10 activities to try in the Brecon Beacons

Wondering what to do on your next trip to the Bannau Brycheiniog / Brecon Beacons? This scenic national park provides a whole host of exciting adventure activities that will thrill you, alongside relaxing activities so you can take in the area’s natural beauty at your own pace.

You could uncover secret waterfalls, head out on a horse-riding adventure or delve deep underground. Spend time gazing at the stars in this Dark Sky Reserve or venture out on the water and get to know this area through its waterways.

After busy days out getting involved in Bannau Brycheiniog / Brecon Beacons activities, you’ll need a cosy cottage where you can lay your head and prepare for more fun-filled days. Browse through our selection of cottages and find your ideal Welsh break.

There are plenty of awesome outdoor activities for you to take part in during an adventure weekend or week-long escape. Read through our list of Bannau Brycheiniog / Brecon Beacons activities below and start planning your activity holiday today.

Go on a walking adventure

From the impressive heights of Pen-y-Fan to the legendary waters of Henrhyd Falls, the Bannau Brycheiniog / Brecon Beacons National Park is crisscrossed with seemingly endless walking routes where you can take in a whole host of beautiful scenery. Walking must be one of the most popular Bannau Brycheiniog / Brecon Beacons activities with plenty of mountains to conquer and walkers' cafes and pubs where you can put your feet up after a day traversing the land.

Discover secret places hidden away from the world and iconic Welsh sights on a walking tour of the Bannau Brycheiniog / Brecon Beacons. Take a look through our guide to find a fantastic walking route that you could tackle on your next holiday to Wales.

Roam the Brecon Beacons

Of course, if you would like to explore a particularly special location in this national park, why not venture out on a waterfall walk? The Bannau Brycheiniog / Brecon Beacons is also known as ‘Waterfall Country’ so it is imperative that you see at least one magical waterfall during your time here.

Seek out these tumbling waters during an expedition across the landscape by glancing through our guide to whimsical waterfall walks in Wales.

Discover a waterfall…

Take in the region by horseback

Ride on horseback gives a whole different perspective of the sights during your holiday. Meeting these sweet and magnificent animals is always a fun activity and a hack with a riding school through the Bannau Brycheiniog / Brecon Beacons offers up a great chance to see places you might never have known existed without the direction of the local guides.

A few horse riding schools you could take a look at include: Ellesmere Riding Centre, Tregoyd Mountain Riders and Trans Wales Trails Horse Riding. Wherever you go, make sure you bring along a couple of slices of apple to treat your pony after your horse-riding adventure.

Visit our guide to horse riding in the Brecon Beacons for more information including the different equestrian activities on offer. 

Get an adrenaline rush by mountain biking

For more of a thrill, hop on your bike and cycle down mountain tracks, through streams and past ancient forests. It’s an exciting way to see the Bannau Brycheiniog / Brecon Beacons, but be careful as these routes can be treacherous even for experienced cyclists.

If you are a beginner when it comes to mountain biking, you’ll be seeking out an easy green route. Get your bearings with a ride around the green trail at Mynydd Illtud or follow the track at the Usk Reservoir which offers the chance to ride through forest and across the dam.

For experienced mountain bikers, Pontsticill Crossover is a fantastic red route with awesome views and over 2500-foot ascent – feel an immense sense of achievement when you conquer this tough mountain biking route.

Or enjoy a more peaceful cycle ride

There are plenty of far more straightforward cycling routes too for families and groups heading out to discover the region by bike. Get into the fresh air with this great outdoor activity - the Bannau Brycheiniog / Brecon Beacons National Park has a wonderful touring route stretching across the area from Llandeilo to Abergavenny, which can be divided up into smaller sections to suit your holiday.

This cycle trail follows an old Roman Road and offers up some fantastic views of the surrounding landscape. The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal section is family-friendly so why not take the youngsters on a cycling day out? Adults tackling this touring route could choose to cycle past Carreg Cennen Castle, through a variety of country lanes and forest, and into the town of Brecon.

Stargaze in this Dark Sky Reserve

Take in the magnificent night sky during your holiday to this Dark Sky Reserve; the Bannau Brycheiniog / Brecon Beacons boasts a wonderful dark sky with bright stars for you to spot when night comes.

