BRITISH BREAK IN... BRECON BEACONS NP, WALES

The Brecon Beacons National Park is the perfect location for those seeking a mix of unspoilt beauty, outdoor activities and charming market towns, says Graeme Green

- Graeme Green

According to local legend, the Brecon Beacons took their name from ancient signal fires lit on the mountains to warn of invaders. Whether that’s true or not, there’s clearly been a fear of invasion in this part of South Wales, with castles, forts and other defensive sites right across the Brecon Beacons National Park, from the Iron Age through to Second World War anti-tank blocks. Many of the defences are still standing.

The closest thing to an ‘invading force’ now are the visitors who come to hike, bike, paddle or ride horses through the park’s wild spaces. The only fires I saw on my visit were in warm, welcoming pubs.

Established in 1957, the Brecon Beacons is one of Wales’ three national parks. At the heart of its 1,347 sq km are the striking Beacons themselves: Pen Y Fan (886m), the UK’s highest mountain south of Snowdon, and Corn Du (873m). But within the boundaries, there are also the Black Mountains in the east, the Black Mountain to the west, and forests, rivers, lakes, caves and waterfalls. Alongside countless sheep, I shared the countryside with red kites and, on the slopes of Sugar Loaf, roaming Welsh mountain ponies.

Nature’s the main draw. But there’s plenty of cultural life here, too, from the Green Man music festival to the literary Hay Festival. There are also Welsh wine producers and a whisky distillery.