Brecon Beacons (Bannau Brycheiniog)

The Brecon Beacons — now officially Bannau Brycheiniog — are the great mountain range of South Wales, a national park of sweeping ridges, glacial lakes, and vast open moorland. Pen y Fan is the highest peak (886m) and the most climbed mountain in South Wales — the main path from Pont ar Daf is straightforward in good weather and the views from the summit across most of southern Wales are stunning. Beyond Pen y Fan, the park stretches from the Black Mountains in the east (Gospel Pass, Hay Bluff) to the Black Mountain in the west (Llyn y Fan Fach, with its legendary Lady of the Lake). The Waterfall Country around Ystradfellte in the south of the park is spectacular — a series of falls including Sgwd yr Eira, where you can walk behind the curtain of water. The Beacons are a designated International Dark Sky Reserve — one of only a handful in the world. Come on a clear night and the stars are extraordinary. The park is less crowded than Snowdonia and has a different character — softer, grassier, more pastoral. Brecon town is the gateway, with a good cathedral, independent shops, and the Theatr Brycheiniog arts centre.