Cambrianescapes

Dog-Friendly Walks: Llyn y Fan Fawr, the Black Mountain and Carmarthen Fans

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 11:43:37 GMT

Walking guide and accommodation near to Llyn y Fan Fawr, the Black Mountain, Carmarthen Fans, Bannau Brycheiniog| Brecon Beacons

Stay in one of our boutique dog-friendly cottages and enjoy our curated guide to walks on this quieter side of Bannau Brycheiniog, Brecon Beacons National Park. We've got plenty of recommendations and routes for walks, hikes, lakes and waterfalls to help you avoid the crowds — even in summer.

Below you'll find detailed guides, OS Maps route links and parking information for five of our favourite walks, all suitable for dogs.

Stay with us: Glanyrafon or New York

Miles of walks from the door
Enclosed fields and meadows for off-lead exercise
Hot showers after muddy walks
Stream for doggy paddles and our dog walks guides

Walks in this guide

1. Llyn y Fan Fawr (Our Favourite)

2. Llyn y Fan Fach

3. Cwm Sawdde Fechan

4. Garn Goch Iron Age Hill Fort

5. Black Mountain Ridge

1. Llyn y Fan Fawr ★ Our Favourite

Wild mountain lake · Waterfall descent · No car park (quieter for it)

Our favourite — and the larger of the two lakes. Llyn y Fan Fawr is a little quieter in summer months, partly because there is no dedicated car park. Park about 45 minutes away and romp straight up to the lake, then return via a beautiful set of waterfalls — perfect for picnic stops and cool dips.

We always recommend waterproof boots on this route: the ascent can be very wet and there is a peat bog between the top and the lake. The terrain is wild with no clear path, so make sure cloud is up rather than down — otherwise you won't be able to see where you're going, or the views.

Terrain: Wild, pathless upland

Footwear: Waterproof boots essential

Parking: ~45 min walk from lake

Highlight: Waterfall descent

Route: OS Maps Route — Llyn y Fan Fawr

Route: Route PDF — Discover Carmarthenshire

Dog note: Dogs must be kept on a lead during ground nesting season (end of March – July). Please pick up dog poo and take it home.

2. Llyn y Fan Fach

Stone track ascent · Waterfalls on the way up · Iconic ridgeline views

A steady walk up a good stone track for around 40 minutes to reach the lake. From there you can carry on upwards and around to capture the iconic ridge shot. If you're eager to cool off before reaching the lake, there are lovely little waterfalls the whole way up.

There are several route options — head straight up and back, or extend the walk to take in both Llyn y Fan Fach and Llyn y Fan Fawr in a single outing.

Ascent: Stone track, ~40 min

Parking: SA19 9UN

Option: Combine with Fawr

Highlight: Ridge photo spot

Dog note: Dogs must be kept on a lead during ground nesting season (end of March – July). Please pick up dog poo and take it home.

Route: OS Maps Route — Llyn y Fan Fach

3. Cwm Sawdde Fechan

Ancient Holloway · Marsh Orchids · Mountain streams · Riverside picnic spot

This is such a dreamy walk — one we did ourselves last summer. Pack a picnic for a riverside stop once you reach the mountain. We loved wandering through woodland along an old Holloway, crossing mountain streams and walking beside patches of Marsh Orchids.

It's one of those quiet gems that barely sees visitors even on a sunny bank holiday. Full details are available in our extended blog post on the walk.

Type: Valley & woodland walk

Feature: Ancient Holloway

Wildlife: Marsh Orchids

Vibe: Peaceful & remote

Route: OS Maps Route — Cwm Sawdde Fechan

Our guide with the whole route

4. Garn Goch Iron Age Hill Fort

Iron Age archaeology · Tywi Valley panoramas · Afternoon sun trap

A fantastic walk around one of Wales's most impressive Iron Age forts, with excellent views across the Tywi Valley and options to extend the route further. We love heading up to Garn Goch on a sunny afternoon — it's a wonderful sun trap and the views stretch for miles.

Type: Hill fort & moorland

Parking: SA19 6YY

Views: Tywi Valley

Interest: Iron Age archaeology

Route: OS Maps Route — Garn Goch (with extension)

5. Black Mountain Ridge

Circular ridge walk · Top Gear road · Excellent parking · Quieter side of the Beacons

Good parking makes this an excellent option on the quieter western side of Bannau Brycheiniog. You'll get to drive up the Black Mountain road made famous by Top Gear — though these days it has a 50 mph limit and average speed cameras along its length. It's also a popular route for road cyclists.

The circular ridge walk rewards with big open skies and long views, with relatively few other walkers even at peak times.

Type: Circular ridge walk

Parking: A4069, Llangadog (SA19 9PA)

Access: Good road access

Crowds: Quiet even in summer

Route: OS Maps Route — Black Mountain Circular Ridge

Why Everyone’s Talking About Wild Saunas — And Where to Try Them in Wales

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 20:11:41 GMT

The best sauna and plunge experiences in the Cambrian Mountains and Brecon Beacons

Wild saunas are Wales’ latest love affair — think steam, starlight, and a gasp of river water.

We explored two of the most beautiful spots near Cambrian Escapes : Penpont’s riverside sauna and the Nordic-style retreat at Welsh Lavender. If you’re chasing warmth, wilderness and cold plunges, this is where to start.

A New Welsh Wellness Trend

Last year’s breakout wellness trend was the wild sauna. Across Wales, saunas have been popping up beside rivers, in woodlands, and on remote beaches — pairing the deep heat of the stove with the shock of cold water.

It’s no surprise that our part of Wales, off the beaten track, with its rivers, lakes, and open skies, has embraced this ritual beautifully.

These saunas bring together craftsmanship, nature, and the kind of slow, soulful living that this region does so well.

Penpont — Riverside Serenity on the Usk

Perched just above the river, overlooking the glorious sandstone bridge over the River Usk, the sauna at Penpont is full of candles and good vibes.

When I visited in January at dusk it was 100 degrees in the sauna and the river was breathtakingly cold.

The way down to the river was lit by lamps and incredibly romantic. You can float down the rapids or sit quietly at the edge, letting the sound of the current wash over you.

I went to a communal session for women only, but you can also choose the mixed session. Solo use can be booked for £120 for 90 minutes. Not to be missed.

Penpont’s sauna perfectly captures what makes this region special — natural luxury, a touch of wildness, and a deep connection to place.

Location: Penpont Estate, near Brecon, Powys
Sessions: Women-only, and mixed communal sessions £15pp Private hire is available (£120 for 90 mins)
Plunge: Cold immersion in the River Usk

Welsh Lavender — Sauna with a View

During December 2025 we went to Welsh Lavender, who have a swimming pond to die for and last year built a sauna.

This gorgeous place has all the attention to detail and a rustic luxe design ethos that we love.

The sauna sits 1,100 feet up in the Welsh hills, with a rolling valley view, a beautiful cold shower complete with copper shower head, and a glorious pond to plunge into and cool down.

When I visited in December, the sauna was a steamy 80 degrees, and it was a quick ten-second schlep up to the swimming pond, which was a toe-tingling two degrees. My friend and I indulged in a solo session for £120 and had it all to ourselves. Shared sessions are £20 per person.

Welsh Lavender’s The Point Sauna is open on weekends and available for private hire. It’s the perfect mix of rural calm and contemporary design — a truly restorative spot in the Cambrian Mountains.

Location: Welsh Lavender Farm, Maesmynis, Builth Wells, Powys
Sessions: Private hire from £120/hour or shared £20pp
Plunge: Wild swimming pond (2°C in winter!)

Why We Love the Wild Sauna Ritual

There’s something elemental about the rhythm of hot, cold, rest, repeat. Standing in your towel on a winter evening, steam rising into the dusk, heart racing from the river, you feel completely alive.

In Mid Wales, the wild sauna movement connects perfectly with the landscape — the steam, the mist, the rivers, and the stars. It’s nature therapy at its best.

Plan Your Sauna Escape

Whether you’re chasing winter warmth or summer sunset plunges, both Penpont and Welsh Lavender offer unforgettable ways to reconnect with nature.

�� Explore more local experiences here
�� Book your stay at Cambrian Escapes

�� Check our guide to wild swimming a nd unlock more of our favourite spots when you book at stay

Quick Facts

��‍♀️ Penpont Sauna — Riverside heat and cold plunge in the River Usk
�� Welsh Lavender Sauna — Nordic-style sauna beside a wild swimming pond

A Foodie Weekend in the Brecon Beacons, Carmarthenshire & the Welsh Coast – Where to Eat, Stay and Explore"

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 06:59:27 GMT

Stay at Cambrian Escapes Cottages and Discover the Best days out for Food and Scenic Views.

Follow our foodie trail from the Brecon Beacons Bannau Brycheiniog to the coast. Discover our favourite eateries — from cosy pubs and farm-to-table cafés to fine dining and small plates.

Llansteffan Coast Walks, Castle Views & Foodie Delights

Foodie Adventures in Laugharne, Dylan Thomas, Coastal Walks & Delicious Eats

Seafood & Scenic Views in Aberaeron: Dining at The Harbourmaster on Wales’ West Coast

Foodie Stops Near the Botanic Gardens of Wales & Aberglasney

Quiet Peaks & Cheese Feasts in the Brecon Beacons

Waterfall Country Walks & Café Treats in the Brecon Beacons

Wild Swimming & Hearty Food in the Cambrian Mountains

Hike to Llyn y Fan Fawr or Usk Reservoir & Dine at The Castle Coaching Inn

Celtic Rainforest Walks & Riverside Dining at The Tywi Bridge Inn

With thanks to Hungry City Hippy & Will Barker for all the food photographs and the picture of Dylan Thomas' writing shed and a lot of fun. www.hungrycityhippy.co.uk

Best stargazing in Wales | Cambrian Escapes Brecon Beacons Cambrian Mountains

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 07:07:32 GMT

Best places for stargazing in the Brecon Beacons and Cambrian Mountains

Cambrian Escapes is off three off-the-beaten track luxury cottages between the Cambrian Mountains and Brecon Beacons National Park – both renowned Dark Sky Areas.

Why Cambrian Escapes is Perfect for Stargazing

We are in a designated Bortle 2 area, which means there's minimal light pollution so you get clear uninterrupted views of the stars, planets, and the Milky Way.

You can enjoy celestial displays right from Skyloft - which has a stargazing balcony with log burner. or get out and about on our recommended stargazing trails.

Stay in one of our luxury nature hideaways and experience some of the darkest skies in the UK, perfect for spotting constellations, meteor showers, and even the Northern Lights on rare occasions.Our location ensures minimal light pollution, offering clear, uninterrupted views of the stars, planets, and the Milky Way.

Cambrian Mountains Astro Trail & Brecon Beacons Dark Sky Reserve

The Cambrian Mountains Astro Trail begins at Llyn Brianne just three miles from Cambrian Escapes. giving you a perfect starting point to explore some of the best stargazing spots in Wales.

Visit the Brecon Beacons National Park International Dark Sky Reserve and check out their favourite ten places to go stargazing.

Best Season for Stargazing at Cambrian Escapes

One of the unique advantages of Cambrian Escapes is that every season offers something new in the night sky - just remind to avoid full moon - the darker the sky the more stars you'll see.

Or embrace the full moon and go full moon bathing instead!

Autumn : Sweeping views of the Milky Way, constellations like Cassiopeia, and meteor showers including the Orionids and Draconids.
Winter : Crisp, long nights reveal the iconic constellation Orion and the dazzling Pleiades star cluster. Winter skies are perfect for spotting distant galaxies.
Spring : A time for spotting planets like Venus and Jupiter, along with constellations such as Leo and Virgo. Meteor showers like the Lyrids add to the spectacle.
Summer : Short nights, but stunning opportunities to see the core of the Milky Way, along with the Perseids meteor shower, one of the brightest displays of the year

Stargazing Experiences

bespoke one-to-one and group sessions and astrophotography with professional astronomers with Dark Sky Wales training services and Serydda . Book well in advance to avoid disappointment.

Ready to experience the magic of dark skies?
Book your stargazing getaway at Cambrian Escapes

FAQ

Which is the best cottage for stargazing at Cambrian Escapes?

Skyloft has a west facing stargazing balcony which has mountain views and a log burner to keep you stargazing in style. Or you can stargaze from the wood fired hot tub or sitting around the fire pit in Glanyrafon, the cottage by the stream.

Where do you recommend stargazing at Cambrian Escapes?

Either making the mile long hike up our hill for panoramic mountain and sky views or head out to Llyn Brianne, just 3 miles away and the beginning of the Cambrian Mountains Astro Trail. You'll see stars reflected in the lake on still nights.

What are the best places in the Brecon Beacons & Cambrian Mountains for stargazing?

Try the Brecon Beacons guide to its ten favourite stargazing locations or check out the Cambrian Mountains Astro Trail

The Skirrid - The Beacons Way - Leg One

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 10:11:58 GMT

The Beacons Way in bite sized chunks

Join my Dad and I as we walk 99 miles of The Beacons Way in bite sized chunks

Leg one starts in a chaotic fashion. My fault.

The plan is to park car one at the Skirrid and walk to car two, which we will park and leave at Llanfihangel Crucorney. Except my memory has misremembered and mispictured the location and I drive too far and on to Pandy where I realise I’ve blown it and turn back.

Attracted – or distracted - by a gaggle of day-glo hikers in a layby, I pull in there only to see on my OS map that this is a section of the Offa’s Dyke Path, not the Beacons Way.

Third time lucky we pull into Llanfihangel Crucorney, ditch Dad’s car and drive back towards the National Trust Car Park at The Skirrid.

Back in the day, Skirrid parking was a quiet layby, but now we hop out in an organised car park with plenty of people about.

True to form, I can’t make the parking machine recognise my NT membership card and give me a ticket, so I leave the card on the dashboard as evidence that I’m an NT member because I certainly ain’t paying.

We set off and at the bottom, grab a photo on a very nicely carved bench that says Skirrid on the back and underneath the seat, 152km to Bethlehem. Bethlehem’s a small village with a popular post office at Christmas time in the west of the National Park further along the route.

The sandstone path zig zags steeply up through woodland. But when we get to the top of the woods, there’s a new gravel path with a sign saying the National Trust will be resowing grass seed and adding fertiliser to the old now fenced-off path. Adding fertiliser? What for? I’m pretty sure they’re not grazing prize continental cattle up here, why not let the dry heathland grasses and flowers recolonise the thin hill soils now it’s protected. I roll my eyes to myself and consider writing a letter.

One of my favourite things about the Skirrid is how it rises almost boundary like, marking the end of the placid hills and woodland of Herefordshire, England and the beginning of the wilder uplands of Wales.

I scan the horizon to the east and tick off my old friends with satisfaction; May Hill with its copse of Scot’s Pines at the top, The Chase at Ross-on-Wye and the wooded ridges of the Wye Valley down to Chepstow, which are currently partly obscured by low rolling cloud.

