Brecon Beacons National Park

A trig point at Twyn y Gaer, Mynydd Illtud, near the Brecon Beacons Mountain Centre

Brecon Beacons National Park was established in 1957, the last of the three Welsh national parks to be designated, after Snowdonia in 1951 and the Pembrokeshire Coast in 1952. It stretches from Llandeilo in the west to Hay-on-Wye in the northeast and Pontypool in the southeast, covering 519 square miles (1,340 km²) and encompassing four main regions – the Black Mountain in the west, reaching 802 metres (2,631 feet) at Fan Brycheiniog, Fforest Fawr and the Brecon Beacons in the centre, including the highest summit in the park and in South Wales at Pen y Fan 886 metres (2,907 feet) and the confusingly named Black Mountains in the east, where the highest point is Waun Fach 811 metres (2,661 feet). The western half gained European and global status in 2005[2] as Fforest Fawr Geopark. This includes the Black Mountain, the historic extent of Fforest Fawr, and much of the Brecon Beacons and surrounding lowlands.The Black Mountains in the east are clearly separated from the central Beacons by the Usk valley between Brecon and Abergavenny. The other three regions form a continuous massif of high ground above 300 metres (1000'), and the divisions are less clear; the A470 road forms the approximate boundary between the central Beacons and Fforest Fawr, while a minor road from Sennybridge to Ystradgynlais divides Fforest Fawr from the Black Mountain range to the west.

The entire national park achieved the status of being an International Dark Sky Reserve in February 2013.[3]

Most of the national park is bare, grassy moorland grazed by Welsh mountain ponies and Welsh mountain sheep, with scattered forestry plantations, and pasture in the valleys. It is known for its remote reservoirs, waterfalls including the 90-foot (27 m) Henrhyd Waterfall and the falls at Ystradfellte, and its caves, such as Ogof Ffynnon Ddu. The Brecon Beacons Mountain Centre was opened in 1966 to help visitors understand and enjoy the area. Common ravens, red kites, peregrine falcons, northern wheatears, ring ouzels, and the rare merlin breeds in the park.

Due to the relative remoteness and harsh weather of some of its uplands, the park is used for military training. UK Special Forces, including the SAS and SBS hold demanding selection training exercises here, such as an exercise called the Fan dance. The infantry regiments of the British Army train at Sennybridge, where NCO selection also takes place.

In 2006 and 2007, controversy surrounded the government decision to build the South Wales Gas Pipeline through the park, the National Park Authority calling the decision a "huge blow".[4]

Brecon Beacons National Park sign

On 17 April 2023 it was announced that the National Park had officially adopted the name Bannau Brycheiniog in both Welsh and English. The new official English name became Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, or "the Bannau" for short. The change took effect on the same day, the 66th anniversary of the park's designation.[5][6]

The authority stated that the change was to promote the area's culture and heritage, as well as part of a wider overhaul of how the park is managed and to address environmental issues, such as climate change,[7] and removing references to carbon-emitting beacons.[8][9][10] The plan for the park to become net zero by 2035[11] and to address environmental concerns was supported by Welsh actor Michael Sheen.[12] The change was described by a local as "pride" for Welsh-speakers, while others admitted both names would likely continue to be used.[9] As part of the name change, the park also adopted a different logo, replacing its previous logo showing a lit beacon.[10] Plaid Cymru's Welsh language spokesperson supported the move, while the Welsh Liberal Democrats welcomed the decision,[13] with its leader Jane Dodds comparing it to movements in New Zealand. Conservative MP James Evans described the move as "not a priority" for locals and raised concerns over cost, and the local Conservative MP, Fay Jones, argued that the English name could have been kept.[9][10]

Catherine Mealing-Jones, the park authority's CEO, stated: "the name Brecon Beacons doesn’t make any sense – the translation Brecon Beacons doesn’t really mean anything in Welsh", adding that "a massive carbon-burning brazier is not a good look for an environmental organisation".[10] Mealing-Jones admitted that people can refer to the park by either name, and that the change "isn't compulsory",[7] but hoped the emphasis on the Welsh name would encourage people to use the term. She stated: "We’d always had the name Bannau Brycheiniog as the Welsh translation and [...] we wanted to be celebrating Welsh people, Welsh culture, Welsh food, Welsh farming".[14][6]

The Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority is a special purpose local authority with wide-ranging responsibilities for the conservation and enhancement of the landscape and the promotion of its enjoyment by the public, and in particular exercises planning functions across the designated area of the park. The park extends across the southern part of Powys, the northwestern part of Monmouthshire and parts of eastern Carmarthenshire. It also includes the northernmost portions of several of the unitary authority areas which are centred on the coalfield communities to the south and including the county boroughs of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr Tydfil and Blaenau Gwent together with very small parts of Caerphilly and Torfaen.

Numerous town and community councils operate within these areas and include the town councils for Brecon and Hay on Wye and the community councils for Cefn-coed-y-cymmer, Llanfihangel Cwmdu with Bwlch and Cathedine, Llangattock, Llangors, Llanthony, Llywel, Pontsticill, Pontsarn and Vaynor, Talybont-on-Usk, Trallong, Trecastle and Ystradfellte.

Outdoor activities in Brecon Beacons National Park include walking, cycling, mountain biking and horse riding, as well as sailing, windsurfing, canoeing, fishing, rock climbing, hang-gliding, caravanning, camping and caving. A long-distance cycling route, the Taff Trail, passes over the Beacons on its way from Brecon to Cardiff, and in 2005 the first walk to span the entire length of the park was opened. The 99-mile (159 km) route, called the Beacons Way, runs from Abergavenny via The Skirrid (Ysgyryd Fawr) in the east and ends in the village of Llangadog in Carmarthenshire in the west.

Panoramic view of Dan yr Ogof Showcaves grounds in Brecon Beacons National Park

A railway with narrow gauge trains is run by the Brecon Mountain Railway. The railway is a 1 ft 11+3⁄4 in (603 mm) narrow gauge tourist railway on the south side of the Brecon Beacons. It climbs northwards from Pant along the full length of the Pontsticill Reservoir (also called 'Taf Fechan' reservoir by Welsh Water) and continues past the adjoining Pentwyn Reservoir to Torpantau railway station. The railway's starting point at Pant is located two miles (3 km) north of Merthyr Tydfil town centre.

• Fforest Fawr Geopark
• Geology of Brecon Beacons National Park

• Visitor website of Brecon Beacons National Park Authority
• Brecon Beacons Park Society a.k.a. Friends of the Brecon Beacons