Bannau Brycheiniog
Hills and mountains in southeast Wales and the borders
1,347 sq km/520 sq miles
National park - Parc Cenedlaethol
Wales - West Midlands
Some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in southern Britain can be found in this area stretching from Hay on Wye in the east to Llandeilo in the west. The area includes the Black Mountains, the Central Beacons and Fforest Fawr as well as moorland, forests, valleys, waterfalls, lakes, caves and gorges.
In the southwest corner of the park is Craig-y-nos Country Park, 16ha/40 acres of historic gardens, woodland, meadows and water, with its own visitor centre (see contacts below).
All the park is in Wales except for a tiny section that spills over into Herefordshire south of Hay on Wye.
Accessibility
For details of easy access sites and routes, contact the National Park Authority or information centres (below). Craig-y-Nos Country Park has a network of accessible paths: more details and a map from the visitor centre (below)
Public transport
Abergavenny is well served by trains from Newport and Manchester with easy connections to southern and northwest England. Hereford, within easy reach of the park to the east, has good connections to the Midlands and London. Llandovery has trains to Swansea and Merthyr Tydfil has trains to Cardiff. Long distance coaches connect Brecon with Cardiff and Abergavenny with Birmingham. A private steam railway, the Brecon Mountain Railway, runs between Pant and Pontsticill during the summer (tel 01685 722988, www.breconmountainrailway.co.uk).
Local buses are centred on Brecon. The Beacons Bus network operates on Sundays and bank holiday Mondays in the summer season, connecting Carmarthen, Llandovery, Swansea, Bridgend, Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, Newport, Abergavenny, Crickhowell, Talybont, Hereford and Hay with Brecon and many other principal sites within the park. More information on the website below.
Sunday Rider bus tickets are valid in the park as well as in Herefordshire and Worcestershire. For details see West Midlands.
Detailed information is on the tourism section of the Brecon Beacons website below, where you can download a copy of the Discover Guide and Travel Guide with full details of accessing the park by train and bus.
Maps
Paths and routes
Publications
- Jarrold Short Walks: Brecon Beacons by Tom Hutton, ISBN 0 7117 3857 2. Jarrold £5.99.
20 walks 3km/2 miles to 9km/5.5 miles, in handy pocket size with OS Explorer map extracts. Includes points and questions for children and public transport notes. [2005]
Contacts
- Brecon Beacons National Park Authority Plas y Fynnon, Fordd Cambrian, Aberhonddu LD3 7HP, tel 01874 624437
- Brecon Beacons Visitor Centre (Mountain centre) Libanus, Brecon LD3 8ER, tel 01874 623366
- Craig-y-nos Country Park Brecon Road, Pen-y-cae SA9 1GL, tel 01639 730395
www.breconbeacons.org - Brecon Beacons Park Society - Cymdeithas Parc Bannau Brycheiniog 2 Pen-y-Bont Terrace, Gilwern NP7 0EI, tel 01639 730179
www.breconbeaconsparksociety.org
Organise a programme of free led walks in the Park.
Regions and countries
Local authorities
Visitor Information
Accommodation
