Holiday Cottages in Brecon Beacons and Mid Wales
Self-catering cottages in Mid Wales and Brecon Beacons
The Cambrian Mountains and the Brecon Beacons are the two features that dominate this part of Wales and for millennia have kept man from imposing his footprint on the landscape. This is wild and bleak countryside with hardly anything other than sheep and birds to keep you company - perfect for a bird-watching or walking holiday in Wales.
The eastern half of the region, butting up to the English border, is distinguished by a succession of spa towns, and in Llanwrtyd Wells the locals have taken up the challenge of attracting tourists with gusto. Not only is it home to the World Bog Snorkelling Championships on the August Bank Holiday, where competitors have to 'swim' two lengths of a 55m trench in a nearby bog, only surfacing twice in order to navigate, but also in July the Mountain Bike Bog Snorkelling equivalent. In January they hold a Real Ale festival complete with a ramble for walkers, and a wobble for bikers, and free ale at every checkpoint, and another one in November.
By contrast Llandrindod Wells is a sparkling little spa and the Victorians who arrived in their droves to take the waters left a charming place behind them. Llandrindod Wells also lies on the 'Heart of Wales' railway line, one of the most scenic and dramatic in Britain. Running from Shrewsbury to Swansea the single car service shunts through the valleys, over viaducts, and burrows under the Sugar Loaf Mountain stopping at some of the more picturesque towns and villages in the region, and it is a delightful journey at any time of year. if you rent a self-catering cottage near Llandrindod Wells you can enjoy all these delights.
Another stop on the line is the border town of Knighton, a walker's sanctuary on the Offa's Dyke Path and a perfect place to stop and catch your breath in one of the many holiday cottages and bed and breakfasts on offer. Knighton also houses the Spaceguard Centre, an observatory that charts near-earth objects and their threat to the planet. On a less gloomy note, the Centre organises public planetarium shows and daytime stargazing. Holiday cottages near Knighton are some of the finest in Wales and a great place to stay if you are on holiday walking Offa's Dyke path.
In the north of this part of Wales is Welshpool, and one mile south of the town is Powis Castle. Originally built around 1200 as a fortress against the English, the castle stands on a rock with commanding views to the east, whilst below is the world famous garden with its enormous yew hedges, lead statuary, and Orangery, all laid out on terraces. The castle contains the combined collections of the Herbert and Clive families, including a superb display of Indian treasures acquired by the conqueror of India, Robert Clive. Welshpool is a great place to stay on a self-catering holiday in Wales and there are some luxury vacation rentals near Welshpool.
The Brecon Beacons National Park forms the southern border of this area of Wales and is a popular place for activity holidays, and the list of activities is almost endless. Mountain biking, white-water rafting, climbing, gorge walking, and caving are all on offer in the Brecon Beacons National Park, and there are some spectacular waterfalls in breathtaking scenery where you can break your journey. Holiday houses and homes to rent in the Brecon Beacons range from idyllic Welsh farmhouses to luxury cotages to rent. The towns of Brecon and Abergavenny are the main bases for travellers and have the widest range of accommodation. There are beautiful gardens to visit in wales, and the Llanover garden school, close to Abergavenny hosts and one day courses or workshops. However within the park are a few small villages and isolated farmhouses that offer a more tranquil option. If you are walking through the park do try to avoid the summit walk between Pen-y-Fan and Corn Du as this has become so heavily overused that the Breacon Beacons park staff refer to it as 'the Motorway'. If you are looking to rent a holiday home near Brecon or a self-catering house near Abergavenny then you will be spoilt for choice as this part of Wales is full of some delightful vacation cottages which offers some idyllic places to stay for a Welsh holiday. A self-catering cottage in the Cambrian Mountains also provides a wonderful place for a vacation in Wales if you want to rent a holiday cottage in this beautiful part of mid Wales.
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