There's loads of things to do around the Brecon Beacons and beyond (you can be at the coast on the Gower Penninsula in an hour or so and the Pembrokeshire coast or Mountains of Snowdonia are just a couple of hours away). See below for some suggestions - route maps for mountainbiking and walking - call us if you have any questions

Getting here? We are only about 3 hours from London (by car), 2 hours from Birmingham, and an hour from Bristol or Cardiff. Click here for maps and travel info


Eat and Drink

1. The Griffin at FelinFach: Practically our local, relaxed gastro-pub with very good food, a dependable bet (10-15mins) http://www.eatdrinksleep.ltd.uk/index.htm
2. The Hardwick: Made famous by “The Great British Menu”, excellent food (35mins) http://www.thehardwick.co.uk/
3. Walnut Tree: Well known and well established restaurant near Abergavenny given new life recently (40mins) http://www.thewalnuttreeinn.com/
4. Y Polyn: A bit further afield to the west, but worth the trip (50mins) http://www.ypolynrestaurant.co.uk/
Pilgrims Tea Rooms, Brecon: Pleasant spot for tea/coffee http://www.pilgrims-tearooms.co.uk/
Bridge Café, Brecon: good home-cooked food located close by in Brecon, open Thurs-Sat evening for dinner and Sunday morning for breakfast, although this can vary http://www.bridgecafe.co.uk/
The Hours Café, Brecon: good for coffee and light lunch, bookshop worth a look too
Richard Booths Bookshop, Hay-on-Wye: good lunches in an amazing old warehouse full of books http://www.boothbooks.co.uk.

Outdoors

http://www.breconbeacons.org/

Hillwalking

Sharp peaks and ridges, wide open moor and beautiful wooded valleys, the area is ideal for getting out and about. A few of the highlights:

5. Pen y fan: The highest peak in the South of Britain. Should be on everyones list, best tackled from our side (from the North) to avoid the crowds.
6. Vale of Ewyas: Beautiful, hidden valley running right through the heart of the Black Mountains. Superb valley/ridge walks and home of Llanthony
Priory. Also a great place to go horse riding
7. Sugar Loaf: Abergavenny’s Matterhorn, almost
8. Maen Richard: Eerie standing stone on top of our local hill. Amazing views of all the Beacons, walk up on a summers evening for the sunset

Mountainbiking

One of the top spots in the world, Wales (and mid wales especially) has fantastic natural trails as well as the best trail centres in the country:

9. Mynydd Llangorse Hills: Lovely little break-away group from the main part of the Black Mountains, fantastic for a half days ride.
10. Black Mountains: Brilliant singletrack, loads of bridleways for all day epics
11. Mynydd Epynt: Ride straight from our door, loads of great trails around the valleys and ridges of the southern Mynydd Epynt
Elan Valley: Established centre about 50mins drive north of us
Trail Centres: Cwmcarn and Coed y brenin are two of the best http://www.mbwales.com/

12. Canoe on the Wye: Relaxed paddle or frenetic whitewater depending how far upstream you go. You can canoe straight from our garden, after heavy rain, on
the Ysgir which joins the Usk http://www.wyevalleycanoes.co.uk/
13. Potholing/caving: Some of the best caves in UK http://www.brecon-beacons.com/outdoor-activities-caving.htm
Hangliding/Paragliding: Lots of companies to choose from, mainly in Abergavenny http://www.paraventure.co.uk/
14. Watersports: Llangorse Lake is the largest in South Wales, apparently (20mins) http://www.llwsc.com/index.htm
Fishing: Plenty of spots to choose from, or you can fish from our garden http://www.fishing-in-kite-country.co.uk/fishing/rusk.html
Horse riding: Mostly around the Black Mountains and specifically Vale Ewyas, which is a great place for it http://www.llanthony.co.uk/
15. Golf: Our local course is also the best in the area (7mins) http://www.cradoc.co.uk/

Cultural

16. The Hay Festival: World famous literary festival, needs no introduction (25mins) http://www.hayfestival.com/
17. The Green Man Festival: Trendy folk festival nr Crickhowell (20mins) http://www.thegreenmanfestival.co.uk/
18. Brecon Jazz Festival: Most famous Jazz festival in UK (10mins) http://www.breconjazz.co.uk/
19. Talgarth Festival: Local country fair http://www.talgarthfestival.org.uk/
20. Llanthony Priory: Fantastically romantic ruin (if visited in evening after crowds have departed) with characterful bar attached for local ales
21. Abergavenny Food Festival: http://www.abergavennyfoodfestival.com/
Welsh Botanic Gardens: http://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/
Centre for Alternative Technology: Sort of cultural, the hotspot for all eco-building in the UK, on the coast in Machynleth. http://www.cat.org.uk/index.tmpl?refer=index&init=1
Castles: Too many to list

Shopping

22. Brecon Farmers Market: Good local produce, sort of once a month (10mins) http://www.brecknockfarmersmarkets.org.uk/
23. Great English Outdoors, Hay-on-Wye: Vintage Welsh rugs and other nice things (25mins) http://www.greatenglish.co.uk/
24. Black Mountain Smokery: Crickhowell smokery supplies all local restaurants (20mins) http://www.smoked-foods.co.uk/
25. Bi-Ped Bicycles, Brecon: We are blessed with a good local bike shop, also hires (10mins) http://www.bipedcycles.co.uk/index.asp

brecon beacons
blue bells
brecon hills
beacons terrain
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