A GUIDE TO BUILTH WELLS AND THE LOCAL AREA
City/town information
Builth Wells, a charming little Welsh market town full of individual shops, gallery’s, restaurants & bars and the home of the Royal Welsh Showground. The area is ideal for walking, cycling, mountain biking, fishing, horse riding, canoeing, and much more. We are on the River Wye, 30 minutes from the Brecon Beacons, 30 minutes from Hay-on-Wye & the Black Mountains and 20 minutes from the stunning Elan Valley and reservoirs.
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Builth Wells
Builth Wells, a charming little Welsh market town full of individual shops, gallery’s, restaurants & bars and the home of the Royal Welsh Showground. The area is ideal for walking, cycling, mountain biking, fishing, horse riding, canoeing, and much more. We are on the River Wye, 30 minutes from the Brecon Beacons, 30 minutes from Hay-on-Wye & the Black Mountains and 20 minutes from the stunning Elan Valley and reservoirs.
Sightseeing
Brecon Beacons National Park is just an hour’s drive south of Builth. Home to a mix of mountains and moorland, standing stones, castles, waterfalls and wildlife, the Brecon Beacons National Park extends for 42 miles from east to west, and is divided into three distinct areas: the Black Mountains in the east, the Brecon Beacons and Fforest Fawr in the centre, and the Black Mountain region (formerly called the Camarthen Fans) in the largely Welsh-speaking west.
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Brecon Beacons
Beacons Park
Brecon Beacons National Park is just an hour’s drive south of Builth. Home to a mix of mountains and moorland, standing stones, castles, waterfalls and wildlife, the Brecon Beacons National Park extends for 42 miles from east to west, and is divided into three distinct areas: the Black Mountains in the east, the Brecon Beacons and Fforest Fawr in the centre, and the Black Mountain region (formerly called the Camarthen Fans) in the largely Welsh-speaking west.
Whether you just fancy a drive, a bike ride, a leisurely stroll or a challenging hike, Elan has something for everyone. There are vast open acres of land, hills, trails & roads leading you through the most spectacular scenery that mid Wales has to offer. The Elan Valley Reservoirs are a chain of man-made lakes created from damming the Elan and Claerwen rivers within the Elan Valley in Mid Wales. The reservoirs, which were built by the Birmingham Corporation Water Department, they provide clean drinking water for Birmingham in the West Midlands of England. The five lakes are known as the Claerwen, Craig-goch, Pen-y-garreg, Garreg-ddu, and Caban-coch.
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Elan Valley Reservoirs
Whether you just fancy a drive, a bike ride, a leisurely stroll or a challenging hike, Elan has something for everyone. There are vast open acres of land, hills, trails & roads leading you through the most spectacular scenery that mid Wales has to offer. The Elan Valley Reservoirs are a chain of man-made lakes created from damming the Elan and Claerwen rivers within the Elan Valley in Mid Wales. The reservoirs, which were built by the Birmingham Corporation Water Department, they provide clean drinking water for Birmingham in the West Midlands of England. The five lakes are known as the Claerwen, Craig-goch, Pen-y-garreg, Garreg-ddu, and Caban-coch.
The Taff Trail runs for 55 miles between Cardiff and Brecon along a mixture of riverside paths, railway paths and forest roads.
In Cardiff, the Taff Trail starts in Cardiff Bay and follows the river through Grangetown, Sophia Gardens, Pontcanna Fields, Hailey Park, Forest Farm to Tongwynlais near Castell Coch. The Trail continues North ending in Brecon.
Just a short ride away and you’re transported from cosmopolitan Cardiff to rural heaven. Cycle eight relatively gentle miles along the Taff corridor, to a land of crashing weirs rich with wildlife, impressive mountain backdrops and the picturesque Castell Coch perched on the mountainside. On the trail, there are plenty of pretty places to stop and picnic before arriving at the industrial heritage town of Pontypridd. Here you will find a museum, historic old bridge and the tranquil Ynysangharad War Memorial Park. Back on the trail, head for Merthyr Tydfil, a town built on iron and coal, and home to the magnificent Cyfarthfa Castle. Visit the Castle’s museum and art gallery before climbing steadily up the Torpantau Pass where you’ll discover the old Merthyr Railway. Ride on to Brecon through picture perfect mountain landscapes, majestic waterfalls and crystal clear reservoirs, before arriving into Brecon town – home to a Cathedral, plenty of places to eat and drink, and quaint shops to browse in.
