The prospect of witnessing a shooting star provides the perfect excuse not to pull the blind across that Heki rooflight at night
Things To Do
Cycle or walk along the traffic-free Usk Valley Walk between Brecon and Abergavenny (and beyond to Usk) or the Taff Trail, which covers 55 miles between Brecon and Cardiff Bay. Both are virtually traffic-free for the entire route through the Brecon Beacons, utilising the towpath of the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal and, for the Taff Trail, disused railways and forest tracks to Pontsticill on the edge of the national park.
View the Brecon Beacons from a railway carriage while on board a steam train. The Brecon Mountain Railway runs from the station at Pant, just north of Merthyr Tydfil along the full length of the Pontsticill Reservoir to Torpanteau high in the Brecon Beacons. There are marvellous views of the reservoir and the surrounding mountains.
Hire an electric boat on the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal. Dragonfly Cruises rents out small self-drive boats from the canal basin in Brecon, including two picnic launches, which carry up to eight people and incorporate plush seating and picnic tables. It’s a lovely way to explore the canal up to Brynich Lock.
Visit The Regimental Museum of The Royal Welsh in Brecon, providing an illustrated history of 320 years of military service. On display are military artefacts, a vast collection of images and exhibitions on specific military battles and wars, including the Second World War.
Make the most of the Brecon Beacon National Park’s status as an International Dark Sky Reserve to witness the Milky Way, meteor showers and major constellations. There are numerous stargazing and astronomical events held throughout the year in various locations and for all ages, a great way to get started if you don’t have your own telescope.
Getting There
The quickest route into the Brecon Beacons National Park (and to Brecon itself) is to utilise the M4 to Cardiff followed by the A470 dual carriageway to Merthyr Tydfil and beyond. An alternative and particularly attractive route from the east of the region is to use the M50 and A40 to Abergavenny. Once in the park, care should be taken on this route at Bwlch as, while perfectly accessible to caravans, there is a sharp hairpin bend and steep climb. The A40 also continues west of Brecon along the top of the National Park to Llandovery (and beyond), a useful road for accessing the most western areas of the National Park. From North Wales, use the A470 to Brecon. Take care also on the B4558 from Brecon to Llangattock if towing; it is narrow in places and it’s advisable, unless required to approach a campsite, to use the parallel A40 instead.
If you’re passing through the area and wish to stop in Brecon, you can park with a towed caravan in The Promenade car park in Fenni-Fach Road to the west of the town centre. Sufficient pay and display tickets should be purchased for the number of bays taken up with both car and caravan.
