Situated between south and mid-Wales, in the United Kingdom, the Brecon Beacons National Park contains some of the most spectacular and distinctive upland formations in southern Britain covering an area of 1347 sq km (520 sq miles).
Two thirds of this area is comprised of Old Red Sandstone rocks. They form four distinct blocks of hills which are cut through by major river valleys, such as the Honddu, Grwynne Fechan and Fawr, Usk, Taf Fechan and Fawr, Hepste, Mellte, Nedd, Tawe, Twrch and Sawddee.
The Brecon Beacons range consists of the mountains to the south of Brecon. The highest of these is Pen y Fan; other notable summits include Corn Du, Cribyn (hill)" and Fan y Bîg. These summits form a long ridge which forms a horseshoe around the head of the Taf Fechan river to the south-east, with long parallel spurs extending to the north-east. The round of the Taf Fechan skyline forms a popular ridge walk known as the 'Beacons Horseshoe'. Many other fine walks exist in this part of the National Park but the mountains are known for swift changes in weather conditions, even in summer. In winter they can be dangerous.
The Brecon Beacons are named after the ancient practice of lighting signal fires or beacons on mountains to warn of attacks by the English, or more recently to commemorate public and national events such as coronations or the Millennium.
The Brecon Beacons National Park was established in 1957, the last of the three Welsh parks; (Snowdonia was first in 1951) with the Pembrokeshire Coast being the other. It covers 519 square miles (1344 km˛), 332 100 stretching from Llandeilo in the west to Hay-on-Wye in the east. It encompasses the ranges confusingly named the Black Mountains, (in the east of the park on the border with England) and the Black Mountain (range) (in the west). The area to the west of the Brecon Beacons range is known as the Fforest Fawr (Great Forest), and was designated a Geopark by UNESCO in 2005. Most of the national park is moorland some forestry plantations and pasturein the valleys
On May 22 2005 the first walk to span the entire length of the Brecon Beacons National Park was opened. The 100-mile route, called The_Beacons_Way runs from Abergavenny through Crickhowell and ends in the village of Bethlehem, Carmarthenshire. Activities in the park include walking cycling, mountain biking, horse riding, as well as sailing, windsurfing, canoeing, fishing its rivers and reservoirs, rock climbing, hang-gliding, caravanning, camping and caving The Taff Trail also passes through the Beacons on its way from Brecon to Cardiff
The park is known for its waterfalls including the 27-metre Henrhyd Waterfall and the falls at Ystradfellte and its caves such as Ogof Ffynnon Ddu.
Neolithic
Standing stones over 4,000 years old are dotted around the National Park. Most impressive is 3.7m (12ft) is the Maen Llia, located at the head of the Llia Valley between Ystradfellte and Sennybridge. Standing at an altitude of 573m (1880 ft) it is thought to be the highest standing stone in South Wales.
Iron Age - hill fort sites. Largest is Garn Goch in the Black Mountain near Llangadog. Thought once to have been political and trading centres, there are over twenty of these sites dotted around the National Park.
The Romans – came to the National Park in around AD43. Their most important base in the area was Y Gaer near Brecon, and once used to accommodate over 600 soldiers.
Dark Ages – During his reign King Offa ordered the construction of the earth boundary that still bears his name, Offa's Dyke. It stretches the 150 mile length of the Welsh border. Climb to a ridge above the Vale of Ewyas in the National Park and you can follow a section of Offa’s Dyke.
The Norman Conquest - made its presence felt in the National Park with its castles, although none so dramatic as Carreg Cennen. Today, the castle is maintained by CADW. See the menu for more castles in the Park.
Industrial Age - As far back as the 16th Century the Welsh were laying the foundations for the industrial age. Evidence of the industrial age lies a few miles further south, at. Now a World Heritage site, Blaenavon Ironworks was one of the largest ironworks in the world. With its exceptional range of surviving structures, it is the best-preserved blast furnace complex of its period and type in the world.