Brecon Beacons National Parks Welcome... NATIONAL PARK What are they?

National Parks are areas of exceptional natural Pocket Guide beauty which benefit from special protection and management, with great opportunities for everyone to enjoy the outdoors.

The National Park Authorities are here to: Conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the Parks Promote understanding and enjoyment of their special qualities, and; Foster the social and economic well-being of the communities within their boundaries. On , Beacons Brecon On Cribyn,

...to the National Park, a unique landscape of peaks, There are 14 National Parks in the UK, open moorland, green valleys, hidden waterfalls and fern-filled gorges. 3 of which are in : the Brecon Beacons, and the Pembrokeshire Coast. Explore caves and castles, vibrant villages and an array of events for a truly Welsh experience. © Crown Copyright. 100019322. 2009 100019322. Copyright. © Crown

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A B - ancient standing stones, Bronze local communities embracing Autumn colours and fresh clean air. We are a special purpose Local Authority operating within Geopark coincides with the western half L

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NATIOP NAL PARK the Authority’s work is carried out in partnership with Visit www.fforestfawrgeopark.org.uk to find outmore. other public bodies which also have a duty to take account BRECON BE ACONS Lle i enaidNATIONAL gael PARK llonydd of National Park purposes in their decisions. One of BritainLle i enaid’ s breathing gael llonydd spaces Visit www.breconbeacons.org for more information. One of Britain’ s breathing spaces Carreg Cennen Sgwd Ddwli The Wood Warbler Why is the Brecon Beacons National Park so special? Come and visit! Contact us

National Park Visitor Centre Libanus, nr Brecon. Telephone: 01874 623366 Email: [email protected]

Craig-y-nos Country Park Telephone: 01639 730935 The National Park Visitor Centre Email: [email protected] An ideal starting point for exploring the National Park

Sugar Loaf, near near Sugar Loaf, Abergavenny Tourist Information & and Fforest Fawr Geopark with displays, publications and National Park Centre friendly staff to give information and advice. Tel: 01873 853254 Ponies and Kites Farmers' Markets, Green credentials There are tea rooms serving local produce, spacious Email: [email protected] Food Fayres and Festivals grounds, superb mountain views and leisurely walks on The Park is one of the The area is fast becoming the adjoining common. Tourist Information & Heritage Centre last outposts for Welsh The National Park is home a green destination. Make Tel: 01550 720693 Email: [email protected] Mountain Ponies to breed, to two world renowned yourself feel good by Craig-y-nos Country Park supporting eco-friendly Laid out in Victorian times by the famous opera singer live and run wild across festivals – the Hay-on- The Waterfalls Centre, Adelina Patti with 40 acres of woodland, meadows and the rugged and remote Wye Literature Festival accommodation and Tel: 01639 721795 uplands. in May and the Brecon reducing your carbon riverside walks, the Country Park offers you a beautiful Email: [email protected] Jazz Festival in August, as footprint by taking public and peaceful retreat. The skies above are home well as hosting a dazzling transport for a day. Both Eco-Centres make a great day out for school Websites: to a once endangered but array of opportunities groups. Call 01874 620463 to find out more. www.visitbreconbeacons.com now thriving population of You can download the www.fforestfawrgeopark.org.uk Lake to buy locally produced Red Kites. ‘Stay Somewhere Green!’ The Waterfalls Centre www.horseridingbreconbeacons.com delicacies and specialities www.cyclebreconbeacons.com Fforest Fawr Geopark booklet from our website of the region. Housing an exhibition showing the formation of the www.mtbbreconbeacons.com or pick up a copy from waterfalls and uniqueness of the Fforest Fawr Geopark, www.travelbreconbeacons.info Protected for us all The National Park Brecon Information Centres. this Centre is an ideal place to start your exploration of encompasses Wales’ first © Brecon Beacons National Park Authority. 2009. Waterfall Country. Choose an audio trail to take on a Printed on recycled paper. Photography © Nick Turner, Visit Wales, Dedicated teams look after European and UNESCO Graham Hilton, Peter Fry, Royal Commission on the Ancient and walk, pick up our new guide to the Works or Historical Monuments of Wales, RSPB. the countryside and built Global Geopark within its environment in partnership just breathe in the misty air at the magical Sgwd yr Eira boundaries. waterfall - an experience never to be forgotten! with many others. The story of our rocks reveal We all have a part to play a land flooded by ancient in shaping the landscape seas, raised high by – choose to be actively colliding continents, baked involved in planning its dry under tropical skies future! and sculpted by mighty glaciers. Sgwd yr Eira Did you know?....

