Welsh gold

Sunrise just east of the 886m-high Pen y Fan peak

Unless it’s actually got hobbits and orcs running around the place, no other part of Britain could be more Tolkien-esque than the Brecon Beacons.

Silvery waterfalls tumble off the ancient hills; ruined castles perch on craggy promontories above steep wooded valleys and mysterious rivers emerge from murky caverns. You may even catch a flash of Welsh gold in the pools of the Cothi or spy a fairy in the unfathomable waters of Llyn y Fan Fach. When you’re done a-questing for the day you can let yourself fall under the spell of the local food or drift off into an enchanted sleep in one of the Beacons’ peaceful guesthouses.

When to go
Out of season means you avoid the crowds. You’ll need your wellies and waterproofs but the rain only help fuel the Beacons‘ many waterfalls. Bookworms won’t want to miss the Hay-on-Wye Literary Festival in May.

Getting there
First Great Western trains run from London Paddington to South Wales. From Newport there’s a line up to Abergavenny and from Swansea you can catch the slow but scenic Heart of Wales service to Llandeilo and Llandovery. It’s worth taking a ride on this line for the views alone. A car is a real bonus though. The M4 will transport you to the West but make sure you have £5.40 handy for the Severn Bridge Toll. Strangely you have to pay to get into Wales but not to get out.

Getting around
The Beacons are fantastic walking country, which is handy because you could die of old age waiting for a bus around here.

See
The Beacons
In the east, along the border with England, lie the Black Mountains which rise to the 811-metre summit of Waun Fach while in the heart of the national park 886-metre Pen y Fan is the highest peak in southern Britain. In the west is Fforest Fawr (Great Forest), once a royal hunting ground and here the rivers rush southwards off the sandstone uplands in a series of beautiful waterfalls. If it all sound like the setting for Lord of the Rings then undertake your own long-distance quest on the 55-mile Taff Trail from Cardiff to Brecon which is a favourite with hikers and mountain bikers.

Waterfall Country
If you’re not planning on joining the Special Forces one of the less strenuous walks might suit you better. There are a number of beautiful walks to the waterfalls on the Mellte, Hepste, Pyrddin and Nedd Fechan rivers which run south from the Fforest Fawr towards Glyn Neath. Sgwd Gwladys on the Pyrddin are enchanting and the pool at the bottom is one of the best wild swimming spots in the UK. You can walk along a little footpath that goes behind the thunderous Sgwd yr Eira on the Hepste, soaking up the atmosphere and not a little of the water, too (bring waterproofs and some boots, even in summer). To get to the area just head for Glyn Neath on the south side of the Brecon Beacons and follow the signs.

Mines and caves
The bedrock of South Wales is like a Swiss cheese of caves and mine shafts. Thanks to Margaret Thatcher working coal pits are now as rare as hens’ teeth but you can still get 300 feet below the surface at the Big Pit Museum at Blaenafon near Abergavenny. The Romans mined this region too but they were looking for gold rather than coal. Incurable optimists can pan for the precious metal at the Dolaucothi Gold Mines in the pretty Cothi Valley although you’ve about as much chance of spotting Ned, the mine’s ghost (wear some sturdy shoes). Still, you can always buy some of the Welsh gold jewellery in the shop if you have no luck. The National Show Caves underneath the Black Mountain are a maze of caverns, stalactites and underground lakes. If you want to explore the ten miles of cold, damp confined spaces beyond the public caves you’ll need to start by contacting the South Wales Caving Club.

Male Voice Choirs
As my relatives will tell you, the Welsh love a good sing-song. They’re very good at it, too. Most towns, such as Treorchy, Merthyr Tydfil and Builth Wells have their own choir. A little further afield near Swansea you’ll find the famous Morriston Orpheus Choir, too. Hostile audience reactions are a rarity although that South African tour didn’t go according to plan:

Farmers Markets
Create the perfect picnic at some excellent farmers’ markets in the region. Brecon’s market is on the second Saturday of each month. Abergavenny’s is on the fourth Thursday of the month and the town also holds an annual food festival in September. If you’re looking for something to go on your Welsh rarebit then Y-Fenni cheese made with mustard seeds and ale. Alternatively, Blaenafon cheddar is matured at the bottom of the Big Pit coal-mining museum. The Primrose Earth Centre near Hay-on-Wye sells it’s own organic produce. As for the best place in the region to spread your picnic blanket, head for the lofty crags around the ruins of Carreg Cennen Castle near Llandeilo.

Shop
Artbeat Brecon is a fantastic group of independent designers and craftspeople who have studios and shops in the town. Oh! has some great interiors pieces and even if your budget doesn’t stretch to a coco tooth light, you’ll certainly turn heads (and maybe get some odd looks, too) with a banana-leaf bag. Another highlight is Kathryn Roberts’ glassware at the Gate Gallery which includes a range of beautiful, hand-blown vases.