Along the route, there are plenty of opportunities to stop to picnic while enjoying the scenery and wildlife. The trail is suitable for walking and cycling with links to local shops and cafes along the way.
The Taff Trail is a popular walking and cycle path that runs for 55 miles (89 km) between Cardiff Bay and Brecon in Wales. It is so named because it follows the course of the River Taff. Along much of its length, it follows the National Cycle Network Route 8
taff trail marker
The Taff Trail runs for 55 miles between Cardiff and Brecon along a mixture of riverside paths, railway paths and forest roads.
In Cardiff, the Taff Trail starts in Cardiff Bay and follows the river through Grangetown, Sophia Gardens, Pontcanna Fields, Hailey Park, Forest Farm to Tongwynlais near Castell Coch. The Trail continues North ending in Brecon.
Just a short ride away and you’re transported from cosmopolitan Cardiff to rural heaven. Cycle eight relatively gentle miles along the Taff corridor, to a land of crashing weirs rich with wildlife, impressive mountain backdrops and the picturesque Castell Coch perched on the mountainside. On the trail, there are plenty of pretty places to stop and picnic before arriving at the industrial heritage town of Pontypridd. Here you will find a museum, historic old bridge and the tranquil Ynysangharad War Memorial Park. Back on the trail, head for Merthyr Tydfil, a town built on iron and coal, and home to the magnificent Cyfarthfa Castle. Visit the Castle’s museum and art gallery before climbing steadily up the Torpantau Pass where you’ll discover the old Merthyr Railway. Ride on to Brecon through picture perfect mountain landscapes, majestic waterfalls and crystal clear reservoirs, before arriving into Brecon town – home to a Cathedral, plenty of places to eat and drink, and quaint shops to browse in.
Along the route, there are plenty of opportunities to stop to picnic while enjoying the scenery and wildlife. The trail is suitable for walking and cycling with links to local shops and cafes along the way.
The Taff Trail is a popular walking and cycle path that runs for 55 miles (89 km) between Cardiff Bay and Brecon in Wales. It is so named because it follows the course of the River Taff. Along much of its length, it follows the National Cycle Network Route 8
Llangorse Lake
East of Brecon, between the Central Beacons and the Black Mountains, is the largest natural lake in Wales, Llangorse Lake. Like the mountain lakes, it lies in a hollow formed by glacial action, but at 154m above sea level, it’s far more accessible.
Take to the water
Surrounded by a patchwork of green hills, fields, meadows and hedgerows, Llangorse is a truly beautiful spot and a lovely place to sail or paddle. You can launch your own craft from the boat hire centre or the sailing club, both of which are on Llangorse Common on the northwest shore, or hire a dinghy, windsurfer, canoe, kayak, stand-up paddleboard, pedalo or rowing boat. Refreshments are available here, too.
The lake is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. To conserve the banks and the wildlife, there are restrictions on how many people can take to the water and where boaters can go, with buoys marking the no-go zones. To get on the water, you need a permit. Launch fees also apply. To find out more, visit our pages on sailing and canoeing.
Llangorse is also a popular spot for fishing, with pike, perch, roach, bream tench and eels all found here. Fishing is only allowed from boats, not from the banks, and must be catch-and-release. You’ll need a rod licence from the Post Office and a permit from the boat hire centre. To find out more, visit our page on fishing.
Discover an ancient royal retreat
An interpretation centre on stilts on the north-west shore offers information about the lake’s unique heritage site, the Crannog, a man-made island made of oak, willow and hazel wood. Well over 1000 years old, it now has trees growing on it, but it was probably once the site of a royal palace.
