How long is the Brecon Beacons & Black Mountains Loop from Cardiff route?

This route takes 6 days taking in 5 stops.

Where does this route start and end?

The route runs from Cardiff to Cardiff in South Wales, Wales.

When is the best time to travel this route?

The best time to travel this route is May to June, September to October.

How active is this route?

Activity level: Active. Moderately active — expect some walking and light physical activity.

What transport do I need for this route?

This route works best with a car.

What budget do I need for this route?

Mid-range spending — expect comfortable accommodation and a mix of dining options.

What type of accommodation suits this route?

Mixed accommodation works well along this route.

What is the pace of this trip?

Balanced — a good mix of sightseeing and downtime.

What type of trip is this?

This route is well-suited to: Scenic, Nature, Culture, Adventure, Classic road trip.

Brecon Beacons & Black Mountains Loop from Cardiff

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The route · 5 stops

3 overnight bases · 2 stops on the way

Cardiff

1 night

Wales's capital is an easy first-night base. Cardiff Castle has Victorian Gothic interiors funded by the Bute family fortune. The National Museum Cardiff houses an outstanding Impressionist collection. Bute Park, wrapping around the castle, is good for an evening walk before heading into the Beacons.Wales's capital is an easy first-night base. Cardiff Castle has Victorian Gothic interiors funded by the Bute family fortune. The National Museum Cardiff houses an outstanding Impressionist collection. Bute Park, wrapping around the castle, is good for an evening walk before heading into the Beacons.

Recommendations

On to Abergavenny

Abergavenny

2 nights

Known as the Gateway to Wales, Abergavenny sits at the foot of the Black Mountains with a well-regarded food scene. Use two nights for the Sugar Loaf walk (4 hours return from NP7 7LP) and the drive north into the Vale of Ewyas to Llanthony Priory, a ruined Augustinian monastery in a remote glaciated valley.Known as the Gateway to Wales, Abergavenny sits at the foot of the Black Mountains with a well-regarded food scene. Use two nights for the Sugar Loaf walk (4 hours return from NP7 7LP) and the drive north into the Vale of Ewyas to Llanthony Priory, a ruined Augustinian monastery in a remote glaciated valley.

Recommendations

On the way

Hay-on-Wye
Quick stop
Worth a stop on the drive: A market town with more than twenty secondhand bookshops, built into empty buildings by bookseller Richard Booth from the 1960s onwards. Browse in the morning, walk the riverside Wye Valley path in the afternoon, and visit Hay Castle, restored and reopened in 2022. The Hay Festival draws 100,000 visitors over 11 days each late May.Worth a stop on the drive: A market town with more than twenty secondhand bookshops, built into empty buildings by bookseller Richard Booth from the 1960s onwards. Browse in the morning, walk the riverside Wye Valley path in the afternoon, and visit Hay Castle, restored and reopened in 2022. The Hay Festival draws 100,000 visitors over 11 days each late May.
Recommendations

On to Brecon

Brecon

2 nights

The gateway town to the national park, officially renamed Bannau Brycheiniog in 2023. Two full days cover Pen y Fan (886m, highest point in South Wales) from the Pont ar Daf car park and the Four Waterfalls Walk near Ystradfellte, a 5.5-mile circuit through sandstone gorges with a waterfall you can walk behind.The gateway town to the national park, officially renamed Bannau Brycheiniog in 2023. Two full days cover Pen y Fan (886m, highest point in South Wales) from the Pont ar Daf car park and the Four Waterfalls Walk near Ystradfellte, a 5.5-mile circuit through sandstone gorges with a waterfall you can walk behind.

Recommendations

On the way

Cardiff
Quick stop
Return south on the A470 through Merthyr Tydfil, about 55 minutes. The Pontsticill Reservoir viewpoint above Merthyr makes a fitting last look north at the Beacons. Optional stop at St Fagans National Museum of History, 4 miles west of Cardiff city centre.Return south on the A470 through Merthyr Tydfil, about 55 minutes. The Pontsticill Reservoir viewpoint above Merthyr makes a fitting last look north at the Beacons. Optional stop at St Fagans National Museum of History, 4 miles west of Cardiff city centre.

Brecon Beacons & Black Mountains Loop from Cardiff

The route · 5 stops

Cardiff

Abergavenny

Hay-on-Wye

Brecon

Cardiff

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