The view to the west is more interesting. There’s a maze of large hills and flat-topped ridges, with wooded valley sides, interspersed by recently cut pale silage fields and deep green fields of wheat.

From this angle, the Sugar Loaf is a perfect conical volcano and you can’t see its flat sandstone top, typical of the National Park. I can see the thin bracken rows on Bryn Arw, giving away the location of the Stump up For Trees project, where they’ve been planting trees in the bracken and endlessly bashing it to help the trees get away.

We have of course cheated by starting at the Skirrid, but who wants to start walking from Abergavenny up the roads to here? No thanks, let’s just get on the trail.

We’re on the ridge proper now, ancient red sandstone slabs on slabs a feature more famous further on into the National Park at Fan y Big with its popular red sandstone diving boards protruding out over the valley below, giving social media the perfect pic.

The Beacons Way heads downhill here, but we’re going on the trig point. I video Dad walking up to it. It’s empty when we get there and Dad raises his arms aloft, turns and takes a sweeping concert pianist bow as he reaches it. Trig one bagged.

We sit down, legs dangling above the view as a young lad and his equally young dad appear over the edge running to the trig point.

I look at the map to see where the next section of the first half of the Beacons Way leads. Then I locate it in the landscape on the other side of the valley from us, rising up through the woodland and on to a plateau that leads west to Llanthony Priory.

We start walking down the path the man and his son ran up. How on earth did they run up here? For us, It’s 180ft of neck breaking descent, red standstone worn foot holds, like steep steps, guiding our feet down step by step.

A pale misty squall has been mooching along the western horizon for a while, choosing where to unleash itself and it now arrives, delivering a localised hoolie.

We wander down through stinking overgrazed, sheep-shit filled fields til we get to a high banked lane.

Suddenly Dad exclaims, “oh no” and clutches his heart and for a moment my own heart lurches in panic.

He’s left the key to his car, where we are walking to in Llanfihangel Crucorney, in my car back in the Skirrid car park.

In fact, I now realise that I saw his key in my car in the centre console, and I even closed the compartment, tucking it carefully in before we locked up and left.

What an absolute pair of plonkers. I get the giggles and we turn round, adding a couple of miles to the trip, but the psychology is so much better than getting all the way to car two and having to turn back.

We walk back along the windy bottom of the Skirrid, to the car park. Pleasingly, we overtake a disunited group of Duke of Edinburgh youth playing tinny pop music through their phones. Small wins.

Leg one has been a lesson in under preparation. Dad forgot water and needs a better raincoat. I didn’t bring any food, which was entirely stupid because anything can happen. Like extending our walk by not being able to get where we were meant to be because we left the key in the car!

It’s good to have made the amateur mistakes on this very forgiving first leg. Must do better next time, we conclude.

Best walks off the Beaten Track - Y Gamriw, Cambrian Mountains

Fri, 01 Nov 2024 12:46:44 GMT

Bronze Age Cairn bagging in the Welsh wilds part 2

We like a walk that's off the beaten track. Some people like to bag a trig point. But there's plenty of Bronze Age Cairns and standing stones that are found on high points and quiet mountains with outstanding views in the Cambrian Mountains and Brecon Beacons. Better still, there will be no selfie queue. You'll have it to yourselves.

We're heading out into the back of beyond to do a bit of Bronze Age Cairn Bagging at Y Gamriw.

There are plenty of routes up this 604m Cambrian Mountain which, I believe translates roughly as 'The Step hill' (Welsh speakers will correct me) not least from glorious Caban Coch reservoir, Cwm Elan or in the other direction from Llanwrthyl.

But we chose to head up from the south west, cutting out the time it would take to drive all the way around it to the other routes.

We parked near the pretty and remote ‘Little Pudding Cottage’. With a name and location like this, it’s the perfect candidate for a Grimm’s Fairy Tale, or a Hammer horror film.

No doubt it's former Welsh name would have been something like Bwythyn Ger y Gors – Cottage by the Bog. The farm next door is simply called – Gors Wen – white bog.

Rhos Saith Maen - Seven Stone Moor, is the forboding but romantic name of the large wet Molinia dominated expanse to cross that runs to the bottom of Y Gamriw.

We set out across the lunar landscape of the bleached purple moor grass. Molinia is incredibly successful and loves to take over what once were likely moss rich peatbogs and flower rich rhos pastures, particular to Wales. Molinia is not grazed by sheep, they find it unpalatable, so these days it's in the ascendancy on our mountains, smothering much in its path. It's the subject of much discussion about the value to mountain habitats of having cows and horses grazing alongside sheep. For some years on our commons, it has been subject to burning programmes, but burning is no longer set out as a management technique

It was a gorgeous February day. The sky was that particular shade of Cambrian blue - unique to this area, with occasional large fluffy white clouds sauntering through. It's a particular light that if on a colour wheel would demonstrate why it complements the red tones of winter and the green of summer, so perfectly.

Y Gamriw was sticking out in front of us, a lazy old ridge running from Abergwesyn in the west and descending east towards Llanwrthwl and the River Wye. Like other mountains, it has bracken on the lower slopes before reaching that strong linear boundary separating it from the bilberry and moss hummocks that grow above. Stark, but not unattractive.

We followed the sheep path over the wet marshland – it had been dry for a while, but on the OS Map the route skirts all the way around if it's too wet to attempt it.

After the quadriceps work out, we reached the lower slopes and started to head up on a well trodden path. There were increasing numbers of stones about and, as we got higher we could see all the way over to Drygan Fawr in the west. It is the third highest peak in the Cambrian Mountains, and easily identifiable by its modern beehive cairns on top. Read about our walk up Drygarn Fawr here.

As we reached the plateau, we could suddenly see a beautiful wet bog, emerald green with clumps of spaghnum moss and the water lying deep azure over the top of it – just like those pictures of planet earth from space. We turned right, heading east to get to the summit and the cairns that we had come to see.

There really is something about Bronze Age Cairns (I am by no means an officianado but you can read about other Cambrian Mountain Bronze Age Cairns we've visited here ) But the fact that our ancestors built these on inhospitable hill tops, somewhere between 2,500 to 800BC, marking the history of funerals, rights and rituals, is extraordinary. Old habits die hard, we still mimic these rituals today, but now it's scattering ashes, rather than building stone cairns.

Life was pretty good in the Bronze Age. The weather was warmer than now, the population steadily increased and communities lived in wattle and daub villages on what we would describe as marginal land with cracking views.

On Y Gamriw, there are 3 burial cairns and a shelter on the summit and surrounding summits. This stone is grey, weathered, lichen covered. Permanent markers of what has been her for thousands of years, even where the structures are crumbling and strewn on the ground.

Sat down over cheese and chutney sandwiches, we can see right through to Cwm Elan and way beyond in the north. In one of Robert Macfarlane’s books, a Welsh farmer refers to it as MAMBA country: Miles and Miles of Bugger All.

Featureless it may be, but it’s not dead. Here, there are a lot of lichens and good mosses and elsewhere there are rare bits of unique habitat, like Welsh Fridd, although much of it under pressure. You only have to head slightly lower to the SSSIs in the Elan Valley to see some fantastic habitats in decent nick thanks to good husbandry.

Heading back down the hill, the pleasing post hill-walk buzz sets in. I've seen a load of relics from our ancestors, some huge views, but not a single soul.

Then again, they may all be lying murdered in Little Pudding Cottage.

The best walks off the beaten track Cwm Sawdde Fechan Bannau Brycheiniog

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 15:08:53 GMT

Cwm Sawdde Fechan to Foel Fraith 3.7 miles 2.5 hours (one way)

As we descended, a small hawk dropped silently down from a tree above and flew through the tunnel of trees and off around the corner before we could ID it. Then we were down in a gorgeous wet meadow before arriving at a gate with a river that you need to ford. I ended up taking my boots off and paddled, but on the way back managed to find a drier route of stones and hopped across, sprite-like, until an uneven wobble underfoot nearly had me in.

Once on the other side, I was walking in wet alder woodland next to a jolly mountain stream the colour of iron bru. There were carmine pink bramble flowers, looking as though they’d been stained by the juices of the fruit still to come and an old rusty sawmill, ferns growing upsides it.

Every now and again the sweet, sleepy smell of valerian officialanus enveloped me. It’s a marmite scent and people love it or hate it. I love it and it’s also a superb remedy for calming the nervous system, a favourite to dose some of our more highly strung animals with at times!

There was tormentil, foxgloves and a mossy ancient wall stuffed with ferns and rotting tree stumps next to the path. The whole place felt untouched, although it obviously wasn’t, but it’s always good to walk through places that have been allowed to grow this spring and summer and are not overgrazed.

We followed the path upwards through some oak wood pasture and reached another gate that opened without falling off its hinges, which I at this point I made at least 4 in a row. The blessings of a national park, I suppose.

The path wound its way through the bottom of an acid grassland with steep sides covered in the yellows of tormentil, autumn hawkbit and the blues of sheep’s bit and tumps of self heal. We arrived at a heavily greased gate, that dropped off its hinges slightly and you had to give it a good heave ho to get it back up and in the slot, but the grease made it easier.

Here the path climbed high above the stream, so that you couldn’t see it, but by the rushing sound one knew it was energetically dropping down through a series of cascades. Here there were black stemmed larch – I wondered if it was lichen or a disease - and we caught the first glimpses of the mountain, Cefn y Cylchau, through the trees.

We headed onto a stony track that led onto the hill and stopped to admire a bog smothered in pink and white - marsh orchids, cotton grass, whorled carraway – the flower of Carmarthenshire – and pink bell heather. There was also an awful lot of a stone crop like flower growing through spagnhum moss.

Today we headed down to the stream and sat down on a tump of purple flowered wild thyme (recommended for the delicious scent this releases) and ate lunch watching some prehistoric dragonflies zip about above the stream, presumably looking for a good place to offload their larvae. They eat horseflies, the devil of July, and anything that tackles them gets extra kudos from me.

You can continue from here up along the valley to Foel Fraith, or do a small loop coming back down on the opposite side of the stream.

As we walked slowly back the way we had come, the sun came out and there were sun spots dappling the ground.

We didn’t see a soul.

The best walks off the beaten track - Brecon Beacons| Bannau Brycheiniog

Tue, 07 May 2024 09:04:56 GMT

Y Das circular loop over Mynydd Bychan 2 hours 3.5 miles

Park on the common at Rhos Fach SO 18550 33686, above Talgarth and you'll see the inviting shape of Y Das above you. Follow the bridlepath and take the second turn to the left to follow the fence line up the left of the mountain. This is the steepest section you'll walk up, but has super views to the east, following the ridgeline right down to Lord Hereford's Knob and Hay Bluff.

We skirted around the top of the slopes of Y Das on the sheep paths. From here you look across to the Begwyns.

On the far side of Y Das is the perfect coffee stop - there's also a brilliant ledge for an 'world at your feet' type insta photo. Here you get one of those great views of loads of peaks. Brilliant Y Grib (all hail the stegosaurus), Mynydd Bychan and its cairn, which you are going to walk over to. Plus Mynydd Troedd, Tor y Foel, Llangorse Lake behind it, and Pen Y Fan & Co in the distance. You can also see Llangynidr mountain.

Follow the edge all the way around to Mynydd Bychan. It's a great place to video your friends walking around to Mynydd Bychan. If you wanted to time your walk for sunset, you would get great photos here, looking west. From the cairn, follow the very steep sheep paths down onto the common below. Here you walk back east along the common, joining up with the entrance onto the common and taking the same path back down to where you parked your car.

The best walks off the beaten track - Cambrian Mountains

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 13:00:48 GMT

Mynydd Mallaen Circular loop: Rhiw Cilgwyn - Esgair Ferchon - Banc Main

3-4 hours: 6.5/7miles

Welcome to O ff the beaten track our curation of quieter trails and hikes on our patch.

This first one starts here at Penstacan SN50762 40772. If you are not staying with us, do park in Cilycwm car park SN75434 40117 and take either of the two footpaths to reach Penstacan. link to OS Map for route.

We recommend doing it clockwise and heading up the Penstacan hill first, following the route all the way up to the mountain gate at the bottom of Rhiw Cilgwyn.

After admiring the sensational view over to Banc Main, which you'll walk down at the end of the hike, head at 45 degrees over to your left to pick up the bridlepath which takes you to Rhyd Galed, the first ford and also the source of Nant Merchon.

Carry on to Esgair Ferchon where it gets slightly confusing. You need to not take what looks like the obvious quad route, but tack off towards the forestry you can see at about 11 o clock. If you find the quartz marker stone you’re heading right.

Mooch down to Rhyd Ddu (black ford)

Then turn right and head back up onto the plateau, keeping to the left – the sheep paths here are pretty good to follow.

When you hit the plateau, you’ll be able to see the vast views over to Bannua Brycheiniog/Brecon Beacons. You can see Pen y Fan and Corn Du to the east and Bannau Sir Gar/the Carmarthen Fans, slightly to the west.

Carry on walking til you hit the top of Craig Llech Gwynt and Banc Main and then you get the highlight of walking down this amazing ridge. The Gwenlais is on your left and the Merchon on your right.

A Food Lover’s Weekend in the Brecon Beacons, Carmarthenshire & the Welsh Coast – Where to Eat, Stay and Explore"

Sat, 13 Apr 2024 13:29:32 GMT

Stay at Cambrian Escapes Cottages and Discover the Best Food and Scenic Views in our part of Wales

Llansteffan Coast Walks, Castle Views & Foodie Delights

Foodie Adventures in Laugharne, Dylan Thomas, Coastal Walks & Delicious Eats

Seafood & Scenic Views in Aberaeron: Dining at The Harbourmaster on Wales’ West Coast

Foodie Stops Near the Botanic Gardens of Wales & Aberglasney

Quiet Peaks & Cheese Feasts in the Brecon Beacons

Waterfall Country Walks & Café Treats in the Brecon Beacons

Wild Swimming & Hearty Food in the Cambrian Mountains

Hike to Llyn y Fan Fawr or Usk Reservoir & Dine at The Castle Coaching Inn

Celtic Rainforest Walks & Riverside Dining at The Tywi Bridge Inn

With thanks to Hungry City Hippy & Will Barker for all the food photographs and the picture of Dylan Thomas' writing shed and a lot of fun. www.hungrycityhippy.co.uk

The best weekend in Wales for petrol heads - 11 brilliant experiences

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 13:04:28 GMT

Five of the best driving roads for views, twists and your socials on our doorstep: Carmarthenshire, Bannau Brycheiniog-Brecon Beacons and Cambrian Mountains

If driving is your bag, then book at stay at the best holiday cottages in the Brecon Beacons , (yes we are biased). Bring your car or motorbike and try our guide to steer you to some of the best.

