J R. R. Tolkien, is believed to have been inspired by the beautiful landscape of the Brecon Beacons National Park, to base his epic novel The Lord of the Rings. Middle Earth Maps have even re-imagined and redrawn our National Park in the style of Tolkien's Middle-Earth! Why not come here yourself and maybe you'll get inspired?

Tolkien is believed to have stayed in the village of Talybont-on-Usk in the 1940s, while working on parts of The Lord of The Rings. It’s easy to see similarities between the landscapes in his books and the hills and meadows of the Black Mountains. For example, the hobbit settlement of Crickhollow is similar to Crickhowell, nine miles from Talybont. Also, in The Lord of the Rings, Buckland was a colony of hobbits between the Old Forest and the Brandywine River.  Buckland Hall is believed to be the inspiration behind this- a historical mansion surrounded by woodland in Bwlch which is now used for celebrations!

Information adapted from Visit Wales