Head out on a night-time ramble or lay down a picnic blanket in a special location to look for constellations, shooting stars and planets – just don’t forget to wrap up warm! Or find yourself a holiday cottage with a garden or a hot tub cottage where you can sit out and take in the sky in the comfort of your own private setting.

Stargazing in Wales

Go wild swimming amidst remarkable views

If you enjoy getting out and about in the great outdoors or you like trying different activities while on holiday, perhaps this is your chance to go wild swimming in the Bannau Brycheiniog / Brecon Beacons! There are plenty of nooks and crannies in this undulating landscape where water has gathered creating relatively safe lakes, gorges and rivers for swimming, and even streams where youngsters can enjoy a paddle.

Little Canyon near Pontneddfechan is a quiet place for gorge swimming, as is Horseshoe Falls where you can swim in a plunge pool beneath beautiful horseshoe-shaped waterfalls. Meanwhile, Keeper’s Pond (pictured above) is a real favourite for a swim with incredible far-reaching views of this national park.

Where to go wild swimming in Wales

Kayak or canoe through this national park

Go for a gentle canoe or more thrilling kayak paddle through the Bannau Brycheiniog / Brecon Beacons and see the magnificent mountains towering over you from your place meandering down the river.

Black Mountain Adventure offers lessons on the River Wye, while you can enjoy an adventure on the River Usk with River Strokes or Monmouth Canoe. A great outdoor activity that all generations can enjoy, book in for a couple of hours or a half-day trip to take in scenic surroundings and see if you can spot wildlife on the riverbanks as you float by. Pack a picnic too and you could stop for a food break in a remarkable Bannau Brycheiniog / Brecon Beacons location beside the river.

Go gorge walking (and jumping!)

Take it up a gear with a more adrenaline-fuelled way to explore this epic national park. Gorge walking offers the chance to climb waterfalls, jump into plunge pools and splash your way through rivers as you discover the dramatic waterways that cut through this mountainous region.

Gorge Walking Wales can take you abseiling down 30-foot waterfalls in this famed ‘Waterfall Country’, while Hawk Adventures offers 20-foot jumps if you fancy a leap of faith. There are plenty of different companies in the Bannau Brycheiniog / Brecon Beacons that can provide tailored experiences if you’d rather a gentle climb or even a ‘drier’ adventure in the colder winter months.

Delve underground into Wales’ caves

Adventure into the caves and caverns below the Bannau Brycheiniog / Brecon Beacons to discover secret places you never knew existed on an adventure weekend. This beautiful, mountainous region boasts a whole range of cave systems you could explore by potholing with one of the activity companies that take visitors on tours of the best bits of this national park. Squeeze into and out of tight spaces with Black Mountain Tours or Adventure Britain.

For a more family-friendly trip underground, head to the National Showcaves Centre for Wales where you and your children can discover a dinosaur park, shire horse centre and three magnificent caves.

If the National Showcaves Centre intrigues you, take a look at our guide to the most exciting caves across Wales.

Caves that aren’t boring

Visit one of Wales’ magnificent castles

Finally, you cannot visit Wales without taking a trip to one of the many exquisite castles that can be found scattered across the impressive landscape.

Known as the ‘land of castles’ after a multitude popped up all over the country during the Norman invasion, many of these ancient strongholds are now purely decorative and in ruins, and welcome guests to explore their great halls or wander the grounds. A few top castles you could visit in the Bannau Brycheiniog / Brecon Beacons include the iconic Carreg Cennen Castle, beautiful Abergavenny Castle and the exciting Cyfarthfa Castle over at bustling Cyfarthfa Park.

Take a look through all these spectacular castles in Wales and choose one for a visit during your holiday.

Step inside a castle…

Keep busy during your adventure holiday to the Bannau Brycheiniog / Brecon Beacons National Park, there’s always something to do among the mountains – and when you get a chance to rest up, make sure you do so in style with one of these fantastic Bannau Brycheiniog / Brecon Beacons activities!

We have cottages for families, large properties for big groups, and romantic boltholes where you can make your escape with your loved one. Take a look through our cosy cottages throughout the Bannau Brycheiniog / Brecon Beacons and find the perfect getaway for you and your travel companions.

Brecon Beacon cottages