But of course there's a few more favourites that we can tell you about when you're here, after all we don't want to give all our secrets away in one hit.

On our doorstep we’ve got some crackers – our roads are still relatively well surfaced and it’s a slice of switchback and hairpin heaven backed by some cracking views.

1. Try Top Gear favourite the Black Mountain Pass, the A4069. Although now they’ve stuck a 40mph average cameras on it, so on your push bike might be best to see if you can dodge the fun police and smash out higher than average speeds.

2. One of the sweetest roads in Wales is the B4560 climb up Mynydd Llangynidr Mountain over to Beaufort. Fantastic drive up and some lovely twisties and cambers with astounding views down the valley to Llangattock, Table Mountain and the Sugar Loaf at Abergavenny. Great place for Instagram photos and videos with a large car park, right next to the road, with views back down to a hair pin.

3. Driving in the quieter Cambrian Mountains gives some brilliant views. Try a scenic and twisty drive around Llyn Brianne and continue on to Abergwesyn via the infamous Devil's Staircase .

Alternatively turn left and tootle on through the wilderness to Tregaron.

Or you can drive the incredible mountain road from Aberystwyth, taking the A4120 to Devil's Bridge the take the B4574 to Cwmystwyth and onto Rhayader on the mountain road. There are also some incredible driving routes in Elan Valley.

4. Twisty Ystradfelte. The four waterfalls is a favourite walking route, but there’s a super piece of singletrack - the old Sarn Helen roman road, that tick-tacks up a mountain from Heol Senni with some cracking views of Bannau Brycheiniog – Fan Hir, Fan Nedd and the epic standing stone, Maen Llia.

You can come back on the A4067 Crai road, which has epic views of Bannau Sir Gar/Carmarthen Fans and a few lay-bys for the Insta shots.

5. Across the Epynt. The MoD firing range - check out the European village if you do the Llywel to Tirabad section from the A40 near Trecastle. A wild piece of road with brilliant forward visibility in places.

There's a few sections of note. From Garth (off the A483) to Upper Chapel is a fairly joyful section of B4519 with one heck of an uphill section.

Or you can do the full drag from Brecon (B4520) to Builth and link in to the Abergwesyn route above. Caution - do not enter when the red flags are flying or you could find yourself surrounded by a bit of tracer fire. Yes that did happen late one night. Oops. (Ed)

Six of the best events in Wales for petrol heads

6. Carmarthenshire is home to legendary Pendine Sands – a seven mile stretch of high-speed-heaven that saw Malcolm Campbell smash the 150mph barrier.

In 1926, Welshman JG Parry broke 170mph here in BABS, who you can see at the the recently relaunched Museum of Speed There's a plethora of events through the year (check out the vintage hot rods on 22nd & 23rd June) Events held on the beach are a brilliant place to head to, to find kindred spirits and plenty of beautiful motors.

7. If you’ve always fancied off road motor biking, then Yamaha’s hugely successful off-road experience is just 1.5 hours away from us at Cambrian Escapes. You may want to book to stay in Glanyrafon in order to soak away your day in the hot tub! Also, we would advise having a good level of fitness and booking this brilliant experience at the end of the holiday and not the beginning - you may not want to move much the next day! You will need to book well in advance - we booked in January for a September off road experience.

8. Llandovery Motorbike Weekend is held on 13th & 14th of July, now under new management and attracting 100s of bikes over the weekend. And of course the West End Café in Llandovery is one of the most popular places to stop for a coffee on the A40.

9. Wales is hosting a round of the European Rally Championship from 30th August to 1st September – the first time World Rally has been to Wales since 2019. The area around Aberystwyth will see Europe’s best take on some fierce gravel courses. Not to be missed.

10. The Towy Valley Vintage Club show will be held on 29th & 30th June at the Cothi Agricultural show. It is made up of cars, motorbikes and tractors and you can enter your own vehicle if it is 25 years and older.

11. Cruise Culture – Wales’ biggest modified car and performance car show at Carmarthen show ground. Sunday 25th August.

How to start a holiday let business

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 16:02:54 GMT

15 quick and dirty hacks to help you set up a holiday cottage business

As we complete a decade of renovating and running holiday cottages in England and Wales and enter our 6th year at Cambrian Escapes, we've been reflecting on the changes in the staycation industry.

Back in the day, you listed with a single agency; January was the hottest booking month of the year and everybody booked their week-long holiday. Short breaks were still the domain of hotels and B&Bs and 80% occupancy (in England anyway) was the no-sweat breaking norm. Airbnb was still a toddler and not on the cusp of becoming an Oxford English Dictionary entry for being the dark destroyer of local housing and colloquial noun for short term accommodation.

As we enter 2024 it’s a fiercely competitive domestic market, with some blow-your-socks-off properties and a plethora of back garden pods and cabins.

Everybody is doing it, which means you need to work even harder to stand out from the crowd.

This year, it’s set against a backdrop of recession and, following the pandemic, governments have waded in with some extremely impactful regulations that have hit people working in tourism, hard.

Wales has introduced new regulations around minimum occupancy, which means that if you don’t achieve 182 nights occupied (105 nights in Scotland and England), your business gets taken off Non Domestic Rates, is classed as a second home and liable to up to 4x council tax, albeit with a few exceptions, like if it’s an annexe.

There’s a new and expensive statutory licensing scheme in Scotland - you cannot rent a property on any platform without having a short term letting license. In Wales, as well as an imminent licensing scheme, a tourism tax will be introduced in 2026 and collected by accommodation owners.

With Cornwall always being mooted as the most blighted county for second homes ownership, England is just beginning to stir its stumps. Michael Gove has just announced (Feb 20 2024) that a short term holiday lets will need to go on a national register and will need to apply for planning permission to operate. If an area has too many, then it's likely they will be registered as a second home and come in for large council tax bills.

All this means your business has got to be blinking brilliant, attracting loads of guests and still make you money - even if you slash prices to rock bottom, pay 25% commission to multiple booking platforms, and offer often loss leading one night stays to keep up with the Jones’s.

THE PROPERTY

Who, what and why?

The crucial questions to ask yourself are: Why are people going to choose to stay at your place?

What are its USPs? Has it got a wood fired hot tub ? Or a stunning coastal view, a downhill mountain bike run or an outstanding gastropub next door?

Who is your target audience? This includes their age, interests, families, friends or couples and what they want from a holiday. Are you going to take dogs or cats? Design your place to attract your target guests and how they will use the space.

Research is Jack, Queen and King. As well as doing desktop exercises and looking at what other local accommodation providers do, go and stay in places similar to whatever you are planning to do and in a similar price bracket.

And Development We also think you need to keep researching and developing your business. Unless you’ve got a rock solid USP it’s always worth staying on top of travel trends. It means you can hook into social media and add extra value to your offer – often for low or no cost.

We keep asking our accountant if our research staycations are tax off-settable – after all every other business has a Research & Development budget. He keeps saying no.

Interiors & styling

Chances are, you already like interiors and styling and your hosting gene runs into making things as beautiful as possible.

Check out my Pinterest which I used extensively to research and save ideas for the interiors at Cambrian Escapes You can decide whether I stayed true to my initial themes (the boards are Glanyrafon, New York and Holiday Costs). I backed this up by sprawling over interior magazines like House & Garden and latterly the bible Conde Naste Traveler and a few interior books ( Ros Byam Shaw , Axel Vervoordt I also have a strong history in Annie Sloan and furniture auctions prior to that. Plus there’s loads of blogs on the best way to hang paintings, what to grow up a north facing wall and so on. Thanks also to a few brilliant friends who were there for wobbles and paint advice.

Scale plans

When you’re working on a layout, we follow the Rita Konig tip of working from the centre of the room out to the edges. Don’t just shove everything against walls and leave the centre empty. Divide rooms up into areas, do scale plans with cut-outs of furniture to help work out layouts, it makes such a difference to see things in plan.

Paint

Farrow & Ball has a section on its website to help you put together colour schemes - genius if you’re looking for inspo or don’t feel comfortable with complimentary colours and the colour wheel. We do think it’s worth buying good quality paint, by the way. It’s a totally different beast and far more durable. Also: don't forget to keep a list of which paint you've used where - totally essential to get the touching up right!

The boring interiors bit

It’s worth applying a few questions to your chosen pieces: How are your furnishings going to stand up to wear and tear? Are you happy to sand down and reoil wooden worktops every year? Are furniture and furnishings good to clean?

Support small local businesses

Tourism at its absolute sustainable best, should support other small businesses and your local community. Try to resist shopping online or the last minute Dunelm Dash. You can find so many fantastic things in local furniture and interior shops, vintage and antiques fairs and you’ll be supporting and connecting other small businesses, which often leads to recommendations and stays. These small businesses will also become part of your social media community.

LISTING & MARKETING

Cottage agencies, rental and listings

The days of the exclusive cottage agency are long gone. Now you can be on as many platforms as you wish, for about 25% commission, or on a listings site you’ll get charged an upfront listing fee. But watch out: some agencies will list you on Airbnb , Booking.com and a gazillion others. All you need to think about is what best suits your property and your location, whether that's a curated set of cottages, or Airbnb.

Photography

You must have brilliant photos. It’s not about squeezing the entire room in to the shot like an estate agent would. it’s about capturing the mood, the essence of the place and the little touches.

Wide angle lens shots and folded towels on beds are out, rumpled linen-clad beds and steaming baths are in.

Always pay for a professional photographer – they often stay for a night or two so you get a range of shots taken throughout the day and night. If you’re listing with an agency they will arrange this.

Creating your own website

There’s a few things to consider about cost here: there is the cost to design & build it, plus an annual hosting fee, booking system charges and the charge of taking online payments via stripe, and so on.

From a purely financial point of view, if you have a single unit, it is better value to pay the 25% commission to have your platform(s)/cottage agency do it all for you – from listing to marketing and collecting the payment.

If you have more than one unit, developing your own brand, like we have at Cambrian Escapes , is important. But, the most important bit: you need to work to make sure your pages rank well and Google drives online traffic and hopefully bookings, to your site. If you don’t have good Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) no one will find you, no matter how pretty your website is.

Listing yourself on Google business gives you a free online presence and you can use it as a function to gather reviews that are then seen by prospective guests, too.

Social media

Everybody is a photographer and a vlogger and it’s important to be on social media – you can share guest posts as well as your own. If you only have time for one channel, match it to the one with the right demographics for your guests. We prefer Instagram but have fettled in all of them.

MONEY MONEY MONEY

Finance & business modelling

Talk to an accountant from the start who is experienced in working on accounts for holiday cottages. They will help you decide on your business structure - are you going to be sole traders or a LTD company; are you going to need to register for VAT; will you be liable for Capital Gains Tax when you sell.

Business modelling is essential, whether or not you need finance for your project. After all, you want to make some money for all of your endeavours.

You need to model different occupancy levels. For example, in Wales, the average is 54%, what occupancy do you think you can achieve (looking at other places you have researched) and what is a reasonable rent for it?

What are your capital renovation and project costs to get the property on the market? What are your overheads ? These include Insurance (*do not skimp and watch for those super important rebuild costs because these have rocketed), marketing, any loans, energy, tax, boiler services and the ones that everyone forgets (or ignores) paying your own time for cleaning, laundry and admin.

Does the figure give you a reasonable return on investment? How many years will it take before you can pay off your debt or investment and turn a profit? How will you finance the required investment? It is easier to borrow against an existing business than a new start up.

If, after doing the modelling, it doesn’t give you a good return and you need finance, you won’t get it.

Pricing

All agencies make suggestions on pricing – including Airbnb. But you need to make sure it reflects your business model. Pricing is usually based on your target audience and your USP – You are looking at comparable properties, which may not necessarily be local. So for example with

Glanyrafon we look at the price of renting a rural cottage with a wood fired hot tub, in a good location near a National Park.

There are now dynamic pricing models available. Many properties have a nightly price based on length of stay – the longer the stay, the lower the nightly price and the shorter, the more expensive. Some agencies work on the basis of a short break costing 70% of a week price.

IT'S THE LAW, GUVNOR

Rules & regulations

The industry is changing fast and new regulations are introduced regularly. You need to be abreast of the second homes issues, licensing, fire regulations, insurance, registration for business rates, PAT testing, tourism tax. These regs change from country to country – we recommend becoming a member of PASC UK. They have all this information in one place, but also work hard for the industry and represent us and try and influence the regulators to get the most workable solutions for us as an industry.

And finally, we're members of our local tourism associations - Brecon Beacons Tourism and Carmarthenshire Tourism Association. Working in tourism, isn't like working in an office. Your only colleague is often your spouse or partner and it can be lonely. We find it hugely beneficial to meet up with colleagues in are area, to chew the fat and find out how business is for everyone locally, and to network with each other. The tourism associations came into their own during the pandemic. Fighting our cause, keeping us abreast of changing regulations, promoting and supporting us and keeping us linked together and part of a group. Recommended.

The ultimate weekend staycation in the Brecon Beacons & Carmarthenshire

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 15:45:28 GMT

Top Tips for Adventures and Food on a Long Weekend in the Brecon Beacons & Carmarthenshire

Stay at a boutique cottage Cambrian Escapes

Pen y Fan dawn hike

Roll out of bed pre-dawn and drive to Cwm Gwdi car park to head up Pen Y Fan. The first 30 mins of this route can be sweaty, but think of it as a warm-up and you’ll then cruise up the long ridge of Cefn Cwm Llwch before a final short scramble up to the summit. You won’t regret the misty morning views and gorgeous colour. Get there for sunrise if you can. Cwm Gwdi Grid ref 02393 24747.

Head to Hills for an out of the ordinary and well deserved burger when you get back down.

Drive up to the top of the Towy Valley/Blaenau Tywi for superb autumn colours. The birch turn first with their fantastic bright yellow and then it’s the turn of the Atlantic sessile Oakland. An absolute picture. Gwenffrwdd Dinas Nature reserve. . Refreshment choices at the Tyw i Bridge Inn , or the Royal Oak, Rhandirmwyn. Check opening times at the pubs to avoid disappointment

Head down to Llansteffan, Carmarthenshire for low tide. Walk across to glorious Scott’s bay and then head up to the cliffs and Wharley Point along the Wales Coast Path to get the superb views and swirls of the sand banks in this gloriously shallow section of Carmarthen Bay. Views all the way across to Worm’s Head on Gower and across to Ginst Point at the head of Laugharne and the Taf Estuary. There’s benches for idling, taking photographs and home made picnics or grab something to eat at the Inn in the Sticks, LLansteffan afterwards.

