With so many people scurrying along to Wale’s capital city and cultural hotspot Cardiff and more heading west to the coast or north to Snowdonia, the Brecon Beacons and the Valleys are often overlooked. In fact this area of Wales is a brilliant spot for walking. The Brecon Beacons offer wild, wide sweeping mountain views, open moorland, tranquil wooded valleys and gushing waterfalls all within easy access of large cities like Bristol and Cardiff.
Such ease of access has not gone unnoticed by film crews either, with the likes of Doctor Who, Batman: The Dark Knight Rises, King Arthur and Stardust taking advantage of the area’s natural beauty and dramatic backdrops.
The South Wales Valleys also have plenty of history to explore during a walk. From its industrial mining past, still so evident in places, to more ancient history found in castles, centuries old woodland and roman ruins, there is plenty to explore. Old railway lines and canal tow paths, another hang-over from a more industrial era, are now handily employed in the region as cycle and walking paths, and the forests provide flat tracks for little legs to wander in.
The cities and coastline cannot be ignored either with interesting walks to be taken around Cardiff’s diverse urban centre and coast and esturial wanders to blow away the cobwebs.
For a selection of Baby Routes tried and tested walks in the Brecon Beacons and South Wales, take a look at the walks listed below this post. For more inspiration, here are a few websites that might be able to help out.
- The Valleys website is a great introduction to the area and also provides a good selection of suggested walks.
- The Brecon Beacons site offers lots of ideas included some easier and accessible walking routes.
- Visit Cardiff gives details of all the major walking trails in the region and city as well as some more detailed shorter walks.
- Newport.gov.uk website has a section on walking aimed more at residents but that still contains some useful and more accessible walks for those visiting or living in and around Newport.