Sleep
Esgair Berfedd
Yes, have fun pronouncing that one. Right on the edge of the Brecon Beacons and four miles from the nearest road, this 200-year-old cottage is so remote that it has a map reference rather than an address. Not that the facilities are basic. Although lots age-worn beams and other original features have been retained, seven guests can enjoy the kind of sophisticated retro style not normally associated with Welsh farming.
Esgair Berfedd, Nr Babel, Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, Wales
07747 632 106

The New White Lion
Such a chic and sexy hotel might not be what you’d expect to find in traditionally-minded Llandovery. Heaven knows what the locals of the Old White Lion would make of it all. Baroque details etched out in silver and slate greys seem to coil like tendrils of smoke and each of the rooms has been skilfully and individually styled (our favourite is the Physicians of Myddfai). But what makes this place uniquely special are the hosts Gerald and Sylvia Pritchard, whose warmth and friendliness makes everyone feel at home. Sylvia prepares some of the best home-cooked dishes we’ve had in years, too.
The New White Lion, 43 Stone Street, Llandovery, Carmarthenshire SA20 0BZ
01550 720 685

Fronlas
Llandeilo seems to have a disproportionate number of swish delis and glamorous interiors boutiques and now there’s a splendid B&B in town too. Frondlas has just three bedroom, decorated with the kind of uncompromising boldness that Austin Powers would appreciate. The organic breakfast doesn’t pull any punches either when it comes to the quality of the local produce. We’re rather partial to the Welsh whisky in the honesty bar, too.
Fronlas, 7 Thomas Street, Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire SA19 6LB
01558 824 733

Under the Thatch
We’re absolutely head over heels in love with this company. They take historic properties and then sympathetically renovate them before hiring them out to groups. Each of the seven places in the Beacons area is unique and it’s impossible to have a favourite but we love Bantwen in the Towy Valley and Efail Lingoed in the Black Mountains. There’s even the quirky option of staying in yurts or gypsy caravans too.
01239 851 410

Eat and Drink
The Felin Fach Griffin Inn
On the road between Hay-on-Wye and Brecon, this unassuming, blushing-pink pub contains one of the best foodie treats in the principality. Fresh local produce and traditional Welsh dishes are served amid the leather sofas and open fireplaces. The Black Welsh lamb, wild venison and woodland mushrooms come straight from the Beacons. There are seven comfortable bedrooms so you can take your time and savour the excellent wine list. Book well in advance.
The Felin Fach Griffin Inn, Felin Fach, Brecon, Powys LD3 0UB
01874 620 111

The Bell at Skenfrith
This 17th-century riverside inn in Monmouthshire has fantastic food, much of it produced in its own organic vegetable garden. There terrace is the perfect place for a leisurely lunch in summer. There’s an excellent choice at the bar too, including Wye Valley bitter and Ty Gwyn cider. The staff are also a mine of information on the hunting, shooting and fishing options in the local area. You can stay at The Bell but we think the rooms are expensive.
The Bell at Skenfrith, Skenfrith, Monmouthshire NP7 8UH
01600 750 235

Y Polyn
Devilishly difficult to find but definitely worth seeking out, the restaurant’s atmosphere, like the menu, puts the emphasis on elegant simplicity. Dishes like the fish pie and the Welsh mountain lamb hot pot are expertly prepared by Sue Manson and Maryann Wright while their husbands Mark and Simon man the bar. Y Polyn is only a couple of miles from the spectacular National Botanic Garden of Wales.
Y Polyn, Capel Dewi, Nantgeredig near Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire SA32 7LH
01874 620 111

Llanfaes Dairy Ice Cream Parlour
Eirlys and Paul Cole’s parlour has almost 50 different flavours of Italian ices. You can often watch the ice cream being made through a viewing window including such delicious raspberry pavlova and lemon cheesecake (not sure about the blue cheese flavour though). Many of the ingredients come from local farms.
Llanfaes Ice Cream Parlour, 19 Bridge Street, Llanfaes, Brecon, Powys LD3 8AH
01874 625 892

The Bear Hotel
This former coaching inn has a fine selection of real ales at the Bear and Judith and Steve Hindmarsh are great hosts, too. The menu sticks to hearty, traditional dishes but does them superbly well, especially the beef pies and lamb hot pots.
The Bear Hotel, Crickhowell, Powys, NP8 1BW
01873 810 408

Neuadd Fawr Arms
This popular and unpretentious village pub in Cilycwm in the picturesque Upper Towy Valley was once a watering hole for drovers. There’s a timeworn charm in the slate-floored bar with its old beams and wood burning stoves. The Sunday roast is a hit with the predominantly Welsh-speaking locals and the fish dishes come fresh direct from Aberaron harbour.
Neuadd Fawr Arms, Cilycwm, Llandovery, Carmarthenshire SA20 0ST
01550 721 644