Things To Do in Wales

The three Welsh national parks, the Brecon Beacons, Snowdonia and Pembrokeshire make for the perfect Welsh road trip or 7-10 day holiday. Luckily for us, these areas of outstanding beauty are within easy travelling distance of our hotel in Brecon.

Get away from the crowded south-west coast of Devon and Cornwall and discover just how much there is on offer in much less crowded Wales – and all in one compact country! This suggestion is for a week or so based in the Brecon Beacons and Pembrokeshire national parks.

Starting in the Brecon Beacons

Zoom down the M4 (pass the backed-up caravans heading for the M5 and Devon!) and then head off towards the Brecon Beacons National Park. You hit the eastern edge of the park just before the town of Crickhowell and 3 miles on you will come to Gliffaes Hotel – the perfect base for your 3 or 4 days in the Brecon Beacons. We are situated within 33 glorious wooded acres with access to swimming and fishing on the River Usk.

A few suggested things to do and see.

• Have a day exploring the many castles and abbeys in the area, too numerous to mention, but we can help you plan a circuit to take in two or three.
• Borrow our electric bikes and cycle along the canal to Brecon for lunch. While you are there visit the South Wales Borders Museum (the regiment that defended Rorke’s Drift, immortalised in the film, ‘Zulu’).
• Ask for a packed lunch and take it up into the Black Mountains for a stunning walk accompanied by the song of skylarks along your way.
• Discover the majestic trees at Gliffaes by taking our tree walk and perhaps finish off with a swim in the river.
• There is plenty of pony trekking in the Brecon Beacons, or if cycling is your thing, both mountain bikers and road cyclists have more than enough to go at.
• Go canoeing on the River Wye.
• Visit the second-hand book capital of the world, Hay-on-Wye. Not just book shops either, a town of great little shops.

These are just a few ideas to whet your appetite -if you come and stay we can give you a varied suggested itinerary for every day of your stay. After 3 or 4 days in the Brecon Beacons, it is time to move on to Pembrokeshire.

Pembrokeshire Coast

It takes about 2.5 hours driving down the A40 to reach north Pembrokeshire and I suggest that you make a stop at the National Botanic Gardens or at Aberglasney – a great lunch stop on a fine day. Sit next to their beautiful pond while the swifts sweep overhead.

With beaches, mountains, deep wooded valleys lined with oaks all wrapped up in a long craggy coast, Pembrokeshire is such a feast for the senses with plenty to see and do. Head for the town of Newport and make it your base for a few days.

• Walk along Newport’s huge empty beach at low tide.
• Visit the stunning cathedral at St David’s, a World Heritage Site.
• Take a boat ride out to Skomer to see the puffins.
• Hire a bike and cycle through the beautifully wooded Gwaun Valley.
• Follow the coastal path as far as you want before catching the bus back home.
• Enjoy some fresh mackerel and a pint of beer for lunch at the Sloop Inn in Porthgain.
• Have a surfing lesson at Newgale beach.
• Take a picnic and build a fire on Abermawr beach.

Instead of coming to Wales for just a weekend why not make a week of it?  You could do a lot worse than spending a few days at Gliffaes Hotel, in the Brecon Beacons National Park before heading East to Newport and the Pembrokeshire National Park for another few days. But where to stay in Newport?

Stay at Llys Meddyg in Newport

Llys Meddyg in Newport is owned and run by Ed and Lou Skyes who have a keen eye for detail inside their eight bedrooms and a real passion for fabulous food in their restaurant. We had two very comfortable nights and enjoyed fabulous meals. Ed is very keen on making his own charcuterie and smoked salmon.

Book your Brecon Beacons escape

Gliffaes Country House Hotel is nestled in the heart of the Brecon Beacons National Park. We’ve created a useful guide of local attractions and activities here, containing information on walks, things to do, local shopping and places to visit, which you can use to help map out your visit to the Brecon Beacons.

If you’re looking for a place to enjoy a fresh, locally-sourced lunch, dinner or afternoon tea, or somewhere comfortable to stay the night, our friendly country house hotel is the perfect base for your Brecon Beacons break.