Go wine tasting at an organic and non-intervention vineyard in West Wales. Zero input wine from a regenerative vineyard that’s already scoring plaudits and supplying places like Good Food Guide listed Paternoster Farm in Pembs. Two-hour sessions including a tour, tasting and tapas made especially to complement the wines are a snip at £30 a head. www.hebronvineyard.com

Twyi Tour – head down the Towy Valley from Llandovery for a suite of visits. Choose from Carreg Cennen, brilliant view point Paxtons Tower and the fantastic Botanic Garden of Wales . Feast at Wrights Food – eat in their excellent café, shop in their shop, sample their natural wines or pre-order their weekend supper kits to tuck into when you get home. Or head to the Tregyb Arms in Ffairfach Llandeilo. Cocktails and mocktails (in fact the best non-alcholic drink we’ve ever had) and sociable sharing platters.New Paragraph

The Wild Collective : Immerse yourself in nature and detox your mind with one or of our incredible experiences Whether you want to wild swim, walk under a full moon, try out felting and foraging or go out stargazing, we’ve got a raft of adventures and creativity, led by local experts, to take you out of your hectic life and soothe your soul. Check out the full list here.

How to start wild swimming: 121 open water swimming experiences and adventures in the Brecon Beacons

Sat, 17 Sep 2022 16:25:19 GMT

Guided Swim Adventures in the Brecon Beacons and Cambrian Mountains with local open water swim coach Kate. *please visit our Wild Collective page for a full list of guided wild swim, hike, stargazing and other adventures in nature with our incredible local guides.

Embrace the superb powers of cold water swimming in our gorgeous waterfalls, lakes and rivers.

The health benefits are multiple – fantastic for your mental wellbeing, relaxation, boosting your immune system ready for winter. Not to mention the pure endorphin-filled joy of immersing yourself in nature.

Please contact Kate direct to discuss your perfect wild swim adventure day. She offers both 1:1 and group sessions during weekday school hours and at weekends. Prices from £35 per person. Once you’ve booked your stay with us at Cambrian Escapes and Dark Skies Camping we would advise booking with her straight away as she does get booked in advance. Enjoy!

Contact Kate at Black Mountains Swims

Instagram: @black.mountains.swims

Facebook: black mountains swims

Email: blackmountainsswims@yahoo.com

Best dog walks Llandovery, Brecon Beacons, Carmarthenshire

Sun, 31 Jul 2022 09:27:39 GMT

We’re spoiled for views and vistas and walking choices, but when it's ground nesting bird season, or there's livestock on the mountains, these are our favourite off-lead dog walks around Llandovery.

Come and stay in our dog friendly holiday cottages

in the Brecon Beacons

Cwm Rhaeadr

Fantastic forest waterfall walk with plenty of plunges for dogs and humans and endless stony trails and paths to get lost on (and most people do). You can extend this walk with a loop beginning from the top of the bridlepath which goes across the very top of the waterfall. You can then then walk across Craig Rhosan to the top gate in Cwm Rhaaadr that brings you back down the scout hut.

Walk length: basically anything you like! 1 hour and 15 to do the basic waterfall loop and about 2 hours to do a full loop over the top of the waterfall.

Grid ref: SN 765 422.

Cilgwyn Woods, Llandovery

Gorgeous mixed woodland with lots of species including beech and oak and Douglas fir. A shorter grassy loop or a longer loop on stone tracks and then through woodland of varying ages. Nice pond for a hound dip. You can also do some extensions to this route and take some footpaths and bridleways through fields in a number of directions with smashing views of the Carmarthen Fans.

Length: 30 mins to 1 hour and a quarter or longer if you extend.

Grid ref SN754293

Crychan Forest - Halfway car park

Nice sunny forest mainly conifers with a lot of oak, ash, cedar and Douglas fir plus a perfect stream and pool for dog dipping. Also very horse friendly if that is your bag. Short loop about 40 mins, but you can head into the forest hinterland and get lost for a least a day.

SN 835 330.

Crychan Forest- Esgair Fwyog car park

There’s a few good loops here – some areas of douglas fir but also conifer.There’s an option of staying in those main woodlands, walking down to the valley floor and then back to the car park, about 2 hours. Alternatively you can do a loop up along the byway opposite and finish it off with a tiny amount of road back to the car. It’s not a busy road and there’s some nice views down across the endless misty hills of Carmarthenshire. You can however walk as far or a short as you wish with the full loop being 3 hours.

SN 837 412

Usk reservoir

Gorgeous place for an evening walk in the golden hour. Lovely views through to the Brecon Beacons or the Carmarthen Fans depending on which bit you choose to walk round. Full circular walk is about six miles. But there are various little routes though which means you walk there and back on the same route, but with views like these it doesn’t matter.

Two parking options one at the reservoir itself LD3 8YF

Or Pont ar Wysg SN 820 272 which is just outside the woodland and takes you to about half way around the reservoir. You can also walk around the Glasfynydd Forest here.

Best waterfalls in the Brecon Beacons and Cambrian Mountains for swimming and walking

Sat, 23 Apr 2022 09:27:49 GMT

Best waterfalls in the Brecon Beacons & Cambrian Mountains

Twelve stunning waterfalls across the Brecon Beacons and Cambrian Mountains, from the dramatic Four Waterfalls Walk to remote Dolgoch and Cwm Gwesyn.

Most offer wild swimming opportunities in crystal-clear pools. Highlights include South Wales' tallest waterfall at Henrhyd, the tiered cascades of Nant y Llyn near Llyn y Fan Fawr, and the spectacular gorge at Sgwyd Gwladus. Many locations feature easy parking and peaceful woodland walks, with detailed grid references and routes provided throughout.

It goes without saying that the best time to go is after rain!

Stay in our luxury holiday cottages Cambrian Escapes near waterfalls to explore these waterfalls at your leisure.

Sgwyd Gwladus

is the pinnacle of a walk down an extraordinary gorge of numerous waterfalls. If you go after a storm, the sheer velocity of water going down the gorge, with water gushing out of every orifice, alongside the roaring noise of the water, is out of this world. We park at Pont Melin Fach SN 908 105 although

on NRW this car park is closed between March & October 2022 - we hope it's reopened but please check.

Cwm Gwesyn waterfall.

A walk up Cwm Gwesy n a beautiful and typical Cambrian Mountains valley, owned by the National Trust, ending in a huge, tiered waterfall. You won't see many people, if any, and you can also swim in a pool under the top section. Plenty of stream side picnic spots on the way up. You can also extend this walk to carry on to the Beehive cairns on Drygarn Fawr, above. See my blog for the best route.

Devil's Bridge

An iconic set of three bridges and a superb but steep waterfall walk in the Cambrian Mountains. There's an added bonus that you can eat and drink at the Hafod next door.

Pic credit:L Dafydd Wynn Morgan

Cwm Rhaeadr

On our doorstep and the tallest waterfall in Carmarthenshire. This is just a tiny section of it, it powers off the edge of a cliff into the forest below. You can do a full walk, where you can stand on the top of it and get fantastic views over to the Carmarthen Fans. route. This is also a great spot for a waterfall plunge.

Fan Hir Loop

There's a cracking loop, towards Llyn y Fan Fawr on the Beacons Way over Fan Hir above. But if you walk below It goes by several waterfalls, including this lovely one off the top of a cliff, which has a perfect photo spot.

Loop back along the ridge.

Park in the large layby just before Tafarn y Garreg. SA9 1GS

Four Waterfalls Walk

The perenially popular Four Waterfalls Walks is super but gets very busy in summer. You can now take a Park & Ride service to reach the falls and if you follow @visitbreconbeacons on social media, it will keep you posted on whether car parks are full, which is worth doing to avoid disappointment. Park at Cwm Porth or Gwaun Hepste. SN935123 or SN928124

Sgwyd y Pannwr

Sgwyd y Pannwr, Bannau Brycheiniog. This is one of the big 4 on the four waterfalls Trail. See the map above. Click on the pic for more walk info. Pic credit Visit WalesNew Paragraph

Nant y Llyn

This is the small stream the exits Llyn y Fan Fawr and is a superb flight of 4 or 5 waterfalls - each totally perfect for dipping. You can park at the bottom and cross the River Tawe to follow the sheep path up the side of the waterfalls. You can do a loop here up to Llyn y Fan Fawr and back round. But you may just not want to leave. Note: you will need to paddle across the river here if there's been lots of rain in winter, but summer you can hop accross. SN 85262 20235

This is paragraph text. Click it or hit the Manage Text button to change the font, color, size, format, and more. To set up site-wide paragraph and title styles, go to Site Theme.

Dolgoch Waterfall

In the middle of nowhere on a byway up to the Elan Valley, near the remote and beautiful Dolgoch Hostel is this beautiful waterfall, flowing from a heart shaped rock. You can park right next to it. You probably won't see a soul. SN 80563 57298

Gwenffrwdd Dinas

RSPB's glorious Celtic Rainforest, runs alongside the Towy via a series of stunning cascades, culminatiing in the superb junction pool. There are icy dipping spots all the way down it. Route

Cwmystwyth

In the midst of the extraordinary landscape of Cwmystwyth an old mining village and one of the Cambrian Mountains' heritage sites, you'll find a huge waterfall tumbling down the side of a cliff above the ruined village on the left of this picture. Make a day of it and visit the Hafod Estate, Devil's Bridge Waterfalls and the wonderful Elan Valley . One of our recommended memorable drives out.

Henrhyd

The tallest waterfall in South Wales. It's a National Trust site and there's a longer walk you can enjoy down a wooded valley and passing by Melin Llech, a disused mill.

Blaen Y Glyn

Near Talybont Reservoir is a pretty walk through woods and open land. There's parking and a picnic area. Busy in high season as it is also the starting point to Fan Y Big and Cribyn. Nearest postcode CF48 2UT. Check out our circular, slightly scramble route.

Best Lakes in the Brecon Beacons & Cambrian Mountains

cambrianescapes@gmail.com — Thu, 29 Oct 2020 13:28:32 GMT

Explore some of the Best Lakes in Wales

Wales has got lakes to die for, quieter and more remote than the Lake District, stay at our cottages and use our guide to explore 11 spectacular lakes across the Brecon Beacons and Cambrian Mountains, from remote glacial tarns to scenic reservoirs.

Our top picks we visit again and again:

Llyn y Fan Fach & Llyn y Fan Fawr — iconic twin glacial lakes beneath the Carmarthen Fans; best for dramatic scenery and ridge walks.
Teifi Pools — remote, wild and quiet; ideal for solitude and long moorland hikes.
Llyn Gynon — a tough hike to a hidden Cambrian Mountains lake with a true wilderness feel.
Usk Reservoir — pink-sandstone shoreline, easy paths and big views; great for families, dogs and calm walks.
Llyn Cwm Llwch — tucked beneath Pen y Fan; one of the most beautiful high-mountain lakes in the Beacons.
Llyn Brianne — vast reservoir perfect for cycling loops and peaceful forest scenery. Also a Dark Sky Discovery Site
Elan Valley lakes — dramatic Victorian dams, scenic drives and gentle lakeside trails.

Best for wild walks

1. Teifi Pools, Cambrian Mountains

A scattering of remote and romantic lakes on the top of a plateau. There’s a good path which meanders up a picturesque valley and is part of the long distance route, the Cambrian Way . Those of you who walk in the Cambrian Mountains regularly will know that paths here are like gold dust, so make the most of this one. You’ll be wanting to turn your garden into a pool after coming here. Magic. *You can also drive and enter from the other end

2. Llyn Gynon, Cambrian Mountains

If you’re feeling fit and ready to skip across bogs and ankle twisting molinia, another hour on from the Teifi Pools is remote Llyn Gynon. The only person you may see is a fisherman as there are brown trout here. This is seriously wild and remote, but the best things in life are rarely the easiest.

3. Llyn Y Fan Fach and Fawr, Brecon Beacons National Park

Two large glacier lakes under the spectacular ridge of Bannau Sir Gar, or the Carmarthen Fans, in the wild west of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Walk to each individually or do the whole loop along the ridge and back around.

4. Nant Y Moch & Llyn Llygad Rheidol, Cambrian Mountains

Two for the price of one in a mountain wilderness. If you climb up Pumlumon Fawr, the tallest peak in the Cambrian Mountains, you’ll see the sinuous Nant Y Moch reservoir snaking along on one side. On the north side nestles Llyn Llygad Rheidol an atmospheric hidden lake, that was eventually dammed and now provides water for Aberystwyth. Good for sunsets and contemplation. For guided walks we recommend Dafydd at Pumlumon Trails

5. Llyn Cwm Llwch, Brecon Beacons National Park

Beautiful glacier lake tucked in under the peak of Pen Y Fan, the highest peak in the Brecon Beacons. A long climb up but well worth it and a cracking one to swim in, away from the crowds at the top of Pen Y Fan.

6. Glaslyn Nature Reserve, Cambrian Mountains

Stunning upland lake at the top of nature reserve on the Owain Glyndwr Way . Visit in late June to August to drink up the spectacular show of cotton glass followed by the blooming heather moorland. The reserve also has spectacular views towards Snowdonia. Upland moorland bliss.

Best for cycling

7. Gwrynne Fawr reservoir, Brecon Beacons National Park

Remote reservoir in the Black Mountains in the eastern Brecon Beacons National Park. Brilliant for mountain bikes and also sits in the middle of an all day horseshoe walk.

8. Usk reservoir, Brecon Beacons National Park

The combination of its exceptionally pink sandstone and blue waters makes this the Cotes D’Azure of the Brecon Beacons. Lovely peaceful reservoir to walk and cycle around with great views of the Carmarthen Fans, Pen Y Fan and its neighbouring peaks.

9. Llyn Brianne, Cambrian Mountains

Sensational drive and ride around a fabulous lake on a twisting, single track road. The best bits to stop at and visit include the ruins at Trawsnant, The lookout point half way around and the Fannog peninsula, where you can get lakeside.

Best for driving

10. Elan Valley, Cambrian Mountains

Extraordinary Victorian engineering and a sequence of beautiful lakes. A series of narrow roads wind around reservoirs and dams. Spectacular, but not so secret - expect to share it with other visitors and very busy in summer. Elan Valley is also a Dark Sky Park , so head out with a camera at night for incredible night sky shots.

11. Talybont reservoir, Brecon Beacons National Park

Large and usually quite busy reservoir. You can drive along one side of it and the Taff Trail for cycling and walking runs along the other side. The best views of it are if you climb up Tor Y Foel, the peak just next to it. You can carry on driving from here to Pontiscill reservoir and there’s also a lovely waterfall walk. Added benefit of two local pubs in a nearby village for a social distancing drink afterwards.

Best places for wild swimming Brecon Beacons & Cambrian Mountains

cambrianescapes@gmail.com — Sun, 09 Aug 2020 19:54:22 GMT

Discover the top places for wild swimming in Wales and stay near our holiday cottages Cambrian Escapes

Discover 5 stunning wild swimming spots in the Brecon Beacons and Cambrian Mountains, from family-friendly pools to dramatic glacier lakes.

