Home to beautiful views, historical ruins and some of the best walking paths in Europe, the Brecon Beacons in South Wales could be the perfect place for your next stay-cation.
Just 40 miles from Cardiff, the national park offers stunning views of the rolling hills in South Wales, amazing nature and wildlife as well biking trails, water sports and rock climbing.
The 520 mile park has a huge range of activities that suit both families and more intrepid visitors. One of the most popular walks in the beacons, and Wales, is climbing Pen Y Fan mountain.
The biggest mountain in South Wales offers breathtaking views of miles of rolling hills at its summit.
The gentlest route (from the Storey Arms Outdoor Centre,) is around four miles taking most people three to four hours to complete and is both suitable and safe for children.
Other popular routes include walking through Carreg Cennen Woods with the forest track taking in ancient ruins and interesting wildlife throughout the heavily wooded area.
Nature and wildlife are a huge part of what makes the national park so special, with a number of experiences perfect for families and young children.
These include: trekking with Alpacas, mini donkey walks and Sheepdog herding experiences from various locations across the park. Cantref Adventure Farm also offers families the opportunities to pet animals in their barn along with bottle feeding lambs and riding ponies.
The park offers a huge range of options for the more adventurous. From Canoeing to Kayaking and Paddleboarding, a number of lakes and rivers throughout the beacons offer something for thrill seekers.
Llangorse Lake, the largest natural lake in Wales, is also a popular fishing spot. The Beacons is also a popular location for rock climbers with the range of cliffs and crags offering opportunities for bouldering, abseiling and rope climbing.
One of the best things about the Brecon Beacons is that it is not overpopulated by tourists and day trippers, allowing visitors to enjoy its natural beauty in quiet surroundings.
An estimated four million people visit the Beacons every year, paling in comparison to the 18.1 million visitors to the Lake district and eye watering 38 million yearly visitors to the Cotswolds.
These lower numbers are reflected in the serenity of many of its walks, and greater availability and lower prices of some of the area’s best B&Bs and holiday homes.
How to get there?
Abergavenny station on the south-eastern edge of the park is the best connected station, with hourly trains on the Cardiff to Manchester route.
From the south of England, London or the Midlands TrainLine suggests changing at Newport for Abergavenny.