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Llangorse Lake
Llangorse Lake
East of Brecon, between the Central Beacons and the Black Mountains, is the largest natural lake in Wales, Llangorse Lake. Like the mountain lakes, it lies in a hollow formed by glacial action, but at 154m above sea level, it’s far more accessible.
Take to the water
Surrounded by a patchwork of green hills, fields, meadows and hedgerows, Llangorse is a truly beautiful spot and a lovely place to sail or paddle. You can launch your own craft from the boat hire centre or the sailing club, both of which are on Llangorse Common on the northwest shore, or hire a dinghy, windsurfer, canoe, kayak, stand-up paddleboard, pedalo or rowing boat. Refreshments are available here, too.
The lake is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. To conserve the banks and the wildlife, there are restrictions on how many people can take to the water and where boaters can go, with buoys marking the no-go zones. To get on the water, you need a permit. Launch fees also apply. To find out more, visit our pages on sailing and canoeing.
Llangorse is also a popular spot for fishing, with pike, perch, roach, bream tench and eels all found here. Fishing is only allowed from boats, not from the banks, and must be catch-and-release. You’ll need a rod licence from the Post Office and a permit from the boat hire centre. To find out more, visit our page on fishing.
Discover an ancient royal retreat
An interpretation centre on stilts on the north-west shore offers information about the lake’s unique heritage site, the Crannog, a man-made island made of oak, willow and hazel wood. Well over 1000 years old, it now has trees growing on it, but it was probably once the site of a royal palace.
Nestled in the foothills of Mynydd Epynt, Llangammarch Wells is close to the Epynt Way, a fantastic resource for walkers, cyclists and riders with its waymarked routes and stunning scenery, and is 8 miles from Builth Wells, the home of the Royal Welsh Show.
Llangammarch Wells is the ideal venue for the fisherman with many miles of river available to fish for trout, chub, grayling and late season salmon. Both day and season tickets are available.
Llangammarch Wells
Nestled in the foothills of Mynydd Epynt, Llangammarch Wells is close to the Epynt Way, a fantastic resource for walkers, cyclists and riders with its waymarked routes and stunning scenery, and is 8 miles from Builth Wells, the home of the Royal Welsh Show.
Llangammarch Wells is the ideal venue for the fisherman with many miles of river available to fish for trout, chub, grayling and late season salmon. Both day and season tickets are available.
Food, shops, & sightseeing
World renowned for books and bookshops. Its unique position on the border between England and Wales makes Hay ideal for visitors to explore and enjoy the beautiful border country. A must visit only 30 mins from Builth Wells.
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Hay-on-Wye
World renowned for books and bookshops. Its unique position on the border between England and Wales makes Hay ideal for visitors to explore and enjoy the beautiful border country. A must visit only 30 mins from Builth Wells.
Aberystwyth the Classic Welsh
Aberystwyth is the principal holiday resort and administrative centre of the west coast of Wales. It is also home to the University of Wales Aberystwyth and the National Library.
The town is nestled between three hills and two beaches and hosts some castle ruins, a pier and a harbour. The surrounding hills hold the visible remains of an iron age fort and also a monument to Wellington and once climbed offer stunning views of Cardigan Bay.
Aberystwyth is a University town with some seven thousand students, ensuring it a vibrant throughout the year and not just during summertime. Incidentally, there are now ‘only’ fifty pubs left in Aberystwyth!
The seafront hosts Victorian / Edwardian buildings mostly 4/5 stories high. The wide promenade protects the buildings from the revenge of the Irish Sea and offers space to sit, soak up the sun and view the surrounding hills and mountains which in winter are often covered in snow. On a clear day, you may see the tallest mountain in Wales, Snowdon.
The harbour was once one of the busiest in Wales and is fed by the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol (which incidentally, is the steepest river in Britain). Geographically, Aberystwyth may be considered isolated from the rest of Wales. However, this isolation made it necessary for the local people to look after themselves and over the years it has acquired more resources than a town of this size would normally have. It is now the centre of local rural life and is visited by many to sample the numerous cafes, bars, and restaurants including, Chinese, Indian, Italian and Mediterranean cuisine.
