Camping in the Brecon Beacons National Park is all about the great outdoors – but that doesn’t mean you have to rough it. While mountain bothies and barn bunkhouses offer beds for climbers and walkers on a shoestring, there are now plenty of options for the more glamorous camper too. Take, for example, the three safari tents at Gilestone Farm which stretch the definition of camping to its most luxurious limits – hot tubs and all.
The location, a few minutes’ stroll from the hiking and biking hub of Talybont, means getting out to explore is easy. And, when the sun sinks behind the peaks of the Beacons, you can settle down in tented luxury here. The beds in separated canvas bedrooms are made up for you, the sitting room has proper sofas and a wood-burning stove. A reviving cup of tea is just the flick of a switch away with kitchen essentials, kettle and electricity supply all included and, if you don’t fancy cooking, you don’t have to: You can pre-order a homemade casserole to warm on the fire while you relax in the hot tub or enjoy a hot shower in your own private bathroom.
But, like we said, the Brecon Beacons are all about the great outdoors and you don’t have to stray far from your tent to make the most of it. A river forms one of Gilestone Farm’s boundaries, the Mon and Brec Canal another. Within them there’s a woodland with trails you’re encouraged to explore, a community orchard with pears for the taking and a little lake where wild swimming and boating are allowed. The acre-and-a-half glamping meadow is very much part of a working farm and Charles, your host and the farm’s owner, offers guided tours to meet its cows and sheep.
If you should stumble beyond the farm’s fences, it won’t be long before you find three decent pubs, a delightful canalside café and a place to hire bikes. There’s plenty of walking, cycling, canoeing and climbing in the surrounding area. But the location, midway between Brecon and Crickhowell, also means Beacons’ market towns and visitor attractions are within reach. A scenic 40-minute drive west takes you to a Red Kite Feeding Centre or the National Showcaves at Dan yr Ogof. A similar distance south gets you to the Brecon Mountain Railway and, if you head north-east, to the charming book town of Hay-on-Wye. Alternatively, of course, you could just stay on site and play a board game, read a book and watch the wildlife – or allow yourself another half hour in that hot tub.
Hosted by Charles W.
Joined in July 2018The farm itself is home to wildlife including pheasants, buzzards and red kites and livestock including sheep and cows. Ask owner, Charles, for a tour. It’s just 350 yards to the village of Talybont where there’s a canal, 2 rivers and plenty of walks and cycle routes. Bikes and Hikes in the village (07909 968135) offers bike hire and other adventure activities. A couple of miles south is Talybont Reservoir where you can walk, birdwatch or fish. A further 4 miles away are the Blaen-y-Glyn waterfalls, also a nice place for a walk. Cantref Adventure Farm (01874 665223) is 4 miles from site, offering horseriding, farmyard fun and Europe’s longest sledge ride. The market town of Brecon is a 15-minute drive away and has a famous cathedral and The Regimental Museum of the Royal Welsh (01874 613310). There’s a tourist information centre too (01874 620860). On the outskirts of town is Brecon Play Barn (01874 623480). Crickhowell is a similar distance and the literary town of Hay-on-Wye is just a little further. Beyond Brecon, a 40-minute drive away, there’s a Red Kite Feeding Centre (01550 740617). It’s also around 40 minutes to the showcaves at Dan-yr-Ogof (01639 730284), the National Botanic Gardens of Wales (01558 667149) and about 30 minutes to Pant where you can step aboard the Brecon Mountain Railway (01685 722988).
You can order casseroles and provisions from your hosts in advance of your stay, if you don’t fancy cooking. But, if you do, you can pick up supplies from Talybont’s village shop, which also has a Canalside Café (01874 676663), or head out 3 miles to pick up local produce from the Welsh Venison Centre and Farm Shop (01874 730929). Talybont has three pubs; The Star (01874 676635), The Travellers Rest (01874 676333) and The White Hart (01874 676227). Also recommended are The Felin Fach Griffin (01874 620111), 10 miles away, and the Three Horse Shoes Inn (01874 665672), 5 miles away.
