About our National Park
With mountains and moorland, standing stones and castles, lively waterfalls and vibrant communities, the Brecon Beacons National Park has masses to offer residents and visitors. We have a long and colourful history and a rich and varied mythology and culture.
Our National Park is around 42 miles wide. In total, it covers approximately 520 square miles of South and Mid Wales, just west of Herefordshire, and includes parts of Powys, Carmarthenshire, Monmouthshire, Rhondda and Merthyr Tydfil. It gets its name from the Central Beacons, which dominate the skyline south of Brecon. They rise to 886 metres at Pen y Fan, the highest peak in southern Britain.
Some of the traditions which helped and shape our landscapes and our everyday lives have faded with time; others continue today.
Our night skies are remarkable. They’ve earned us recognition as an International Dark Sky Reserve. Our industrial heritage is magnificent: Blaenavon is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And our rocks tell their own story. They’re so unique that a large part of our National Park has been designated a European and Global Geopark.