Riverside camping in Brecon Beacons National Park

The Brecon Beacons is an adventurer’s paradise with opportunities on land and water—The Beacons beckon runners, walkers, and peak baggers who want to conquer the national park’s highest peak, Pen-y-Fan, as well as climbers and cavers looking to explore the limestone caves and outcrops. But it’s not just a place for experienced explorers, as there are plenty of relaxing outdoor pursuits too.

Hiking and Walking

Hiking the 833-metre summit of Pen-y-Fan is likely the most popular activity in the Beacons, but with 2,000 miles of footpaths across the park, there's lots to choose from. Navigate your own route or follow waymarked trails like the Beacons Way, a 99-mile route running east-to-west. Offa’s Dyke Path also dips into the park as it traces the Welsh-English border. There’s more level walking along the tow paths of the Mon and Brec Canal, which joins the longer-distance Taff Trail. This 55-mile route links to Cardiff, largely following old railway lines and making for pleasant cycling. To see some of the park’s waterfalls, follow the five-mile Four Falls Walk.

Biking & Climbing

This area claims some of the best mountain biking terrain in Wales,  and the activity hubs of Brecon and Crickenhowell are the places to find routes. Climbing hotspots are plentiful too—these tend to be in the south of the park, along the limestone ridge that’s also home to the cave systems that make potholing and caving so popular here.

Water Sports

Kayaking, canoeing and paddleboarding can be enjoyed on the canal, even by beginners. The faster flowing Rivers Usk and Wye are home to some higher-graded waters for more experienced paddlers.

Family Fun

Brecon attractions include the Cantref Adventure Farm, where farmyard fun will be a hit with the kids. Another family favourite, this one on the south side of the park, is the Brecon Mountain Railway, which offers the chance to see the scenery without having to pull on the hiking boots. Elsewhere, the subterranean world is revealed at the National Showcave Centre of Wales, where visitors can explore part of an underground cave system discovered by two farmers in 1912. This spot has 10 attractions rolled into one admission ticket, including one of Europe’s largest dinosaur parks. About an hour east, you can head back underground at the Big Pit National Coal Museum to find out about Welsh industrial history.

There are lots of scenically situated villages in the Beacons, with most of the larger towns set around the park’s edges. Crickhowell in Monmouthshire Is the exception, located in the heart of the park and connected to Brecon on the northern edge. This walking hub offers outdoors shops, walking routes through the town, and an annual walking festival each March. But for many campers, Abergavenny, six miles south of Crickhowell, is the first Beacons town they come across. A gateway to the park on its very southern boundary, Abergavenny is a market town and a great place to pick up supplies.

At the other end of the A40 artery through the eastern end of the national park, Brecon is another town with independent shops, outdoor retailers, and the Brecon Beacons National Park Visitor Centre, where campers can grab maps and information (or hit the tearoom with its views of Pen-y-Fan).. Here, art galleries and small museums can keep campers occupied on rainy days too. And its canal basin is the launching point for cruises down the Mon and Brec Canal, as well as the starting (or finishing) point of the 55-mile Taff Trail.

From Brecon it’s 15 miles east to another Beacon gateway town: Hay-on-Wye. On the very northeastern tip of the national park, this  town of books features lots of second-hand bookshops and a famous literary festival. It’s also on the banks of the River Wye and on Offa’s Dyke National Trail, which traces the Welsh-English border. Over on the western edge of the national park, Llandeilo in the Towy Valley is another attractive town that was once an ancient capital of Wales—nearby Dinefwr Castle serves as a reminder.