While North Wales can speak of the mountains of Snowdonia, South Wales has its own set too – those that sit in the Brecon Beacons National Park. Mountain-wise you can roughly divide the park into three; to the west the hills that make up Black Mountain, including one of the highest peaks in the whole park, Carmarthen Fan. In the middle are those of the Brecon Beacons including the highest in the park, Pen-y-Fan. Finally in the east of the designated national park, the Black Mountains (not to be confused with Black Mountain in the west) with some of the most iconic shaped uplands like Sugar Loaf and Hay Bluff.
Whichever part you choose to base yourself, the Brecon Beacons National Park is a great place for a caravan holiday. Less dramatic than Snowdonia, the Brecon Beacons still have an aura of respect but you’ll also find beautiful, soft undulations and delightful valleys through which run sparkling streams and numerous lakes and reservoirs that sit peacefully amid the natural landscape.
Throughout the national park you’ll see the occasional pretty village, while the half a dozen larger towns circumnavigate the edge. These provide gateways to the central core – Abergavenny, Hay-on-Wye, Llandovery, Merthyr Tydfil and Brecon.
Of these the town of Brecon is the only one that actually resides within the boundary of the national park; it sits on the northern edge, midway between the eastern and western fringes. The town also sits across the River Usk, providing a really picturesque setting and the opportunity to discover Brecon by boat – even if that’s simply a small pedalo hired from The Promenade. You might also wish to make the most of the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal that starts and stops right in the centre of town. Not to be missed, though, is the charming, historic Market Hall or, indeed, the farmer’s market that takes place on the second Saturday of every month when you’ll be just as likely to find still-warm made-on-the-premises Welsh Cakes and handmade chocolates as you will locally produced fruit and veg. Yum!
Of course, the Brecon Beacons National Park is crying out for those who love outdoor activities whether that be walking in the hills or cycling in the valleys – or, indeed, vice versa. You’ll find watersports on Llangorse Lake, and waterfalls to marvel at throughout the appropriately named Waterfall Country in the south of the Park.
A great place from where to begin an information-hunt on the history, geology, activity or anything else you wish to know about the area is the National Park Visitor Centre at Libanus, four miles southwest of Brecon. Here you can also discover more about the Park’s status as an International Dark Sky Reserve, indicating the quality of the night sky throughout the area. With the prospect of witnessing a shooting star, it provides the perfect excuse not to pull the blind across that Heki rooflight at night!
Where to stay
Pick your spot to pitch in Brecon from our annual Top 100 Sites Guide, as voted for by you, where we reveal the UK’s best caravan parks. We break down each region for added ease, so the guide includes a section on the best caravan parks in Wales.
One of the most attractive places to pitch your caravan in the area is Lakeside Caravan Park, with touring pitches alongside the beautiful Llangorse Lake and numerous outdoor activities, including watersports, available.
Things to do
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Visit The Royal Welsh Museum, in Brecon town centre, which provides an illustrated history of 400 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.
5. 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.
When to visit
Brecon hosts many annual events though the two biggest take place in August – the Brecon County Show for rural and agricultural interest, and the Brecon Jazz Festival, considered particularly fine among music lovers. Also hosted by the town is the Brecon Beacons Food Festival each October.
For cyclists there’s the Abergavenny Festival of Cycling held every August while for foodies, opt for the Abergavenny Food Festival in September. If tummies don’t get their fill here, Hay-on-Wye also hosts a Summer Food Festival in June and a Winter Food Festival in November. Hay is also known worldwide, of course, for the Hay Festival of Literature and the Arts, which takes place at the end of May.
To make the most of the great outdoors, one of the best family events is the Brecon Beacons Canalathon, a team event in September, celebrating the 33-miles of the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal that runs through the national park. Meanwhile the pretty town of Crickhowell holds a walking festival each March, whether you prefer a strenuous hike in the hills or a gentle stroll.
Lastly, also in Crickhowell every August is the Green Man Festival. It’s considered one of the best-placed music festivals in the country, held in the beautiful surroundings of Glanusk Park.
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 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.
If you liked this… READ THESE:
South Wales – Practical Caravan Travel Guide
15 brilliant Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty to visit
Best caravan TV: our top picks
If you’ve enjoyed reading this article, why not get the latest news, reviews and features delivered direct to your door or inbox every month. Take advantage of our brilliant Practical Caravan magazine SUBSCRIBERS’ OFFER and SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER for regular weekly updates on all things caravan related.
The prospect of witnessing a shooting star provides the perfect excuse not to pull the blind across that Heki rooflight at night
