The delights of the Brecon Beacons

Earlier this year many people were left stranded in airports around the world, and all because of volcanic ash. Holidays were ruined, families spent fortunes getting home and rest and recuperation was undone in a few stressful hours. The reports indicate that this is not a one off incident so with this in mind, Wellbeing goes in search of holiday destinations a little closer to home. First stop, the Brecon Beacons National Park, South Wales. The area is renowned for its gentle hills, breathtaking waterfalls, quaint villages and warm welsh hospitality. After a few hours by road we reached our destination Old Radnor Barn, Talgarth. There are no chains of hotels in this area, just lots of delightful small hotels and all surrounded by beautiful scenery and fresh mountain air. On our arrival, our hosts Lynne and Steve had prepared a wonderful home cooked meal, local produce most of which was freshly picked from the garden that day. During our stay we visited the Brecon Farmers Market, where we found an array of local produce, home cooked pies, cakes, biscuits and even local whisky and wine. Quiet roads, smooth tarmac and no traffic jams made our tour of the surrounding area a delight. There are plenty of things to see and do, from National Trust and Heritage sites to the more extreme mountain biking, hiking, canoeing, rock climbing and even gliding at Talgarth airfield, set 970 feet above sea level in the stunning scenery of the Black Mountains. After a visit to the Gold Mines for a spot of history and panning for gold, we stopped at Aberorganic Tearooms and Farm shop which provided us with a tea of Welsh Rarebit and cream tea before heading back to Old Radnor Barn for another delightful dinner. Sunday we decided to take in the fresh air and scenery with a guided walk with Williams Welsh Walks. Steve and Michelle had organised a two hour walk around Llangorse Lake which gave us an opportunity to find out more about the types of walks available. The Brecon Beacons National Park can offer gentle, moderate and challenging walks and for the more adventurous Steve and Michelle can offer a wild camp experience! If your need is for rest, relaxation and good food or exercise and extreme sports, the Brecon Beacons can offer it all. Whether as an individual traveller, couple or family I am sure Wales can offer the perfect destination to those wanting to avoid the stress of airports and the possibility of an unexpected volcanic ash cloud! www.breconbeacons.org www.oldradnorbarn.com www.aberorganic.co.uk www.williamswelshwalks.com