It goes without saying that here in the Brecon Beacons – a favourite destination for walkers – we’re well represented. Our six Walkers are Welcome towns are dotted the length and breadth of the National Park, covering all areas. They are perfect hubs for anyone wishing to sample our wonderful world of walking.  If you’re embarking on your own Brecon Beacons walking adventure, these places are ideal starting points.

Set on the banks of the river Usk at the National Park’s eastern edge, the bustling market town of Abergavenny is the perfect base for riverside strolls and more strenuous walks on surrounding mountains like the Blorenge, Sugar Loaf and Skirrid. Walkers have healthy appetites, so it’s good to know that it’s also home to the annual Abergavenny Food Festival, one of the UK’s top foodie events.

Situated at the confluence of the rivers Usk and Honddu, Brecon is the beating heart of the National Park. This charming town boasts its own cathedral, Georgian

architecture, a regular farmers’ market and access to a huge range of walks. Be sure to visit the Brecon Beacons National Park Visitor Centre situated at nearby Libanus. It’s the best place to get more information on where to walk – our experts will help you. The centre itself is the ideal starting point for walks both big and small.

Thanks to its superb choice of routes and increasingly popular annual walking festival the pretty little town of Crickhowell has a big reputation as a walking destination. You’ll find gentle strolls along the river Usk and the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal, plus more strenuous climbs up peaks like flat-topped Table Mountain overlooking the town. It’s also a convenient gateway to the borderland Black Mountains.

The world-famous ‘town of books’ is well known for its starry annual literary festival, but it’s an equally stellar walking destination. The Offa’s Dyke Path – which stretches for 177 miles (283km) along the Wales/England border – and the 136-mile (218km) Wye Valley
Walk both¬ pass through Hay-on-Wye. As well as the famous Hay Festival there is also a lively walking festival held every October.

This historic market and droving town is the ideal hub from which to discover the National Park’s lesser-known western reaches. It’s the gateway to the 300-square-mile (763-sq-km) Fforest Fawr Geopark, a stunning swathe of upland coun
try packed with walks exploring the landscape’s geological heritage. With its 12th-century Norman castle, cobbled market square, brightly painted buildings and visitor/heritage centre, the town itself is also well worth exploring on foot.

Billed as the ‘Gateway to the Black Mountains’, Talgarth is a popular destination for enthusiastic hill walkers, though that’s far from the full picture. The nearby nature reserves of Pwll-y-Wrach and Parkwood offer less strenuous strolls in some of the National Park’s prettiest landscapes. Find out what’s on offer at Talgarth’s annual walking festival, which takes place each May.  And whilst you are there, try visiting Talgarth
h Mill which featured on the BBC’s Village SoS programme.