Top picks include

Wash Pool in Cwm Irfon with its swing and shallows - great for families
Llyn y Fan Fawr & Fach iconic Glacier Lakes beneath the Carmarthen Fans ridge
Wolf's Leap gorge at Abergwesyn with deep peaty pools.
Cwm Gwesyn a waterfall-filled National Trust valley
Llyn Cwm Llwch under Pen y Fan - a challenging hike to lake under Pen Y Fan.

All locations include parking details and grid references, with safety advice for cold water swimming.

If you book a stay you'll get access to our full wild swimming guide, with lots of secret places to dip away from the crowds, not listed here.

Be adventure smart, take your rubbish home, bring warm clothes, tell someone where you are going. Enjoy!

1. The Wash Pool Cwm Irfon

A large, dreamy, languid pool where farmers used to wash sheep before shearing. Benches and parking closely. Shallows for children as well as deeper bits for swimming. There are waterfalls above it, and there’s a swing. What more could you possibly want?

White Bridge car park grid ref SN 856 507 is a little further on from the pool, but there is also some limited parking next to the pool itself.

2. Llyn Y Fan Fawr

Iconic glacier lake on the the top of the world at the foot of the Carmarthen Fans in the Brecon Beacons National Park. Lie back and look up at those unbelievable ridge lines. Spectacular. Cold! About a 30 minute steady climb up. Follow us on Komoot @cambrian_escapes for the route. Alternatively you can try at Llyn Y Fan Fawr, but there are signs up warning of Weils disease. There is a carpark at.

Car Park Grid ref SN796238

3. Cwm Gwesyn

An unspoiled National Trust valley in the Cambrian Mountains. Pools all the way up it to dip your toe and more in, culminating in a large waterfall you can throw yourself into, to finish off in style. About an hour from the parking to the waterfall, depending on how many pools you test on the way.

Car Park is a little way down the road from the beginning of the path. SN85980 53080

4. Wolf's Leap, Abergwesyn

Absolutely spectacular mini gorge carved out with the river running over a few hundred metres that intrepid explorers will enjoy. The gorge ends up in some gorgeous, deep peaty pools with steep sides, heather and rowans and some flat rocks to lie on and dry off afterwards. Fascinating geology and incredibly pleasing on the swimming front. Very cold! Short walk from the road. Park carefully along the single track road.

Grid Ref for Abergwesyn SN 8547 5274

5. Llyn Cwm Llwch

An icy but invigorating glacier lake underneath Pen Y Fan. Parking at the bottom of the valley and a long increasingly steep climb of about an hour to get there. Worth every step, when you arrive. Carry on up to the summit of Pen Y Fan after your refreshing (fairly cold!) dip, if you can tear yourself away.

Car Park Grid Reference SO 006 244

There are lots of other fantastic swimming spots - do tell us about them. These listed above have good access and parking. Please park carefully, be Adventure Smart – ask yourself: Do I have the right Gear, Do I have the right knowledge and experience, what will the weather be like today.

Tell someone where you are going and take plenty of warm clothes to dry off afterwards. Usually it is better to enter cold water slowly, rather than diving or jumping, so that you don't suffer a shock from the cold water. Leave no trace of your visit. That’s enough Big Brother. Happy swimming . If you like our wild swimming tips, why not come and stay in our gorgeous cottages or secluded campsite

Bronze Age Cairn Bagging

cambrianescapes@gmail.com — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 11:54:09 GMT

Forget bagging Marilyns, Munros and Wainwrights, the highest points in the Cambrian Mountains & Brecon Beacons are often marked by Bronze Age Cairns – and there’s plenty to bag, too.

4,500 years ago our climate was warmer than it is now. The population steadily increased and Bronze Age people settled across the uplands in areas that seem incredibly remote compared to our modern day dwelling preferences.

These isolated settlements left behind them a legacy of standing stones and Bronze Age Cairns and there’s also often remnants in the landscape of long huts and mounds, groups of fields and stock pens where they worked the land.

The three highest peaks in the Cambrian Mountains, Pumlumon (752m), Mynydd Mallaen (462m) and on Drygarn Fawr (625m) all have Bronze Age Cairns with breathtaking views. There are three cairns on Drygran Fawr – two have been rebuilt and stand at an impressive 2.5m high and 5.6m diameter. There are two on Mallaen about 25m diameter and three on Pen Pumlumon Arwystli.

In the Brecon Beacons National Park , there are 14 Bronze Age Cairns – including on Pen Y Fan (886m), Corn Du (783m) and Fan Y Big (719m) and Cribarth (428m) – though you can no longer call these peaks isolated.

There’s lots of speculation about what they were for. They could be burial mounds – however, one on Mynydd Mallaen was dug up in the1930s and nothing was found. The preferred school of thought is that they were territorial markers, representing ownership, community and identity. When you walk up towards Drygarn Fawr, the rebuilt cairns are visible for miles around and, when you look at maps of the locations of upland cairns (plenty of time to do that in lockdown), you can see that they would have been crucial landmarks in the vast upland landscape.

The cairns are only part of the story – impressive for their size and their position, they are often joined in the landscape by nearby standing stones. On Mallaen, there are two stones – Maen Hir (or Men Hir) and Maen Bach, marking the route towards the Crugiau Merched – and they pretty much line up with the cairns.

Maen Llia, between the Senni Valley and Ystradfelte is one of 30 standing stones in the Brecon Beacons National Park - at nearly 4m tall it’s visible from miles around in the wilderness it stands in. It is believed that there is at least another 1.5m below ground – that is some effort to get it in situ.

There are also plenty of stone circles to explore, created (we think) to celebrate significant times of year based on planetary, sun and solar activity and seasons, like solstice, important to our prehistoric ancestors.

So never mind the trigpoints, once lockdown is lifted, I’ll be off on the Bronze Age trail because our prehistoric ancestors knew all about bagging the best views.

The Bronze Age Cache (this is by no means an extensive list)

*There’s 14 Bronze Age Cairns in and around Abergwesyn alone – two of the three on the ridge of Drygarn Fawr have been rebuilt.

*30 standing stones in the Brecon Beacons National Park

*Hundreds of standing stones and stone circles in the Cambrian Mountains

*There are two Bronze Age Cairns on Mynydd Mallaen – Crugiau Merched or Ladies Barrows

Two standing stones plus evidence of long huts, barrows and fields

Find out more. Coflein Ancient Monuments Megalithic

Walking in the Cambrian Mountains: Drygarn Fawr and Cwmgwesyn

Thu, 02 Apr 2020 13:26:27 GMT

The Last (non-local) walk before Lockdown

Once upon a time, not so long ago, when freedom was a right and exploring new places completely normal, I drove to a secluded valley in search of waterfalls and Bronze Age Cairns.

Abergwesyn

Abergwesyn*1 is a 25 minute drive from us tucked away in the Cambrian Mountains. It has loads of archaeological remains including around 14 Bronze Age cairns - upland areas were used for ritual purposes back in the day. The most impressive of these is at Drygarn Fawr, right on the summit of Abergwesyn, which is where I was headed, via a secret valley - Cwmgwesyn.

I stopped for a quick round of social distancing and some Oat Flips in the garage in Llanwrtyd Wells. A man stared at me in horror and asked what I’d been up to.

I looked down and saw my ingrained muddy walking trousers and mud spattered coat, which I’d fallen down a muddy hill side in the week before. Laughing, I was forced to admit I hadn’t yet been up to anything. (Anyway, when has walking been a fashion show).

Cwmgwesyn

I parked up and headed towards the valley. I was momentarily annoyed when I reached a ford - it was not marked on the map and I’d recently been thwarted on a walk by another ford which was far too deep and cold to cross.

(Ed – doesn’t this annoyance seem ridiculous now when we can’t get out at all!)

Having got over myself, I took my boots off and paddled across. It was so cold that my right foot got the equivalent of an ice cream headache.

While I put my boots back on, I noticed a bat braving the sunlight and flying figure of eights overhead .

I began to follow the sunken stone lined track up towards to the beginning of the valley where it narrowed before turning the corner and arriving at the gate into Cwmgwesyn – National Trust. Grazed by ponies and sheep

The route winds it way up a perfectly formed valley (cwm) with a crystal clear stream with waterfalls babbling all the way.

If you’re not familiar with the mountain streams of the Cambrian Mountains, you need to get acquainted. Dynamic, fast moving, water levels reactive to rainfall and the action of the peat bogs storing rainfall near their source, they are ever changing their course and topography.

Piles of stones deposited on one bend after a heavy rain dumping will be picked up again and deposited further downstream after the next storm. The one thing that never changes, is that they are crystal clear.

Lunch (two hard boiled duck eggs and the aforementioned Oat Flips) was eaten overlooking a fantastic waterfall (below) at the head of the valley. I took some photos of the waterfall and only when I got back home and downloaded it, did I see The Face. How many can you see?

I finished lunch and climbed up the right hand side of the waterfall and continued to follow the stream.

Tramping through the Molinia (purple moor grass) which was arduous and a bit of work out. Tumpy sodden tussocks of molinia now dominate a lot of mountains and uplands.*2

But the dog enjoyed frequent paddles and drinks in the stream and it was exciting to look up and see our destination - the beehive cairn - silhouetted on the horizon.

It’s always great to have something to aim at – especially in landscapes like these where there are few distinguishing marks.

I consulted the map, which clearly indicated I was on not much of a path but I could see the promise of a bridlepath (and hopefully the end of the sodding molinia), before the final ascent.

As I got closer towards the bottom of final ridge I spotted a few quad tracks about half a mile away. That’ll be the bridlepath then. I kicked myself, laughing, for even thinking it would be a civilised, clearly visible bridlepath and pushed on up. *3

The cairn is huge almost 6m wide diameter and nearly 4m tall (I read that afterwards, I didn't take a tape measure). There are two on this ridge of Drygan Fawr. The original Bronze Age base is still there and some of the stones making up the base are more than 1m long. But the beehives you see now, with quartz stones on the top, was a rebuild sometime in the 20th Century. They are fun – though you can’t help thinking what a job to get all that stone up here (on the non existent bridlepath).

There are 360 views towards the Elan Valley in one direction and the Brecon Beacons in the other.

The bulky reassuring outline of the Carmarthen Fans are closest and the snowy peak of Pen Y Fan was also clear in the distance. It was blowing an absolute freezing cold hoolie, so after a few pictures we started off again.

This time I returned to the waterfall on a slightly higher route (on the ridge to the left in the picture above), avoiding the hard walking next to the stream proffered by the molinia.

I descended into the hidden valley -which felt sheltered in comparison to ridge - and the dog and I wended our way home on weary but happy legs. Fortunately it's all downhill, bar one sharp incline close to home which gives the quadriceps one last, post molinia scream.

The end (literally)

A short car drive later and the dog and I staggered in and hit the sofa.

I sort of knew it would be the last 'drive-to' adventure and I already look back at it with the sort of affection you feel when you know you can’t go back in time and things have changed forever.

You can find our route up through Cwmgwesyn to Drygarn Fawr on our feed on Komoot.

Notes to Editors

* 1. Abergwesyn Common is part of the National Trust’s estate

*2. The problem of Molinia . Molinia is now a dominant upland grass on many uplands. Part of the issue is that it is not grazed by sheep, which are the dominant upland species. National Trust is doing some experiments with cutting it and then bringing cattle in as the first grazing species which is having some success. Other management includes burning

In Dartmoor, they are covering molinia in mineral salt lick which encourages the ponies to eat it, which is having some success.

*3 If you walk in the Cambrian Mountains a lot you’ll know that paths are often non existent, even if marked on the map. You often may see a set of quad tracks at best. As for signposts. Well, good luck with that. But that is part of its charm and integrity as the last wild part of Wales.

Best mountain bike trails in the Cambrian Mountains

Sat, 07 Mar 2020 09:32:57 GMT

If you want unfettered wilderness riding over gravel, mountains and through valleys, forests and around magnificent reservoirs and dams, look no further than the Cambrian Mountains.

The wildest set of mountains in Wales run from the Brecon Beacons National Park in the south, all the way up the spine of Wales to Snowdonia in the north. They offer unparalleled riding with a mixture of constructed specialist tracks, ancient mountain top droving routes, sweet descents and single track challenges to suit every level. Best of all, it’s riding without the crowds, just you, your mates and a few Red Kites wheeling around an incredible landscape.

1. The Doethie Valley

The one true love of singletrack magazines, this trail is often dubbed as one of the best by those in the know. If it’s not written about in one of the MTB magazines for one year, it’s so unique, it’s tops the pile the next. The Doethie Valley itself is 4 miles long, but getting to it increases the miles and route options.

Here’s an 18.6 mile route, taking in Llyn Brianne and Wales’ most remote chapel, Soar Y Mynydd. The end of the route is just 4 miles from us here at Cambrian Escapes….downhill all the way home and, if you time it right, two pubs to stop at to replenish yourself and discuss what just happened.

Skill level: Challenging, narrow paths. You need to bring food, water and tools with you

Highlights: The Doethie Valley, Llyn Brianne dam and reservoir, Soar Y Mynydd, the most remote chapel in Wales

The Tywi Bridge Inn and the Neuadd Fawr Arms are a downhill from the end.

2. Towy-Teifi trail

Named after the two rivers you’ll ride along, this is 35 miles of every type of going you can think of – up high, down low including a ride around the magnificient Claerwen reservoir and a quick detour up the Devil’s Staircase, Abergwesyn (well if you’re going to do a bit of tarmac, this is the bit to do), just to get a final beasting and a fine view. Choose your start point – Abergwesyn, Strata Florida or Claerwen dam.

Abergwesyn is nearest to us here – about 20 mins drive. Route

Highlights: The Devil’s Staircase Abergwesyn common, feel the burn , Claerwen Reservoir and dam in the Elan Valley.

Skill level: You must be a competent navigator and be able to take all your food and drink with you. Bar the visitor centre café in Elan Valley, there’s no other refuels, it’s just you and the wilderness and a lot of fun.

3. Elan Valley

Gorgeous Elan Valley, home of sensational Victorian Dams and engineering and totally bike friendly to boot…with a café in the Visitor Centre to head to at the end (or the beginning) of the day.

*Please note that the Claerwen Sunken Road is closed from January 2020 to January 2021 for repairs.

A. Nannerth loop

Enjoy climbs and views of two valleys and reservoirs, including a few steep climbs and a sweet section of single track.

Highlights: Breathtaking views of the Wye Valley and Black mountains. Some good sections of descent

Skill level: Red trail

Distance: 29km

B. Elan Epic

An epic tour of all six reservoirs and dams. Steep climbs, open hills, woodlands and lots of good descents. It’s everything you want for a day that says you’ve absolutely maxed it.

Distance 60km

Skill: Black

Highlights : You get to see all the reservoirs and dams and choose your favourite. Grab a coffee at the Visitor Centre on the way in and the way out..