The National Park covers 1,346 square Hay-on-Wye kilometres or 520 square miles covering four distinct mountain ranges. This is the same size as the London underground system. Llandovery Beacons Reservoir Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal Llanthony Priory Hay Bluff, Black Mountains

There are 1,983 kilometres or 1,232 miles of

L BA public rights of way - that’s about the length of O N H N A Brecon Beacons National Park the Great Barrier Reef in Australia! T E U

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The largest town is the cathedral town of Brecon with a population of 7,500.

Over 4.2 million visitor days are spent in the Park each year, bringing £133 million into the local economy.

Four of the five longest cave systems in the UK are in the National Park.

The National Park has 268 scheduled ancient monuments spanning 7000 years of human history.

Pen y Crug RCAHMW Copyright © Crown

There are about 5300 kilometres of hedgerows - that’s roughly the length of Denmark’s coastline!

Britain’s most southerly home for Red Grouse is right here in the National Park.

The Park is the main stronghold of Welsh Mountain Ponies and the societies which protect them.

Over 70% of Wales’ limestone pavement lies within the Park’s Before you go walking.... boundaries.

• Plan your route carefully - Centre staff can help. The greatest collection • Check the weather and mountain area forecasts. of waterfalls in one • For news on access closures and fire risks check small area in the UK is www.ccw.gov.uk. around and • Tell someone where you are going and when Pontneddfechan - home you’ll be back. to some of Wales’ rarest • Make sure you are properly equipped - maps, clothing, food and drink. mosses and ferns. Henllys Vale near Brynaman Craig-y-nos Country Park Waterfall Country Brecon Mountain Railway Lily of the Valley • Please note that many mobile phones do not work in mountain areas and gorges. Britain’s largest breeding population of • River water is always cold and wading or Caring for the Brecon Beacons swimming across can be extremely dangerous Lesser Horseshoe Bats (Rhinolophus • In an emergency dial 999 – ask for the Police hipposiderae) live here. and then Mountain Rescue. You can play your part in helping Take action Be inspired Enjoy us to care for the National Park, so Some of the rarest trees in the world are various Stay somewhere green, eat locally Our National Park is a wonderful Please have fun in the Park and future generations can continue to species of whitebeam (Sorbus species) which produced and sourced food whilst place - be inspired and find respect this special place. enjoy this special place. survive only here. you're here and when you're at something from the landscape Take control of your dog and keep home. Leave the car behind and and its people that will stay with Be safe our wildlife and livestock safe. Brecon Beacons try public transport for a day. you for longer. Please follow the Countryside Please don’t disturb or feed our Share a journey of discovery on our Code, respect the mountain wildlife or pick our flowers and guided walks. Become a volunteer Share environment and drive safely as plants. Please take plenty of within the National Park or make Please share your experiences sheep, ponies and cattle gather photographs, make drawings and a donation. Come and learn from of the Brecon Beacons with your near roadsides on open commons. memories. us - our Eco-Centres demonstrate friends and family and bring them Keep other people and wildlife safe actions we've taken to reduce our with you next time you spend the by taking your litter home. Please environmental impact - and try day with us. The National Park has the largest area of open be considerate of other users. them in your home. hill common in Wales spanning about 20 miles.