Bannau Brycheiniog National Park covers over 500 square miles of South and Mid Wales and was established as a National Park in 1957
There is more than meets the eye in Bannau Brycheiniog National Park. Its hills echo with stories of myth and legend, from soldiers haunting Medieval castles to King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, who are said to be buried in one of the Park’s many subterranean caves.
Also under your feet is some of the most unique geology in Europe, with the western half of the Park designated a European and UNESCO Global Geopark thanks to its unique sedimentary rock formation. Encompassing woodland, heathland, moorland and lakes, the Park nurtures ecosystems that provide a vital home for many rare species such as Welsh mountain ponies and lesser horseshoe bats.
Did you know? Bannau Brycheiniog was Wales’ first designated International Dark Skies Reserve.
Designation: 17 April 1957
Habitats: Mountains, moorland, heathland, lakes
Common wildlife: Red grouse, birds of prey such as the red kite, the harrier and the peregrine, pink meadowcap mushrooms
Star spots: Welsh mountain ponies, lesser horseshoe bats, otters
Notable towns and cultural sights: Abergavenny, the Monmouthshire and Brecon canal
Notable nature sights: Waterfalls, caves, Forest Fawr geopark
Popular activities for visitors: Hiking, mountain biking, stargazing, water sports
Highest peak: Pen Y Fan at 886 meters above sea level
Annual visitor numbers: 4 million (in 2019)
Threats: Overdevelopment, climate change
Bannau Brycheiniog’s recent punchy promotional video featuring the typically charismatic Welsh tones of Michael Sheen delivering Owen Sheers’ rousing words of aspiration launched the National Park’s new 5-year Management Plan.
Landscape Photographer of the Year 2022 shares his inspiration.
Can a National Park help you find your identity? Our latest set of films, launched as part of the New Perspectives bursary awards, suggest they can.
