If you’re looking for breathtaking scenery without other people – let alone crowds – Wales’ Cambrian Mountains are your nirvana. Just 3 miles south of the Brecon Beacons, these are a real insider secret.
Rugged peaks blanketed with heather, lichen and Atlantic Oak woodland. Tumbling icy streams and the dramatic Brianne Reservoir.
We visited during a crazy-weather weekend of wind and driving rain, but it still absolutely enchanted us. We drove for an hour – up and down hairpin bends, and through the peaceful valley – and didn’t see another soul.
Periodically, we hopped out for a little stroll, or just to take photos of the moody, unspoilt landscape, before going for a longer walk along The Gwenlais, a icy-cold stream that meanders down the mountain and through the farm of Brecon Beacons Hideaway, where we were staying.
We’ll be covering the hideaway in more detail in a future blog, but here are a couple of snaps to whet your appetite.
Gorgeously eclectic, we loved the blend of furnishings, which included a contemporary peacock-blue Chesterfield, an antique sideboard, and the most enormous bathtub. With the logburner lit, it was such a cosy space to return to after a wild day in these spectacular surroundings.
Even though we were only here for a weekend, all that time outdoors really invigorated us and make us feel like we’d had a much-longer break. The area’s also home to some really cool little towns (Llandeilo, Laugharne, Llandovery… all the Ls) full of great independents and restaurants, and is a certified Dark Sky area so night skies are just incredible. We’ll be back, for sure.
