Brecon Beacons
The Brecon Beacons are widely regarded as being one of the most beautiful areas in Wales. Filled with picturesque villages and traditional market towns, and surrounded by a stunning landscape which is crisscrossed with canal paths and filled with castles and lots of other family attractions, it is a wonderful place to take the family. The scenery here is not only breathtaking it also offers a diversity that you would be hard pressed to find anywhere else. Rolling fields and lush valleys contrast with wide open spaces and powerful waterfalls and subterranean caverns just waiting to be explored. The Brecon Beacons National Park is operated by the National Parks Authority which ensures that there are plenty of walking trails, family activities and seasonal events that visitors can get involved with no matter what time of the year they choose to visit.
About the Brecon Beacons
This is a National Park that means different things to the different people who live and work here and those that come to visit. The park has a heritage and a history that is waiting to be discovered. The region is filled with ancient myth and folklore which is hardly surprising when you consider that that the land here has been in use for thousands of years. You will find standing stones that have stood in place for four thousand years, silently watching the millennia roll by around them. The Beacons were home to Iron Age hill forts, the remains of at least twenty such fortified sites can be located around the park. More than six hundred Roman soldiers were once stationed here. The Normans built their castles here, the most impressive of which is Carreg Cennen. Part of the park is also a World Heritage Site, Blaenavon Ironworks was once one of the largest in the world and much of the original structure survives, including the blast furnace.
Things to Do
No matter what time of year you choose to visit there is plenty to do here. The Brecon Beacons are a great place for outward bound adventure. Caving, abseiling and climbing are just a few of the things that you can take part in. Those with a love of the water will enjoy the thrill of white water rafting, kayaking and canoeing. While those who like their adventure to come with wheels attached to it can take their pick from karting and mountain biking. Potholing is a great activity that opens up a whole new world of underground scenery. Get together with friends or colleagues and have a go at raft making or get a little competitive on the rope course. The sleepy villages around here offer a relaxing alternative to the high energy activities. Pay a visit to the town of Brecon which is located just north of the park that bears its name. With stunning scenery, inquisitive wildlife, and a wide range of activities on offer, you will find that you will want to spend the majority of your time outdoors enjoying this wonderful part of Wales.