4. Cwm Rhaeadr

Everybody’s darling. A surprisingly poky red run, just 4 miles from Llandovery and a mile from us here at Cambrian Escapes and Dark Skies Camping.

Much loved by its regulars and graded by MBR. *Please check for updates with Natural Resources Wales as timber felling is taking place as of March 2020 and some of the trails are closed

Distance : 6.7km including the ascent.

Skill level : Red

Highlights: A great downhill through a forest containing the highest waterfall in Carmarthenshire. Time it right and you can head on downhill to the Neuadd Fawr Arms in Cilycwm to rehydrate after all the fun.

5. Bwlch Nant Yr Arian

Bwlch Nant-yr-Arian Forest offers stunning high-level wilderness riding in the epic scenery of the Cambrian Mountains. You can enjoy everything from true mountain climbs to river crossings and technical rocky descents. Syfydrin trail

Wild desolate and lonely, this trail takes in swooping single track, technical double track and mountain tops. Highlights: Mountain top views, technical sections, river crossings and a café to kick start and end the day. Welsh cream teas are a speciality.

Distance: 30+km

Time: 5 hours or more

Difficulty . Black. Not to be underestimated – recommended to ride with someone.

Best walks to banish the Winter Blues: Brecon Beacons, Cambrian Mountains & Carmarthenshire Coast Path

Fri, 24 Jan 2020 13:05:18 GMT

If like us you feel lethargic and uninspired during January, reboot your barometer from low to high with some classic Welsh winter walks to restore your mojo.

Talybont (Blaen Y Glyn) waterfalls... and beyond, Brecon Beacons National Park

This is a beautiful waterfall walk up a valley next to the river. The waterfalls get progressively larger the further up the valley you walk. You can do a number of different loops.

The shortest is up beside the stream and then there’s a bridge you can cross below the largest waterfall. If you keep walking on passed the largest waterfall you’ll eventually arrive in the plateau below Craig Y Fan Ddu and Cwar Y Gigfran which is pretty awesome and will definitely get your mountain endorphins going. You can do a quick hop over the stream and walk all the way back down through the woods.

Highlights: loads of crystal clear waterfalls, forest tracks and, if you go to the top, amazing views of the ridges of Craig Y Fan Ddu and Cwar Y Gigfran

Time: From 30 minutes up to the largest waterfall and up to 2 hours or more if you continue on up the valley and loop back through the woods.

Postcode CF48 2UT

Grid Ref SO 0631 1704

Route

Also available on Komoot if you follow Cambrian Escapes

Allt Rhyd Y Groes, Upper Tywi Valley, Cambrian Mountains

A National Nature Reserve of ancient sessile Atlantic oak woodland, which clings to the steep hillsides. It forms part of the Mynydd Mallaen and Cwm Doethie SSSI and SAC. NB this was badly damaged in Storm Darragh 2024 and is impassable in places.

The wet, humid climate here is perfect for the trees and the mosses, ferns, liverwort and lichens that populate them. This habitat is now dubbed Welsh temperate rainforest.

Time: Around 1.5 to two hours for the full explore, if you head up to the top of the woodlands. But you can just to stay on the flat path in the lower woods that takes around 35 mins to walk to the end. .

Highlights: mossy trees, liverwort, ferns, amazing views of the geologically stunning Doethie Valley & Cambrian Mountains. Crystal clear mountain streams

Grid Reference SN758484

Postcode SA20 0XX

Route on Komoot – Cambrian Escapes

Brecon & Monmouth Canal @ Llangynidr, Brecon Beacons National Park

Reflecting and reflections are the name of the game. Gentle lapping of water, beautiful tree lined paths, beautiful arched stone bridges and the occasional diesel fuelled gridlock at lock gates.

Head to the Coach & Horses at Llangynidr and you can amble along the canal in either direction, taking in the aqueduct and the longest tunnel on the way to Talybont.

You can do a variety of walking options to extend the walk, including climbing Tor Y Foel, which has amazing views over Talybont Reservoir and the Usk Valley.

Postcode: NPA 1LS will get you to the Coach & Horses Inn where you can park

Time: 5 minutes to get to the aqueduct and then as much or as little as you like.

Highlights: Reflections, flat walking, lovely trees, bridges and a chilled vibe (apart from gridlock!)

Route

Pendine to Morfa Bychan and Marros, Carmarthenshire Coastal Path

If the sun is out you’ll get double the buzz with all the light reflecting from the sea. There’s a very steep climb up out of Pendine but the views make it totally worth it. You can see all the way to the Gower and from the cliff top, on the other side, you’ll see the National Trust cove of Morfa Bychan below - a tiny cove with enormous round pebbles, hidden in a glen.

If you’re feeling super energised carry on back up the cliff on the other side of Morfa Bychan and head on towards sandy Marros. Views down the Pembrokeshire coast.

Highlights : Incredible views over Pendine’s 6 mile stretch of sand. Beautiful views of Morfa Bychan bay and the Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire coast. Sea, sea and more sparkly sea.

Time: At least an hour to walk to and from Morfa Bychan depending on your fitness and time spent admiring the view.

Parking is at Pendine on the seafront where the new Pendine Museum of Speed is now open.

Postcode SA33 4NY

Grid reference SN 2387 0783

Mynydd Illtyd, Brecon Beacons National Park

A popular and busy common in the Brecon Beacons. Panoramic views of Pen Y Fan and Cribyn, plus views over Brecon and an optional hillock (by Brecon Beacons standard) to wander up if you don’t just want a flat amble around the common.

There’s the added bonus of being able to have a cup of tea at the mountain centre afterwards.

Highlights : super views of the Beacons; flat walking (small hill if you need one!) Have a cup of tea at the Mountain Centre afterwards

Time: Leisurely. As little or as long as you like.

Grid Reference SN978263

Postcode LD3 8ER

Route

Ten of the best mountain bike trails in the Brecon Beacons & surrounds

Wed, 23 Oct 2019 20:38:29 GMT

Legendary black route mountain bike trails in the Brecon Beacons

The Black Mountains Blitz This route starts in Talgarth car park (or start this route from Crickhowell at CP8) and is for advanced riders who are used to spending a whole day in the saddle.

It includes some epic climbs, white-knuckle descents and some great single-track sections. Taking in the heart of the Black Mountains range this route offers spectacular views of the National Park from several vantage points.

55 km with nearly 2000m of ascent and descent.

The Two Gaps or the Long Gap

A Brecon Beacons classic route in the heart of the National Park taking in two mountains passes , Bwlch y Glasgwn (Blue Valley Pass) high above the Talybont Reservoir and the famous Bwlch ar y Fan, better known as the Gap Road. This is a full day out, with big views to match.

41 km climbing to a maximum height of 600m.

There is also a red route shorter version - just known as The Gap

This route is 24.4miles with 2,150 ft of ascending and takes about 3.5 hours.

Ungraded, but legendary. The Doethie Valley gets continual accolades for being one of the best natural single tracks with the most stunning views in the UK .

This route is around 23km with a total climbing of 1130 meters. It takes on average around 3 - 4 hours

Grwyne Fawr Reservoir

This is a 51km route which reaches heights of around 700m. It is very open and takes you out of Talgarth to the top of Y Dâs. At the top you descend past Grwyne Fawr Reservoir and down to Mynydd Du Forest. You then make your way through the forest and along country lanes. There is a very steep descent past the church at Ffynon Ishow then a climb back up to the “cairn” at the ridge top at Pen Trumau. The descent to Talgarth takes you along lanes and tracks with one last climb to the base of Castell Dinas. It can also be ridden in revers

If you prefer camping to cottages check out our chilled out eco campsite with campfires and starry skies Dark Skies Camping

Best mountain bike red routes Brecon Beacons

Sarn Helen , Sennybridge

Starting in the village of Sennybridge a few miles east of us here in Llandovery. This is a challenging route and incorporates Sarn Helen, the roman road which runs the length of Wales. It is technical in places and can be exposed in bad weather. Tough but with great views in every direction and a real sense of achievement when you reach the finish!

28 km with a total ascent of nearly 800m

Pontsticill Crossover The Pontsticill trail is a figure of eight loop that starts with a 400m climb before descending to the half-way point of Pontsticill village. After the village you can choose between the Taff Trail forest route or the road alongside Pontsticill Reservoir, before going off-road and up to the figure of eight crossing and down to the Usk Valley just a few kilometres down the road from Talybont.

33.8km nearly 2600ft of ascent

Cwm Rhaeadr packs a punch. Super views, waterfalls, twists and turns, it's a local favourite. Just a mile away from us here at Cambrian Escapes, it's red and meaty

6.7km of unadulterated fun

Best mountain bike green and blue routes Brecon Beacons & Carmarthenshire -
Good for views, families and leisure riders

The trails in Brechfa Forest offer something for novice riders but also cater for those who crave a more demanding venture. Located on the brink of the brooding Cambrian Mountains with views of the green Towy Valley, this huge forest in Carmarthenshire has all weather surfaces and is perfect all year round. The Derwen trail consists of two routes; a green route for novice riders and a blue route that can be used to improve your technical skill. Plus the fabulous Black Lion Abergorlech is nearby and they do the best cake.

Unlike other green trails Brechfa’s Derwen Trail isn’t all on forest roads, there are singletrack sections sculpted into the Oak forest, the steady climbs, fun descents and twists and turns will give you a real introduction to the challenges of mountain biking without being too challenging! There are also great spots to stop and take in the view and even a picnic table or two. Bring the family, start on the green route and progress to the blue.

The green Derwen Trail is 9.2 km long while the blue is 4.7km long, a total of 13.9km if you ride both.

Talybont on Usk – Both the Taff Trail and the Monmouthshire and Brecon canal pass through Talybont-on-Usk and three routes go from this point. Car Parking is available at Henderson Hall, Penpentre, and it’s great if you intend to leave your car all day. There are also pubs, cafés and a range of accommodation in the town.

Tramway – Green – 8.9km – This trail follows the Taff Trail climbing up on a forest road before returning to the Brinore Tramway then descending to Talybont.

Talybont Forest – Blue – 17.7km – Again this trail takes you on the Taff Trail up from Talybont. The Brinore Tramway then takes you a short way up into the forest before a descent to the Talybont Reservoir. You then cross to the other side of the valley for some hilly riding in Talybont forest. A rewarding trail with some fun descents.

Mynydd Illtud

A Brecon Beacons easy triangular route starting from the National Park Visitors Centre. A straightforward route on common land, flat farm tracks and undulating roads, with stunning views across to Corn Du, Pen y Fan and the Central Beacons throughout .T

7.5 km with less than 100m of ascent.

Usk Reservoir

The route starts at the Usk Reservoir dam near the source of the River Usk and offers spectacular views up onto the buttresses of Bannau Sir Gaer (the Carmarthen Fans) to the south. This is an easily navigated route on forest tracks and tarmac roads, it includes a small number of short sharp(ish) climbs may make it a little challenging for complete beginners.

11.5 km Total Ascent c.240m

If you want to stay in the area but prefer the freedom of camping to staying in a cottage, check out our small eco campsite Dark Skies with campfires and starry skies.

Bike Park Wales

Just an hour away is Bike Park Wales with 40 single track options to suit beginner through to pro.

Read more about riding and walking in Llandovery and the surrounding Brecon Beacons and Cambrian Mountains

Best Winter days out for Food and views on our doorstep

Sat, 28 Sep 2019 06:05:04 GMT

Get out and explore castles, gardens, mountains, market towns and coast and factor in plenty of time for a cosy lunch or afternoon tea …

Walk the Carmarthenshire Coast Path at Llansteffan for superb estuary views from Caldey Island across to Pembrey and down to Worm's Head. Grab a bite in the excellent Inn in the sticks, Llansteffan or at Mansion House . Do check for winter opening times.

Castles and the Tywi valley

Take a trip to superb Carreg Cennen SA19 6UA, the most romantic castle in Wales in the National Park. You can carry on from here down the Towy Valley to Paxton’s Tower SA32 8HX, which has super views over the valley and the Botanic Gardens and Dryslwyn castle SA32 8JQYou are spoiled for choice here with food options at Y Polyn SA32 7LH Alternatively carry on into Carmarthen where you could try Award winning organic and vegan friendly cafe and food haven The Warren SA31 1PX.

Cambrian Mountains: Llyn Brianne and the most remote chapel in Wales

Cambrian Mountains: Llyn Brianne Dam & the most remote chapel in Wales. Take a drive up to the dam (turn left at the bottom of our track) and stop at the top to see this enormous dam and reservoir. Carry on driving around the reservoir along the wild mountain road to Tregaron. Stop at Soar Y Mynydd SY25 6NP, the most remote chapel in Wales. Have lunch or high tea in Y Talbot SY25 6JL in the town or in the lovely organic Riverside Café and Farm Shop SY25 6JP. You can also visit Cors Caron the biggest wetland in Europe (sounds odd but it is fantastic). Drive back via Lampeter and pick up some goodies at Watson & Pratts deli in Lampeter

Beautiful walks on the Carmarthenshire coast path

Take a trip to beautiful Laugharne (pronounced Larn) – we love it. A very special atmosphere and one time home to Welsh poet Dylan Thomas and you can visit his extraordinary writing shed. Lots of places to stop and eat including the Ferrymans Deli, Browns Hotel SA33 4RY and smaller places around the castle. The Dylan Thomas Boathouse and tearoom has lovely views and excellent scones. Make sure you walk to the far opposite side of the bay to the castle and walk up the steps and along for about 10 minutes to get the most stunning view of the estuary and Carmarthenshire coast beyond. Cefn Sidan is a 7 mile stretch of beach at Pembrey Country Park SA16 0EJ.. Then there’s Pendine sands, Home of landspeed records and there are speed events held throughout the year.

Hay on Wye Town of books, North Eastern Brecon Beacons

Famous for its bookshops and literary festival, Hay is a good place for a mooch, whatever the weather. Lots of pleasant coffee shops, independent shops, galleries and pubs. Try the Blue Boar for lunch. If the weather is clear, take a drive up to Hay Bluff. If you’re feeling like exploring, keep on driving on the single track road (limited passing places so you must be happy reversing if needed) and drive down through breathtaking Gospel’s Pass and down to Llanthony Priory , one of the oldest abbeys in Wales. NP7 7NN. Stop at St Martin’s church Cwmyoy, which is very crooked indeed! Travel back to Abergavenny and drive back to Llandovery on the A40.

Brecon Beacons National Park – Crickhowell, Talybont & Llangynidr

Crickhowell was voted the Best UK High Street 2019, and it’s well worth a visit. Take a legendary afternoon tea at The Gliffaes Hotel NP8 1RH, or drop into The Bear, an old coaching house, on the high street. NP8 1BWDrop into Llangynidr to visit the canal which has five locks and an acqueduct, plus a Grade 1 Listed stone bridge over the beautiful River Usk. There are three pubs here, closest to the canal is The Coach and Horses NP8 1LS You can take the back road to Talybont and visit the reservoir and there’s a fantastic waterfall walk, just past the reservoir with parking at CF48 2UT.

