Best walks in the Brecon Beacons National Park
From spectacular ridgelines and mountains to glistening waterfalls, rivers and lakes, the Brecon Beacons National Park in South Wales has something for everyone. Our guide looks at the best walks in the Brecon Beacons – all within an hour's drive of several major cities.
Discover the riches of this spectacular national park with our guide to the best hikes in the Brecon Beacons.
Brief history of the Brecon Beacons National Park
The Brecon Beacons National Park comprises four regions: the Brecon Beacons, Black Mountains, Fan Frycheiniog and Forest Fawr. Our guide looks at the best walks in the Brecon Beacons – all within an hour’s drive of several major cities.
The area was designated as a national park in 1957, later achieving International Dark Sky Reserve status in February 2013. The park covers an area of 519 square miles and it’s highest point is Pen y Fan (886m).
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Best hikes in the Brecon Beacons
Cribyn, Powys
Often overshadowed by its towering neighbour, Pen y Fan, this verdant mountain in the heart of the Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales is one of Britain’s most understated peaks.
Pen y Fan, Powys
Pen y Fan is one of the most popular peaks in the Brecon Beacons National Park. Most visitors hike to the mountain top from the Storey Arms – but for a quieter and more rewarding route, take the path up from Taf Fechan Forest past Neuadd Reservoir.
Blorenge, Monmouthshire
The rounded hilltop of Blorenge in the Brecon Beacons National Park was once dominated by industry – now, wildlife flourishes among vast swathes of heather moorland.
Craig-Cerrig-gleisiad, Powys
Climb any of the Brecon Beacons and you’ll find a stirring view. But the best of them all is the glowering peak of Craig-Cerrig-gleisiad. Purple Arctic-alpine flowers and bluebells colour this unique, craggy habitat.
Llanthony and Hatterall Ridge, Monmouthshire
Carn Pica, Powys
The Brecon Beacons National Park comprises many great peaks, each as worthy as the next – one of the most understated of these is Carn Pica. Explore this forgotten mountain and the surrounding landscape with a five-mile circular walk beginning and ending at Talybont Reservoir.
Fan Hir, Powys
This seven-mile route across the Black Mountain to Llyn y Fan Fawr in the Brecon Beacons National Park is wild and rugged – take on the path at walking pace, or for a little more excitement, try running the length of the ridge.
Craig-y-Cilau, Monmouthshire
Explore a dramatic – almost other-worldly – landscape in the Brecon Beacons National Park, shaped by an industrial past and now reclaimed by nature.
Llyn y Fan Fach, Camarthenshire
A four-mile walk in the west of the Brecon Beacons National Park along a bustling river, a lonely llyn and a wild mountain ridge.
Sugar Loaf Mountain, Monmouthshire
In its relatively modest 596m, the summit of Sugar Loaf in the Brecon Beacons National Park encompasses much that is magical about mountains, hills and woodland – explore this wonderful Welsh peak with a five-mile circular walk.