The local weather is dominated by the sea and the Gulf Stream which warms the whole region and makes for pleasurable visiting. like its regional neighbour Llandudno.
The Castle
Long before the Normans began their castle-building program, Iron Age settlers used the hilltop called Pen Dinas to build a huge fortification, which still dominates the skyline as you approach Aberystwyth from the south and reminds us of the skills of its ancient builders.
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Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth the Classic Welsh
Aberystwyth is the principal holiday resort and administrative centre of the west coast of Wales. It is also home to the University of Wales Aberystwyth and the National Library.
The town is nestled between three hills and two beaches and hosts some castle ruins, a pier and a harbour. The surrounding hills hold the visible remains of an iron age fort and also a monument to Wellington and once climbed offer stunning views of Cardigan Bay.
Aberystwyth is a University town with some seven thousand students, ensuring it a vibrant throughout the year and not just during summertime. Incidentally, there are now ‘only’ fifty pubs left in Aberystwyth!
The seafront hosts Victorian / Edwardian buildings mostly 4/5 stories high. The wide promenade protects the buildings from the revenge of the Irish Sea and offers space to sit, soak up the sun and view the surrounding hills and mountains which in winter are often covered in snow. On a clear day, you may see the tallest mountain in Wales, Snowdon.
The harbour was once one of the busiest in Wales and is fed by the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol (which incidentally, is the steepest river in Britain). Geographically, Aberystwyth may be considered isolated from the rest of Wales. However, this isolation made it necessary for the local people to look after themselves and over the years it has acquired more resources than a town of this size would normally have. It is now the centre of local rural life and is visited by many to sample the numerous cafes, bars, and restaurants including, Chinese, Indian, Italian and Mediterranean cuisine.
The local weather is dominated by the sea and the Gulf Stream which warms the whole region and makes for pleasurable visiting. like its regional neighbour Llandudno.
The Castle
Long before the Normans began their castle-building program, Iron Age settlers used the hilltop called Pen Dinas to build a huge fortification, which still dominates the skyline as you approach Aberystwyth from the south and reminds us of the skills of its ancient builders.
Visit, eat, explore and tell your friends you’ve stayed in the shadow of the Sugar Loaf mountain which overlooks Abergavenny. Discover locally-produced food, great places to stay and fantastic scenery – the beautiful Black Mountains are the backdrop to Abergavenny in the south east corner of the Brecon Beacons National Park. The town is a great base for walking, cycling and just enjoying the great outdoors.
With its annual Abergavenny Food Festival, the town is also mecca for foodies – and there are plenty of gorgeous gastro pubs, ancient inns and restaurants to try in the surrounding countryside too. The town has regular markets where you can buy quality produce grown locally too.
Abergavenny has history and heritage in spades – come and explore our castles, medieval mansions, Roman remains and standing stones. We’ve got the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal on our doorstep and the Blaenavon World Heritage and Big Pit mine are just up the road.
Canal House
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Abergavenny
Visit, eat, explore and tell your friends you’ve stayed in the shadow of the Sugar Loaf mountain which overlooks Abergavenny. Discover locally-produced food, great places to stay and fantastic scenery – the beautiful Black Mountains are the backdrop to Abergavenny in the south east corner of the Brecon Beacons National Park. The town is a great base for walking, cycling and just enjoying the great outdoors.
With its annual Abergavenny Food Festival, the town is also mecca for foodies – and there are plenty of gorgeous gastro pubs, ancient inns and restaurants to try in the surrounding countryside too. The town has regular markets where you can buy quality produce grown locally too.
Abergavenny has history and heritage in spades – come and explore our castles, medieval mansions, Roman remains and standing stones. We’ve got the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal on our doorstep and the Blaenavon World Heritage and Big Pit mine are just up the road.
