We spent a couple days in Brecon Beacons National Park during our recent trip to Wales. Following time in Snowdonia National Park and Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, it was great to round out our travels by visiting the third and final national park in this small country.

This area has so many sub-regions with distinct towns and activities that I felt like we barely scratched the surface. A highlight of our time was hiking to the summit of Pen y Fan, but I also enjoyed learning the history of some of the historical inns and pubs we visited, exploring the ‘Town of Books,’ trying our first tastes of Welsh whiskey, and simply driving through beautiful spaces – with the occasional stop for sheep crossings!

Here are a few other highlights from our very brief days in Brecon Beacons National Park.

Hiking to Henrhyd Falls

One of our first stops in Brecon Beacons was to hike out to Henrhyd Falls. This lovely waterfall has an 88.5 foot drop, making it the highest waterfall in South Wales.

We were a little confused about the parking area and how to access the trail because aside from one small plaque, it appeared we were on private property. Happily a local gentleman was stopping at his car while we were applying sunscreen and let us know how to access the trail and enjoy the falls.

The hike to the falls was short and sweet, and we even explored a portion of the out-and-back trail along Nant Llech to see a couple of the tiny falls before turning around and heading on to other activities.

I understand this area is popular but our mid-week, mid-morning visit was quiet and enjoyable with only a handful of other people stopping to explore the falls.

Eating at the Old White Horse Inn

Brian stumbled upon the Old White Horse Inn in Pontneathvaughan when he was looking up places to eat and it had incredible reviews not only for the food but for the friendly service. This was absolutely our experience – everyone was so welcoming and helpful, and we saw a mix of locals and tourists popping in for a drink or lunch during our visit.

We were in the mood for hearty fare and were not disappointed with the bangers and mash or puff pastry topped stew. Brian was also excited to try one of the local beers on tap.

Whiskey Tasting at Penderyn Distillery

When I read about the distillery tours at Penderyn, I realized that I had never heard of Welsh whiskey, which struck me as unusual given the well-known spirits coming out of nearby Ireland and Scotland.

I was surprised to learn that while Welsh distilling dates back to the Middle Ages, a strong Temperance movement paired with government interference put an end to it in the late 1800s, resulting in a 100+ year dry spell. Penderyn (at the time known as the Welsh Whiskey Company) opened its distillery in Brecon Beacons in 2004, returning the practice to Wales. They – and a handful of other small craft distillers – are now working on gaining awareness and protections for their products.

The tour was similar to other distillery tours we’ve done in the past and a little unorganized. When we arrived, we bought tickets for the next available entry time, but the woman sent us on our way rather than recommending anything we could do on site. When we returned at the allotted time, a different woman pointed out the museum and gift shop, which we were welcome to explore leading up to our tour time. That would have been nice to know!

A highlight of the tour was meeting our fellow tour participants, Kevin and Tamina, who were on a road trip from southeast Germany via their Land Rover. We sat together for our tasting and learned about their travel adventures and desire to visit the U.S. soon. We exchanged contact information and told them we’d be happy to host them once they get their trip organized!

Overnighting in Hay-on-Wye

When I learned about Hay-on-Wye, I immediately looked for lodging so we could spend a little extra time in this eclectic town in the northern part of the park.

Known for being the ‘Town of Books,’ Hay-on-Wye boasts a downtown filled with bookshops and hosts a famous literature festival each spring. Sadly we arrived in town during the late afternoon so all of the bookshops had closed for the day.

We resorted to window shopping and roaming the quaint streets, coming across an interesting clocktower, the remains of 12th century Hay Castle, which is now an arts center, and the River Wye.

We stayed at The Old Black Lion, which dates back to the 16th century when it was originally a drovers inn. We met one of the owners outside hanging lovely flower baskets along the front of the inn. He told us he and his wife had bought it a few years ago and were thrilled with the response to some of the updates they had made to the rooms and dining experience.

I can’t imagine what goes into maintaining a 16th century building, but I thought they achieved a great balance of retaining its character while making it hospitable. Among the quirks were the off-canter floors, doorframes, etc. that the staff labeled a ‘sobriety test’ for guests trying to make their way from the downstairs pub up to the second floor rooms. Our room was great, although Brian had to walk around carefully as his head skimmed the ceiling! We enjoyed dinner in the pub and all of the food – from apps to entrees to dessert were delicious. Even if you’re not able to stay at the pub, I’d highly recommend making a reservation for a meal.

Skirting Spirits at the Haunted Skirrid Inn

The historical Skirrid Inn was a fun pub stop with good food. The oldest pub in Wales, the Skirrid Inn dates back to the 1100s and some of its spooky history was outlined on banners hung around the entry room.

From earliest times, the Skirrid Inn was a public meeting house as well as an alehouse and courts were held within its walls. Between 1100 and 1485 Manorial courts would have been staged. It is assumed that the first floor was complete with judge’s retiring room.

It is at the bottom of the stairs where many of them are thought to have met their end – hanging from a beam, upon which the scorch and drag marks of the rope can still be seen. Although no exact or positive records exist, local legend that passes from generation to generation by word of mouth suggests that upwards of 180 persons have been hung in the Skirrid Inn between the 12th and 17th centuries. The last, as the first, for sheep stealing in the time of Oliver Cromwell… the hanging cycle had come full circle.

Banners inside the inn

The interior was very cool and we wandered around while we waited for our food, checking out the massive fireplace, the hanging spot at the stairwell, artifacts hung around the stone walls, and more.

It was a quick two days in Brecon Beacons, and I couldn’t believe all of the towns and sights we continued to stumble upon as we traveled to the ones I’d added to our itinerary prior to our trip. We could easily have doubled the days we spent in this area, as well as added on time just north in mid Wales.

There’s always more to see and do than there is time – I’d love to return to Brecon Beacons some day!