She'll be driving round the mountain

We are at the bottom of Mynydd Mallaen on the south east corner but you can take a drive all the way around this spellbinding mountain. Turn left at the bottom of our track and keep left after the Tywi Bridge Inn. Enjoy the steep oak forested mountain sides and spectacular views. Stop on the way at Capel Bwylch Y Rhiw if you look just below the chapel at the stream next to the road, you’ll see where the stream is gated off to carry out baptisms in the mountain stream (brrrr). Carry on to visit the Dolaucothi Gold Mines SA19 8US , belonging to the National Trust. The Countryfile pub of the Year 2019 the Dolaucothi Arms serves food. SA19 8UW

Colourful market towns - Llandeilo

Have a mooch around the independent shops in Llandeilo. Visit the National Trust property Dinefwr with its medieval castle and deer park. SA19 6RT. Lots lunch options including Ginhaus Deli and the Cawdor Hotel . Yr Hen Vic has vegetarian and vegan options.

Gardens in Carmarthenshire

Visit glorious Aberglasney Gardens SA32 8QH that has a super licensed restaurant and the National Botanic Gardens of Wales SA32 8HN and have lunch at nearby Wrights Food Emporium (closed Tuesdays) SA32 8JU While the main gardens have plenty of autumn and winter interest, the glass houses and ninfariums at both make winter visits a must.

The Ceredigion coast

Take a drive up to Aberaeron , a beautiful harbour town. Superb fish and chips or treat yourselves to lunch at the Harbourmaster SA46 0BT (best to book in high season). Carry on down the coast to New Quay and Cei Bach where you can watch dolphins and soak up the vibe of this busy beachside town. The gelataria, Creme Pen Cei is not to be missed.

Cambrian Mountains – Devil’s Bridge and the Hafod Estate

Take a leisurely drive up to Devil’s Bridge Waterfalls SY23 3JW and the Hafod Estate , with its beautiful landscape. Have lunch or coffee in the extraordinary architecture of the Hafod Hotel. You can take the Vale of Rheidol Railway here into Aberystwyth and you can also visit the Gardens Cae Hir on the way back SA48 7NG

Best wellbeing and creative holiday experiences in the Brecon Beacons & Cambrian Mountains

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Sun, 11 Aug 2019 17:54:05 GMT

Eating wild, creating, exploring, adventuring, star gazing and chilling - our tips to immerse yourself in local experiences and culture away from the crowds

1. Go starry eyed

When you’re in the vicinity of the Brecon Beacons, just the fifth place in the world to gain International Designated Dark Sky Reserve status, it would be rude not to wrap up, head out and look up.

You’ll see the Milky Way, planets, meteors and shooting stars. There’s lots of events that take place in the Brecon Beacons , at the Elan Valley Dark Sky Park and Dark Sky Wales can take you out to observe and create bespoke star gazing experiences for you. Find out about discovery sites in the Cambrian Mountains and for a good selection of events locally, visit Go Stargazing

2. Get creative

Felting & Cyanotypes

Try your hand at felting with Jane Evans in her beautiful riverside studio in the Upper Tywi Valley. Jane loves to work with colour and you will learn wet felting and nuno felting, which combines silk and wool together. You can also try cobweb and wild felting. No experience necessary. More information

3. Adventures in the great outdoors

Guided walks

Explore the stunning Cambrian Mountains and learn about the myths, legends and history of this extraordinary landscape. Choose from day time trail walking or, if you are interested in the starscape of the Cambrian Mountains, grab your camera and enjoy walks to the best night sky viewing spots imaginable. Full details of the walks and trails can be found on Dafydd’s website If you are looking for something in particular please contact Dafydd directly.

Canyoning and gorge scrambling

These action-packed experiences involve walking, climbing, jumping, abseiling and swimming to navigate your way through rivers, gorges and waterfalls in remote and rugged locations. It’s suitable for all ages and abilities as the route and challenges can be tailored to suit with the emphasis on aesthetics and fun rather than pure difficulty. The canyoning and gorge walking experiences take place in the waterfall country of the Brecon Beacons National Park.

Cambrian Safaris

Tours in a Land Rover Discovery run deep into the Cambrian Mountains for whole day or a half day. Discover the Wild Tranquillity, the areas covered are beautifully diverse and you will enjoy spectacular landscapes, views, scenery, local history and wildlife. Cambrian Safaris aim to show you places you will want to go back to again and again. The tours are designed to be flexible, we customise every tour depending upon your interests and prior knowledge of the area. Come for a relaxing day out with no pressure of time and no rushing from place to place, we can pick you up from your accommodation if you wish. Cambrian Safaris

4. Go foraging

Brecon Beacons Foraging

Go foraging with author of The Hedgerow Handbook Adele Nozedar who runs a variety of courses including:

• Half-day courses for adults and kids

• Once-a-month seasonal half-day midweek courses, 'Wild Wednesday!'

• Botanical Gin Workshops

During foraging walks you’ll be encouraged to observe, using all of your senses to guide you in finding and recognising the plants, fungi and wildlife around us. Recognition of plants is a wonderfully sensory experience; squeezing and smelling leaves, rubbing them between your fingers to get a sense of their juices and oils, and tasting nectar is all a part of the adventure. There will be lots of leaning on fences, one foot on the bottom bar, looking at the horizon.

C oastal Foraging with Craig Evans

Craig has a life-long passion for sea life and its environment; and his knowledge of the wild food of the West Wales coast will have you engrossed and inspired.He offers a number of different experiences including the classic where you learn about sea vegetables and shell fish and the extreme low tide course where you will forage more of the deep water species.

5. And chill out...

Yoga and holistic therapies

If you’re looking to unwind and relax on your holiday, book a treatment or a yoga session at Holistic Heaven just down the road from us here in the Tywi Valley. Treatments with Claire include aromatherapy, massage, reflexology, deep tissue therapy and hot stone massage, and many others. Just imagine a wonderful walk out in the wilderness, followed by a rejuvenating session with Claire.

The best Instagrammable beauty spots in Carmarthenshire

Wed, 10 Jul 2019 21:16:10 GMT

Epic landscape and heritage to feast your eyes and camera on

Head to Carmarthenshire and discover epic landscapes, stunning coast and mountain ranges and a bigger portfolio of castles than the Royal Family. Pictured is the Towy at Rhandirmwyn.

1. Llyn Y Fan Fach

It’s iconic and a lot quieter than Pen Y Fan. While you can’t get the selfie with a mountain name, you can get some cracking good pictures with the lake in the background - lakeside or climb up and get an shot from above looking over it.. And chances are, while the car park is busy, you’ll have the place largely to your self. And if you are staying for longer or want a more active and novel approach Top 5 Things To Do in The Fans

2. The River Towy At Rhandirmwyn

Is it Costa Rica? No it’s Carmarthenshire Rica. What an epic view. And it’s right by the road (empty usually) so easy to stop and photograph. The oak forested volcano to the right is home of RSPB Gwenffrwdd Dinas & Twm Sion Cati Cave, plus there's gorgeous River Towy rolling along below. There’s a well known wild swimming spot near here too, called the Junction Pool. We can’t (and don’t want to) get over this view.

3. Laugharne

The Boat House , home of Dylan Thomas, is now an excellent tea room. Close by is Dylan Thomas' Writing Shed and Laugharne Castle , 'brown as owls' as the Welsh poet described it, with its twin medieval towers guarding the remains of a Tudor mansion (top picture). Two totally iconic sites to take a photograph with stunning views over the estuary. We love Laugharne, truly, madly, deeply. One of our favourite places to visit. (And not just because of the scones). Go at high tide for the best reflection pics.

4. Carreg Cennen Castle

The most romantic castle in Wales, so they say. Carmarthenshire’s got a larger portfolio of castles than the Royal family, but the position of this one is second to none, and it boasts a natural cave and vaulted passage cut into the cliff-face to explore when you have taken in the panoramic views.

5. Aberglasney

Glorious mansion , glorious gardens and the interior of the mansion has been made into a Ninfarium, an award winning, sub-tropical indoor garden with stunning plants – including a double story banana, growing amongst its ruins. It’s so cool we were tempted to try and take the roof off our house to recreate it. And if you need any more reasons to visit, it’s got a licensed tea room and restaurant next to a lake.

6. Paxton's Tower

A folly built to commemorate Lord Nelson with amazing views of the River Towy meandering it’s way leisurely through the valley in one direction and fantastic views of the Botanic Garden of Wales and that glorious glass roof in the other. Plus, unlike loads of other heritage sites, you can climb right up inside it and it’s free. Winner, winner. PS some photographers nip up here to take epic astro shots of the milky way.

7. Cynghordy Viaduct

Just a whacking great 18 arch viaduct , hidden (as ridiculous as that sounds) in a Welsh valley. Takes a bit of finding, but when you do, you’ll be glad you did.

8. Dolauhirion Bridge

A stunning Grade 1 listed bridge over the River Towy just outside Llandovery. There’s some beautiful rapids so you can play with your shutter speed to your heart’s content. Unmissable, in our opinion.

9. Cefn Sidan beach

A seven mile stretch of sandy heaven . Plenty of room to spread out at Cefn Sidan (Silky Back)and partially dog friendly to boot. Views to the Gower and Worm's Head and recently voted Beach of the Year by Countryfile. The other beach to zip over to is Pendine - another outlandishly long one, this time well known for motorsport.

10. Llyn Brianne

Whilst it may not have the Victorian glamour of its more famous Cambrian Mountains neighbours the Elan Valley, the dam is the UK's tallest, standing at 330ft/91m. Llyn Brianne is also dubbed Little Switzerland and it arguably has one of the best mountain roads in Wales meandering around it.

Best 5 Woods and Water Walks Upper Towy Valley Carmarthenshire

Fri, 14 Jun 2019 05:50:25 GMT

Walk through Celtic Rainforest,
alongside waterfalls or by river canyons
in Carmarthenshire

1 . RSPB Gwenffrwd Dinas & Twm Sion Cati cave
The OS grid reference is SN788471
Gwenffrwd-dinas, Nr Ystradffin, Llandovery SA20 0PG SN788471
From Llandovery, follow the brown signs to Twm Sion Cati Cave.

This is a fantastic walk, half of which is through ancient oak and alder woodland, which is covered in acres of bluebells in spring alongside the stunning River Tywi. The Celtic rainforest, or Atlantic Oak woodland, supports important populations of lower plants, particularly of lichens and bryophytes. These green carpets cover the trees, ground and boulders making everything verdant and damp.

2. Llandovery Cilgwyn Woods
The OS grid reference is SN 752 297.
Take the A4069 from Llandovery to Llangadog. After 1 mile turn left along an unclassified road signposted to Myddfai and continue for another mile. At the junction continue straight ahead and, after ½ mile, the entrance to Cilgwyn Wood is on the left just after Cilgwyn Manor Farm.

This peaceful woodland has a lovely mix of different trees, including large Douglas fir, old beech and spruce. In spring, the banks at the start of the walking trail are carpeted with bluebells. The walk begins on the forest road which climbs steadily and has far-reaching views over farmland. It then turns off onto a narrow grassy track through the woodland.

The track winds past beech trees and majestic conifers on a steady climb up to a pond and bench in a shady glade of beech trees. The trail then crosses the forest road and goes alongside a bank of old beech trees before dropping back down to the starting point on the forest road.

5. Llandovery and Twyi river walk
The Grid reference is SN 767343 and the walk is approximately 2 miles.
From the Llandovery Museum and Visitor Gateway turn right for a short distance along the main road (A40), then turn left and walk northwards up Stone Street. This meets the A483 road, which you cross and walk north along the Cilycwm Road.

6. Llyn Brianne

The grid reference is SN 8005 4965

From Llandovery, follow signs to Llyn Brianne .

Constructed in the 1970s, Llyn Brianne was designed to control the flow of the River Towy to enable consistent water extraction further downstream.The dam is 299 feet high and 951 feet long. The capacity of the dam was increased from 13,400million gallons to 14,200 million gallons. The normal flow is 1.5 million gallons a day during the summer driving a single turbine. During the winter and spring there are three turbines operating, producing 4.3 Megawatts of electricity.

7. Sustenance!
There are three lovely pubs in the Upper Tywi Valley, which you may wish to include in as part of your visit. All serve food. The Towy Bridge Inn , Rhandirymwyn (weekends only) and The Royal Oak , Rhandirmwyn. They are all dog friendly. It's best to check their opening times before you visit.

Best Epic road and off road cycling routes in Carmarthenshire

Wed, 29 May 2019 13:20:18 GMT

Best epic road and off road cycling routes in Llandovery, Brecon Beacons National Park, The Towy and Cothi Valleys

Cycling in Carmarthenshire is like having jam and cream on your scone. It’s moreish and leaves you wanting more.

Epic views, vast spaces, sweet tarmac roads and off road surfaces with plenty of places to stop off for photos or a cheeky Ribena along the way.

We’re spoilt for choice for cycling routes both on and off road in and around Cambrian Escapes. Here’s a few routes, recommended by those in the know, to get your derailias stuck into.

ROAD

SHORT The Tywi Valley.

This is a stunning route, which you can cycle from your holiday cottage at Cambrian Escapes. It heads up to Rhandirmwyn surrounded by scenic hills following the river Towy.

DISTANCE: 27km / 17 milesASCENT / DESCENT: 300m+ / 980ft+

Three potential pub stops: Stop off at the Towy Bridge Inn with gorgeous river views or carry on to the Royal Oak at Rhandirmwyn with beautiful valley and mountain views. Head back down to the Neuadd Fawr Arms in the pretty village of Cilycwm.If you make it all the way up to the dam at Llyn Brianne (we do recommend it) there is often a little coffee place in the main carpark.

Part finished and coming soon, the other end of the Tywi Valley is going to be a stunning traffic free route with a bigger portfolio of castles & follies than the Royal Family ...., as you can see for yourself

MEDIUM Tywi & Cothi Valley

28 miles of beautiful riding in the two most picturesque Carmarthenshire valleys. (Yes we are biased)

ASCENT / DESCENT: 720m+ / 2350ft+Pubs: Neaudd Fawr Arms, Black Lion at Abergorlech

LONG Llyn Brianne

58km ride around what we think is one of the most extraordinary roads in Wales.

Pubs: Towy Bridge Inn and Royal Oak Rhandirmwyn

Cycle the iconic Black Mountain road , which is on the western edge of the Brecon Beacons. Heralded locally as one of the best road routes locally and used for a number of sportives, including the Tour of Britain. Travel from the industrial heartland of Carmarthenshire into the wilds of the Black Mountain. You can read about The Guardian's Dixe Wills trip to cycle in Carmarthenshire when he stayed with us, here

Devils Staircase a hellishly steep climb, but well worth the burn. Our guests say this is tougher than the Black Mountain (we take their word for it) and it's appeared in lots of the pro cycling mags.