Canal House
Crickhowell, Said to be the prettiest town in Wales, it nestles in the beautiful Usk Valley and lies to the south of the Black Mountains, the eastern range of the Brecon Beacons National Park. The town and its surrounding villages have attractions that are enticements for all visitors to this wonderful corner of Wales.
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Crickhowell
Crickhowell, Said to be the prettiest town in Wales, it nestles in the beautiful Usk Valley and lies to the south of the Black Mountains, the eastern range of the Brecon Beacons National Park. The town and its surrounding villages have attractions that are enticements for all visitors to this wonderful corner of Wales.
Aberdyfi is a thriving little harbour resort set within the Snowdonia National Park, where the river Dyfi meets the blue waters of Cardigan Bay. Aberdyfi has watersports galore - sailing, sailboarding, rowing, canoeing, fishing and boat trips. In the summer, there are yachting regattas, sailboarding competitions, rowing regattas and other watersports events along with family entertainment on its award-winning beaches.
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Aberdyfi
Aberdyfi is a thriving little harbour resort set within the Snowdonia National Park, where the river Dyfi meets the blue waters of Cardigan Bay. Aberdyfi has watersports galore - sailing, sailboarding, rowing, canoeing, fishing and boat trips. In the summer, there are yachting regattas, sailboarding competitions, rowing regattas and other watersports events along with family entertainment on its award-winning beaches.
Rhayader is a busy and historic market town in the north-west of the ancient county of Radnorshire. It is the first town on the banks of the River Wye and has long been a vital centre for the farming community with its flourishing livestock market serving a large rural area. The town lies at the crossroads of important routes from south to north and east to west through central Wales with a bridge over the River Wye. In the 18th and 19th century, sheep and cattle drovers traversed the Cambrian mountains destined for English market towns of Banbury, Hereford and London. The clock tower in the middle of Rhayader acting as the historic crossroad midway between North and South Wales and was a mid 19th century vital staging post on the famous coach road from Aberystwyth to London. The surrounding countryside can be easily explored by bicycle and has a wide range of places to stay including caravans, camping, bed and breakfasts, self-catering cottages or Hotels. There are plenty of places to provide good food and drink. The town has a wonderful riverside walk, two large free car parks and the nearest Train Station is 12 miles away at Llandrindod Wells - on the Heart of Wales line. Like the other local communities, Rhayader and the surrounding area underwent great changes during Queen Victoria's reign and became a popular place to visit.
RED KITE FEEDING CENTRE
With breathtaking feats of aerial piracy red kites compete with buzzards and ravens for choice pickings.
Feeding takes place at 2pm GMT (well, no-one tells the kites that the clocks change!). The crows are first to turn up in trees around the feeding area and make it quite a noisy affair with the calls of jackdaws and carrion crows and the deep 'cronking' of ravens. Buzzards and red kites circle overhead; buzzards are far more vocal than kites, their powerful 'mewing' carrying a long way.
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Rhayader
Rhayader is a busy and historic market town in the north-west of the ancient county of Radnorshire. It is the first town on the banks of the River Wye and has long been a vital centre for the farming community with its flourishing livestock market serving a large rural area. The town lies at the crossroads of important routes from south to north and east to west through central Wales with a bridge over the River Wye. In the 18th and 19th century, sheep and cattle drovers traversed the Cambrian mountains destined for English market towns of Banbury, Hereford and London. The clock tower in the middle of Rhayader acting as the historic crossroad midway between North and South Wales and was a mid 19th century vital staging post on the famous coach road from Aberystwyth to London. The surrounding countryside can be easily explored by bicycle and has a wide range of places to stay including caravans, camping, bed and breakfasts, self-catering cottages or Hotels. There are plenty of places to provide good food and drink. The town has a wonderful riverside walk, two large free car parks and the nearest Train Station is 12 miles away at Llandrindod Wells - on the Heart of Wales line. Like the other local communities, Rhayader and the surrounding area underwent great changes during Queen Victoria's reign and became a popular place to visit.
RED KITE FEEDING CENTRE
With breathtaking feats of aerial piracy red kites compete with buzzards and ravens for choice pickings.
