Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) is Wales’ 2nd largest National Park. Around 50 miles from its most Westerly point near Llandeilo, all the way to the border with England, and around 35 miles from its most southernly point near Pontypool, to its most northernly point near Hay on Wye. The National Park is nearly 520sq miles of wilderness, mountains, forests and breathtaking views
On this special sightseeing tour, we will take you through the forests, along the moorlands on top of the mountains, and through the wilderness. It is the Brecon Beacons wild ruggedness that sets its apart from the other two National Parks in Wales. It’s terrain is such that the British Army and SAS use it for training and assessment of new recruits, including the Fan Dance and Cambrian Patrol, regarded as one the worlds toughest army exercises.
The tour
The tour starts at a location of your choosing in Cardiff (usually your hotel) and your driver for the day will arrive to meet you at 9:30.
Leaving Cardiff the tour heads north, and travels through the Rhondda Valley.
During the 19th century, the Valley was at the heart of the Coal mining industry in Wales. On the drive through Rhondda, you will see the former mining communities.
At the top of the Valley you will be taken over The Rhigos Mountain. The tour stops briefly at the top, over looking Tower Coillery. The last coal mine to close in South Wales, it was longest contunually operating deep-coal mine in Wales (possibly the world).
From here you will also have stunning views across the Brecon Beacons National Park
Descending down the other side of The Rhigos, you will travel along the southern edge of the park towards the town of Merthyr Tydfil, before heading into the Park itself. Following the A470 for a short time, we leave the main road behind at Llwyn Onn reservoir, and head up through the Cwm Cadlan nature reserve to the moors of Cefn Cadlan.
Driving along Cefn Cadlan, approximately 450m above sea level, you will have spectular views across the wilderness of the Brecon Beacons, with Pen-y-Fan, the highest mountain in South Wales, in the distance. Dropping back down into the Valley, we will head towards base of Pen-y-Fan and its twin peak Cwm-Du, where we recommend stopping again, for the breathtaking views along the valley towards the town of Brecon.
.
We then continue heading north along the A470 once more for a short distance before heading east back up the mountains, and dropping down into the Valley towards Heol Senni, before heading south towards Devils Elbow.
Driving through the valley, along a minor road, you will very much be on “The Road Less Travelled”. Here you will get a real feel for how isolated parts of the Brecon Beacons are. As the car climbs back up the mountain at the top of the valley, you will be able to look back through the valley you have just been through from Devils Elbow
Back on top of the mountains, you will be taken along near deserted roads, before dropping back down towards Ystradfellte and through Waterfall Country, before heading west towards Abercraf. At Abercraf, we will once more head North past Craig-y-Nos Country Park, and following A4067 all the way to Sennybridge, then east along the northern edge of the park to the town of Brecon in the early afternoon.
Your driver will take you on a short drive through the town, before arriving at Brecon Canal Basin. Your driver will wait for you here, and you will have around hour and half to independently explore the town and get a light lunch if you wish..
Dating back to Roman times, when a Roman Cavalry base was established. It has served a military purpose even since. First with Normans, and now home to 160th (Wales) Brigade and Infantry Battle School.
Aside from its military past, Brecon is a historic market town, with many buildings dating back to the 16th Century.
At an arranged time (around 3:00pm) you will meet back up with your driver, will then drive you back down through the National Park and on to Cardiff, arriving back at your hotel at around 4:00pm
Our Brecon Beacon Tour is a sightseeing tour. Other than in the town of Brecon, we do not stop for more than 5-10 minutes at any one location to allow for pictures to be taken. Our main stops are The Rhigos Mountain, Pen-y-Fan and Devils Elbow, however your driver will stop briefly anywhere on the route you wish to stop, so long as it is safe and legal to do so.
Book a tour
To book a Brecons Beacons Tour, to view all our tours or to get in touch with us, click one of the buttons below;
Timings & Numbers
TheBrecon Beacon Tour is for up to 6 people, and lasts approximately 6 1/2 hours. .
This tour starts at a location of your choosing, but must start and finish in Cardiff.
Tour Start Time: Monday to Saturday at 9:30am
Planned Finish Time: 4:00pm
Additional important information
We are unable to accommodate any luggage on this tour. If you are likely to have luggage with you, please contact us in advance.
Whilst this tour is available for up to 6 people, we will need to know how many people will be going on the tour, as the vehicle used may be dependant on the number of people on the tour.
Our guides are not historical experts. Your guide will have at least a basic knowledge of the locations they will take you, and Welsh HIstory and Culture in general. They will also be happy to answer any questions you may have to the best of their ability, but there may be some gaps in their knowledge and may not be able to answer all questions fully.
The tour starts at 9:30am from your hotel, and your driver will return you to your hotel at the end of the tour around 5:30pm.
There are plenty of places to stop at, and things to do in the Brecon Beacons. Many of which are on, or near the tour route. Places such as Penderyn Distillery, Four Waterfalls Walk, Wales Ape & Monkey Sanctuary, Dan-yr-Ogof National Showcaves and more. Whislt we do not stop at any of these places on this tour, we would be more than happy to plan a bespoke tour for you based on this tour, to include one or more specific places of your choosing in the Brecon Beacons
Your driver guide for the day will not accompany you around the various locations and attractions we stop at. You will be free to independently explore them as you wish.
Lunch is not included in the tour, and neither do we make arrangements to stop at any particular place for lunch. You will have a number of options for lunch available to you in Brecon.
You are free to spend as little or as much time as you wish in Brecon, or stopping on route. However the tour will need to leave Brecon around 3:00pm. The tour will finish when you arrive back at your hotel. Should the tour finish later than 4:00pm due to departing Brecon later than 3:00pm the driver may request additional payment at their discrection
The weather in Wales can be unpredictable and changeable. Most of the stops on the Tour are outdoors, and / or with minimal cover. We therefore recommend you bring rain jackets or umbrellas on the tour. Even if it is sunny at the start of the tour, the weather may change during the day. These items can be left in the car at the various stops if not needed.
The weather in the Brecon Beacons can be even more unprecitable and changeable than other parts of Wales, and can be significantly different to the weather in Cardiff. Some of the roads on the tour route are narrow country roads, that may be untreated in cold weather. At their discretion, the driver may choose to ammend the route if they belive any of the roads may be dangerous or unpassable, or could become dangerous or unpassable. Where possible the duration of the tour will remain the same, but may be reduced. Especially in particularly bad weather.
The tour is available Monday to Saturday all year round. Although between March & October is the best time to go on this tour, when the weather is usually slightly better.