The Brecon Beacons National Park is one of the best National Parks in the UK and offer walkers the opportunity to cover some real distance whilst at the same time seeing some fantastic view and countryside.
This area offers walkers the opportunity test themselves against everything from easy flat paths to the most difficult and steep mountain ascents. The Park is one of three National Parks in Wales and was first established in 1957 and covers an area of 520 Square Miles between the Welsh and English border near Swansea.
This area offers walkers the opportunity test themselves against everything from easy flat paths to the most difficult and steep mountain ascents. The Park is one of three National Parks in Wales and was first established in 1957 and covers an area of 520 Square Miles between the Welsh and English border near Swansea. The countryside consists of open countryside with grassy slopes which have developed on red sandstone. Generally the northern side of the Beacons, you find the steep mountains, whilst on the southern side is more flat with some waterfalls and caves.
Whilst there is a lot of flat and low level walking in this area, generally hikers and climbers come to this area of the Welsh Mountainside for its four mountain ranges, the Black Mountain (to the East and west), Fforest Fawr and the Brecon Beacons which each have their own individual personality with the Black Mountains, typically surrounded by open countryside and although there are some fantastic views from the summit. Forest Fawr offers a magnitude of different of different walks from very easy flat countryside to the high ground in the North which not only offers quiet walks but also some amazing views of both the Brecon Beacons and Black Mountains.
The highest point in the area is the Pen y Fan Summit which at 2907 ft offers climber a number of routes to ascent the mountain from the simple walk up the side, to the more direct route, straight up the face on the mountain to the summit. This route is quite difficult but does offer users a quicker ascent meaning that a day trip to the summit and back to your car is a difficult and exhausting walk, but is possible for those that are physically fit.
If you’re looking for a challenging walk, but are not an experience climber and therefore do not want to bring either specialist navigation or climbing equipment with you, then look at the Black Mountains to the East which offer enjoyable, but not very taxing day walks. As an example, Hay Bluff which as just of 2000 Ft is a easy day walk that still offers superb views across the Wye Valley and into the English countryside.
If you’re wanting some longer walks and the ability to camp overnight, then the Brecon Beacons can offer this as well. The 100 mile Brecon Way walk was recently opened, which starts from Abergavenny and effectively runs the entire length of the National Park and ends in Llangadog, however this does mean that you’re going to need to adopt the two car method of leaving one car t the end and the other at the beginning to ensure that you can drive yourself home at the end of the 5 day walk.