Big Wilderness Adventure 65 miles of wild sweeping views, good climbs and a few coffee and pub pit stops in between.

OVO Women's Tour route 63 miles 4 - 7 hours. The most climbing that's ever been included in a Women's tour route

ROUTES FROM LLANDOVERY.

Llandovery is a good place to base yourself for cycling. Some for the best and varied routes are listed above Devil's Staircase, Llyn Brianne, but there are a few other goodies including gorgeous Usk Reservoir The wild Mynydd Epynt lovely Cilgwyn

MOUNTAIN BIKING

Just half a mile from Cambrian Escapes is the super Red Run in Cwm Rhaeadr. It’s a case of cycling up the valley through the forest, with a stunning waterfall to view and then flying back down.There is a 2.7km ascent, but don’t worry the climb soon melts away and you are met at the top with 4km of quality single track and views of the cwm (valley) and rhaeadr (waterfall), which give this forest its name. There are plenty of rollers, berms and rocky descents to keep you occupied all the way back to the car park, and as the loop takes about 45 minutes to complete, there’s always plenty of time for one more go!

MTBers are welcome to ride up onto our hill. It’s got panoramic views of the Carmarthen Fans in the Brecon Beacons and the Cambrian Mountains and you can use the byway loop around. Or you can simply climb up and fly back down.

The Brecon Beacons Gap is one of the all time classics of the Beacons taking in the Brecon Canal, the Taff Trail, the Brinore Tramway and the very popular Gap Road.

The terrain is rideable in all seasons but beware in bad weather conditions. The Gap takes you up to 600m above sea level and is very open and windswept. It is essential to take food, adequate clothing and tools before you attempt this route.

LONGER TRAIL The Doethie Valle y

One of the MTB holy grails. Recently it was again voted one of Britain’s best single tracks.Begin from Llyn Brianne and cycle through woodland to the top of the Doethie Valley. Then it’s a 7km ride through a stunning valley. We can drop you off and make sure your vehicle is in the right place to cycle back to. There are two potential pub stops on completion. Towy Bridge Inn, Royal Oak Rhandirmwymn.

FAMILY ROUTES in Crychan Forest

Crychan Forest has always been popular with walkers and horserider. The vast forest, beautiful huge trees, wildlife and great views all make the forest a favourite. Now you can enjoy the forest from your bike, with a number of cycling routes all suitable for families looking for off-road riding in a stunning location.

Choose from five varied routes which you can join from either of the four forest car parks :

Grade: Ungraded but if it was graded it would be Green – Easy

Length: 4km – 14km•Brynffo - Esgair Fwyog - 7.1km•Golygfa Epynt - 13.5km•Cwm Coed Oeron - 12.8km•Allt Troedrhiw-fer - 4km•Allt Troedrhiwfer - Golygfa Epynt link - 4.9km

Stay at Cambrian Escapes and ride from the doorstep. We have bike lock up and wash down facilities and can help advise on routes and pubs along the way. There is more information and rides on our Walk and Ride page. Find out more about rides in Llandovery and Carmarthenshire

Mountains for the mind

Sun, 19 May 2019 19:14:42 GMT

Getting a perspective

I've recently joined a group on Facebook called ' mountains for the mind' which is a growing groundswell of people openly discussing in a friendly forum, the value of being outside - and in particular up mountains - for improving mental health, increasing confidence and well, just improved wellbeing.

Well I'm no different to that. I can't remember when I realised that being up a mountain made me feel so much better, energised and just away from the daily grind. But I do remember the first time I was conscious of just how good it makes me feel to go up, look down and get a bit of perspective on life. Thanks to an amazing environmental science teacher in Hereford for a scorching day up the Cat's Back in the Black Mountains on the eastern side of the Brecon Beacons National Park, and the best buzz ever on completion. I've been addicted to getting up hills and mountains ever since.

Today was no different. We are busy setting up Cambrian Escapes and at times it is a bit of a roller coaster. So today I needed my own little Cambrian escape and to get up there. I decided to keep local, on the basis there is still so much to explore. I headed to Cwm Rhaeadr to work out where the bridlepath comes out on to Mynydd Mallaen. Needless to say I took a small diversion and stumbled onto to a plateau with some serious views - in fact a favourite spot...the moment where it all starts to get a bit wild. What a view and what a walk. Looking northwards up the valley with the heavily wooded Coed Alltyberau on the left of the valley and Craig Bron-Y-Cwrt to the right and then looking eastwards over towards Rhandirmwyn. I think I may be able to recommend this to guests as a walk to the Towy Bridge Inn from their holiday cottage .

After my detour I got back on track, hit the bridlepath and emerged onto the hill above Cwm Rhaeadr waterfall. What an eye full. Mynydd Mallaen does, I believe, have the best views of the Carmarthen Fans , in the Brecon Beacons National Park. Simply stunning. I sit down and drink it in, following the contours of landscape that's becoming familiar. It's brain fodder, that perspective from above. Nothing much else matters other than the panorama of hills and mountains, partying skylarks, and that huge Welsh sky. Mountains for peace of mind, that's for sure.

Walking in the Cambrian Mountains - Cwm Merchon

Mon, 13 May 2019 07:57:56 GMT

Best waterfall walks in the Cambrian Mountains

A favourite short waterfall walk from the doorstep here at Cambrian Escapes, Cilycwm to Cwm Merchon Waterfalls.

Follow the footpath through Glangwenlais to Eithin Tewion and wend your way into the foothills of Mynydd Mallaen . Stunning views in every direction.

After the cottage carry straight on for 20 metres and turn left, before you enter the forestry, and cross the concrete footbridge into the fields at Cwm Merchon. Please make sure you close gates and keep dogs on leads.

Head towards the rising ground and follow the fence line up. The views here are terrific – you can see the old slate mines above the Gwenlais valley to the right and then you see the extraordinary shape of Rhiw Cilgwyn to your left.

Climb the stile and follow the fenceline to the left. Then you follow the line of the stream onto a trajectory down towards it. You’ll get to an old quarry and shelter on your right, but keep going along the stream. What a glorious beast that mountain stream is. Small waterfall after small waterfall.

Crystal clear water pounding out different shapes in the rock in each tiny waterfall. Beautiful pools shaded by gnarly hawthorns. It is an absolute joy to behold. You’ll get to the large waterfall at the back of the valley, which is the most amazing picnic spot. It takes about 45 minutes to get there. But there’s no rush to get back…

May is National Walking Month - we enjoy some special ones in the Cambrian Mountains

Sun, 12 May 2019 15:30:36 GMT

The Doethie Valley

It’s May and it’s National Walking Month and with so many walks around us here at Cambrian Escapes , we’re spoilt for choice.

But you don’t have to be a full on hiker with a bivvy on your back , and a month’s supply of Kendal mint cake in your rucksack to enjoy the walks here at Penstacan, there’s something for everyone and often, you’ll have your chosen walk all to yourself.

With cottages to renovate and setting up a new business, I’ve not done as much exploring and bigger walks as I’d like to, so with the advent of May and a sunny day, I decided it was high time I hit a trail. I’d heard about the legendary Doethie Valley and had pored over the map during winter, looking at this trail all the way through a steep valley, next to a mountain stream. One way in, one way out.

The walk can be done end to end, or as a circular, or as I did, just head in from one side and accept you’ll retrace your steps back out again. It’s actually part of the Cambrian Way and is also a bridlepath and infamous mountain bike route, but the dog and I had it to ourselves. Many walkers and riders enter the valley from Soar Y Mynydd, the remotest chapel in Wales, but I headed up to the bottom of the route, parking in Troed Y Rhiw next to the stream and walking up to the beginning of the track through Troed-Rhiw-ruddwen farmyard. It goes without saying, don’t forget to have your dog on a lead.

As I left the farm track behind and started heading up, the varying landscape is really dramatic – streams in the bottom of the valley, small fields looking more like plateaus half way up the valley side, and then higher still fantastic craggy ridges, defying gravity to swoop down to the riverbed below. Pretty flipping spectacular.

As a Cambrian Mountains newbie, I’m trying to soak up as much as possible about mountain scapes here (I’m much more familiar with the Black Mountains in eastern end of the Brecon Beacons National Park, ) and it’s a lot wilder and less well travelled. I’m really interested in seeing:

1.levels of bracken,

2. Levels of Molinos – invasive and not eaten by sheep

3. Levels of heather & wimberries

4. Levels of reforestation – ie where deciduous trees have managed to get away and grow (or been planted).

I certainly see a lot more heather here in the Cambrian Mountains, and good evidence of natural reforestation.

The path wends its way along the valley edge and then above a small ravine with water flowing through swiftly, despite the dry winter. We head around Craig Cnwch Glas and the second phase of the valley opens up so we decide to have a streamside lunch. It took about 1 hour ish to Craig Cnwch Glas and after lunch we retraced our steps back to the car enjoying the spectacular views from a different direction.

I thoroughly recommend this water, or part of it, depending on your walking desires. We are happy to drop off guests at Soar Y Mynydd when they have left their car at the bottom so that they can walk the full length and then stop off at one of the pubs on the way back to Cambrian Escapes . And then maybe it will be time to soak those muscles in the wood fired hot tub. All in all, not a bad way to spend a day.

Cambrianescapes

Dog-Friendly Walks: Llyn y Fan Fawr, the Black Mountain and Carmarthen Fans

Walking guide and accommodation near to Llyn y Fan Fawr, the Black Mountain, Carmarthen Fans, Bannau Brycheiniog| Brecon Beacons

Stay with us: Glanyrafon or New York

Walks in this guide

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1. Llyn y Fan Fawr ★ Our Favourite

2. Llyn y Fan Fach

3. Cwm Sawdde Fechan

4. Garn Goch Iron Age Hill Fort

Why Everyone’s Talking About Wild Saunas — And Where to Try Them in Wales

The best sauna and plunge experiences in the Cambrian Mountains and Brecon Beacons

A New Welsh Wellness Trend

Penpont — Riverside Serenity on the Usk

Welsh Lavender — Sauna with a View

Why We Love the Wild Sauna Ritual

Plan Your Sauna Escape

Quick Facts

A Foodie Weekend in the Brecon Beacons, Carmarthenshire & the Welsh Coast – Where to Eat, Stay and Explore"

Stay at Cambrian Escapes Cottages and Discover the Best days out for Food and Scenic Views.

Llansteffan Coast Walks, Castle Views & Foodie Delights

Foodie Adventures in Laugharne, Dylan Thomas, Coastal Walks & Delicious Eats

Seafood & Scenic Views in Aberaeron: Dining at The Harbourmaster on Wales’ West Coast

Foodie Stops Near the Botanic Gardens of Wales & Aberglasney

Quiet Peaks & Cheese Feasts in the Brecon Beacons

Waterfall Country Walks & Café Treats in the Brecon Beacons

Wild Swimming & Hearty Food in the Cambrian Mountains

Hike to Llyn y Fan Fawr or Usk Reservoir & Dine at The Castle Coaching Inn

Celtic Rainforest Walks & Riverside Dining at The Tywi Bridge Inn

Best stargazing in Wales | Cambrian Escapes Brecon Beacons Cambrian Mountains

Best places for stargazing in the Brecon Beacons and Cambrian Mountains

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Why Cambrian Escapes is Perfect for Stargazing

Cambrian Mountains Astro Trail & Brecon Beacons Dark Sky Reserve

Best Season for Stargazing at Cambrian Escapes

Stargazing Experiences

FAQ

Which is the best cottage for stargazing at Cambrian Escapes?

Where do you recommend stargazing at Cambrian Escapes?

What are the best places in the Brecon Beacons & Cambrian Mountains for stargazing?

The Skirrid - The Beacons Way - Leg One

The Beacons Way in bite sized chunks

Best walks off the Beaten Track - Y Gamriw, Cambrian Mountains

Bronze Age Cairn bagging in the Welsh wilds part 2

The best walks off the beaten track Cwm Sawdde Fechan Bannau Brycheiniog

Cwm Sawdde Fechan to Foel Fraith 3.7 miles 2.5 hours (one way)

The best walks off the beaten track - Brecon Beacons| Bannau Brycheiniog

Y Das circular loop over Mynydd Bychan 2 hours 3.5 miles

The best walks off the beaten track - Cambrian Mountains

Mynydd Mallaen Circular loop: Rhiw Cilgwyn - Esgair Ferchon - Banc Main

3-4 hours: 6.5/7miles

A Food Lover’s Weekend in the Brecon Beacons, Carmarthenshire & the Welsh Coast – Where to Eat, Stay and Explore"

Stay at Cambrian Escapes Cottages and Discover the Best Food and Scenic Views in our part of Wales

Llansteffan Coast Walks, Castle Views & Foodie Delights

Foodie Adventures in Laugharne, Dylan Thomas, Coastal Walks & Delicious Eats

Seafood & Scenic Views in Aberaeron: Dining at The Harbourmaster on Wales’ West Coast

Foodie Stops Near the Botanic Gardens of Wales & Aberglasney

Quiet Peaks & Cheese Feasts in the Brecon Beacons

Waterfall Country Walks & Café Treats in the Brecon Beacons

Wild Swimming & Hearty Food in the Cambrian Mountains

Hike to Llyn y Fan Fawr or Usk Reservoir & Dine at The Castle Coaching Inn

Celtic Rainforest Walks & Riverside Dining at The Tywi Bridge Inn

The best weekend in Wales for petrol heads - 11 brilliant experiences

Five of the best driving roads for views, twists and your socials on our doorstep: Carmarthenshire, Bannau Brycheiniog-Brecon Beacons and Cambrian Mountains

Six of the best events in Wales for petrol heads

How to start a holiday let business

15 quick and dirty hacks to help you set up a holiday cottage business

THE PROPERTY

Who, what and why?

LISTING & MARKETING

Cottage agencies, rental and listings

MONEY MONEY MONEY

Finance & business modelling

The ultimate weekend staycation in the Brecon Beacons & Carmarthenshire

Top Tips for Adventures and Food on a Long Weekend in the Brecon Beacons & Carmarthenshire

Stay at a ﻿ boutique cottage Cambrian Escapes

How to start wild swimming: 121 open water swimming experiences and adventures in the Brecon Beacons

Guided Swim Adventures in the Brecon Beacons and Cambrian Mountains with local open water swim coach Kate. *please visit our Wild Collective page for a full list of guided wild swim, hike, stargazing and other adventures in nature with our incredible local guides.

Best dog walks Llandovery, Brecon Beacons, Carmarthenshire

Best waterfalls in the Brecon Beacons and Cambrian Mountains for swimming and walking

Stay at a boutique cottage Cambrian Escapes

Sgwyd y Pannwr

Best for wild walks

Best for cycling

Best for driving