Feeding takes place at 2pm GMT (well, no-one tells the kites that the clocks change!). The crows are first to turn up in trees around the feeding area and make it quite a noisy affair with the calls of jackdaws and carrion crows and the deep 'cronking' of ravens. Buzzards and red kites circle overhead; buzzards are far more vocal than kites, their powerful 'mewing' carrying a long way.
Brecon is a bustling market town right at the top edge of the glorious Brecon Beacons National Park. It's known for the famous Brecon Jazz Festival, independent shops and cafés, history, military connections and of course, the magnificent cathedral. Brecon is the perfect base for exploring the national park, watersports and fishing in the local rivers, canal and lakes, plus cycling and mountain biking. Walks in Brecon
Explore the wooded path along the River Honddu where the Wildlife Trust has provided wildlife information boards. Amble along the flat canalside path to Brynich Lock, or saunter along the Promenade for some peace and quiet. Take a history trail that takes in all of the town’s wonderful Georgian architecture - there are loads of places to explore around Brecon.
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Brecon
Brecon is a bustling market town right at the top edge of the glorious Brecon Beacons National Park. It's known for the famous Brecon Jazz Festival, independent shops and cafés, history, military connections and of course, the magnificent cathedral. Brecon is the perfect base for exploring the national park, watersports and fishing in the local rivers, canal and lakes, plus cycling and mountain biking. Walks in Brecon
Explore the wooded path along the River Honddu where the Wildlife Trust has provided wildlife information boards. Amble along the flat canalside path to Brynich Lock, or saunter along the Promenade for some peace and quiet. Take a history trail that takes in all of the town’s wonderful Georgian architecture - there are loads of places to explore around Brecon.
Llandovery is one of those small towns in Wales that you could easily miss off your Wales itinerary. There are actually lots of reasons to visit Llandovery though.
It’s a historic market town at the northern edge of Carmarthenshire and on the Western edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Llandovery is also a gateway town to the picturesque Cambrian mountains.
Proudly Welsh and community-focused, visiting Llandovery is a chance to immerse yourself in Welsh culture and heritage.
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Llandovery
Llandovery is one of those small towns in Wales that you could easily miss off your Wales itinerary. There are actually lots of reasons to visit Llandovery though.
It’s a historic market town at the northern edge of Carmarthenshire and on the Western edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Llandovery is also a gateway town to the picturesque Cambrian mountains.
Proudly Welsh and community-focused, visiting Llandovery is a chance to immerse yourself in Welsh culture and heritage.
ABOUT LLANIDLOES
Llanidloes is the perfect location for a quiet getaway and a great place to rejuvenate the soul.
For such a small town it punches well above its weight. Home to the Hafren Forest and Llyn Clywedog, situated in the Cambrian Mountains, Llanidloes has a way of making you feel like you are a million miles from the noisy congested streets of everyday life when you’re only an hour from the Wales/England border.
Just looking at the images of Hafren Forest you can almost hear the birds singing and the rush of the water as it meanders past, knowing that this is where the River Severn starts its long 220-mile journey downstream until it reaches the Bristol Channel.
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Llanidloes
ABOUT LLANIDLOES
Llanidloes is the perfect location for a quiet getaway and a great place to rejuvenate the soul.
For such a small town it punches well above its weight. Home to the Hafren Forest and Llyn Clywedog, situated in the Cambrian Mountains, Llanidloes has a way of making you feel like you are a million miles from the noisy congested streets of everyday life when you’re only an hour from the Wales/England border.
Just looking at the images of Hafren Forest you can almost hear the birds singing and the rush of the water as it meanders past, knowing that this is where the River Severn starts its long 220-mile journey downstream until it reaches the Bristol Channel.
Llanwrtyd claims to be the smallest town in Wales but there's almost nothing you can't do here if you visit during the Alternative Games
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Llanwrtyd Wells
Llanwrtyd claims to be the smallest town in Wales but there's almost nothing you can't do here if you visit during the Alternative Games