Pen y Fan is the highest mountain in Southern Wales, and is the easiest mountain to reach from the south of the UK. It is very accessible with good paths and is a very popular mountain to bag. As a hill becomes a mountain at over 2000 ft (610 metres), you could also head over to the quieter Western side of the Brecon Beacons National Park and walk up The Black Mountain, with the beautiful Llyn y Fan Fach lake. Not to be confused with The Black Mountains to the eastern side of the park, with Waun Fach also being up-to-height!
With miles of cascading rivers in the south of the Brecon Beacons National Park, this area is known as Waterfall Country. The waterfalls can be spectacular and are a great way to enjoy a day out in Wales in rainy weather, although the valleys are also atmospheric in sunshine! The jewel in this watery crown is Sgwd-yr-Eira, the Snow Waterfalls where you can walk behind the falls, hearing the pounding water and looking through the watery veil.
And if you are a more daring adrenaline junkie, why not try Gorge Walking, also known as Canyoning in Waterfall Country? With several great activity providers, you will at least have the equipment & guidance to make this as safe as it can be as you literally walk & float down the rivers and leap over the falls!
Whether shearing a sheep is something you are interested in for crafting and wool processing, or you always just wanted to have a go as a classic bucket list wannadoo, this friendly informal session is for you! Learn the basics of how to shear and why it is done, then have hands-on experience under the guidance of an expert.
As the Brecon Beacons National Park is a Dark Sky Reserve it is a fantastic place to discover the night skies, with or without a telescope or binoculars. There are Dark Sky Discovery Site places that are free to visit with ideal conditions away from light pollution – favourites being the Visitor Centre and The Usk Reservoir. However, as long as you are away from immediate light sources, most places within the park have good enough dark skies to enjoy the galaxy. If you’re an amateur, it’s well worth downloading one of the many great Stargazing apps (try Sky View Free or Star Walk 2) so you can navigate and spot all the constellations, or book an astronomy evening or attend one of the excellent local events.
