gasping and yelling. Few parts of Britain offer either the thrills or the natural beauty of the rocklined, waterfall-foamed rivers north and west of Merthyr Tydfil; a littoral traverse with Adventure Britain offers an alternative to hiking the busy trails. Don neoprene and helmet, and choose between gorge-walking and canyoning, one notch up on the adrenaline gauge.
From £55 per person; adventurebritain.com
18
STAY UP FOR
STARGAZING
In a region where sheep outnumber humans 30 to one, light pollution is virtually nonexistent – a quality of the Brecon Beacons recognised in 2013 with designation as an International Dark Sky Reserve. On clear, moonless nights the heavens glister with constellations, comets and nebulae, and the Milky Way lies draped across the firmament like a glowing gossamer scarf. It is certainly a sight to behold. To learn the names of those infinite astral bodies, as well as absorbing some of the mythology and science of the cosmos, join a nocturnal astronomy adventure with the experts at
Dark Sky Wales. 19
ENJOY BOOKS, BITES
AND BOATS
Sure, Hay’s 30-ish bookshops and renowned literary festival draw bibliophiles like moths to a flame. But there is more to the allure of this beguiling burg, guarded by the remains of a Norman castle and the Jacobean mansion built within its stone walls, which are currently undergoing restoration. The Wye sweeps past, demarking the northernmost corner of the Brecon Beacons. Hire a canoe to paddle the half-day stretch to Whitney (£35; canoehire. co.uk). Then cool off with the finest sheep’s-milk ice cream from Shepherds (shepherdsicecream.co.uk), whose unique flavour combinations include damson and sloe gin, and gooseberry and elderflower crumble. hay-on-wye.co.uk
20
HIKE THE HEIGHTS In the east of the national park, ridges unfurl from Waun Fach like gnarled fingers, with remote, verdant valleys burrowed between each digit. Less sheer but also far less busy than Pen y Fan and the central Beacons, an ascent of Waun Fach – at 2,660ft the loftiest peak in the Black Mountains – is a walk on the wild side, rewarding with far-reaching views across to the Wye Valley. Join a guided 14-mile hike with Trigpoint Adventures to traverse high-level ridges, descend via the “Dragon’s Back” (Y Grib) and visit the atmospheric hilltop remains of Castell Dinas, the highest castle in the whole of England and Wales.
Hikes cost £38 per person; trigpointadventures.co.uk