IMAGES: ALAMY; KERRY WALKER
MORNING
Crickhowell is capped off by its
very own Table Mountain, and
that’s where you’re headed after
a bright and early start. It may
not be in the same league as its
Cape Town namesake, but this
flat-topped, 1,480ft red sandstone
outcrop is still a challenging
climb — a rite of passage for local
hikers. Once the site of an Iron
Age hill fort, it stands sentinel
above countryside ribbed with
hedgerows and dry-stone walls.
Beginning on the Llanbedr Road
above Crickhowell, the trail
picks its way through a wooded
dingle and shadows a brook to
reach a sheepfold. From here, it’s
an easy climb up and over stile
and field to the top and back. The
summit rewards your efforts with
uplifting views of the Brecons and
Black Mountains.AFTERNOON
A half-hour drive west takes you
along a beautiful stretch of the
A40. Were this not an A road, it
would be tempting to drive at
30mph the whole way to your
next stop near Sennybridge and
admire the views. But if you’re
lucky, a tractor will appear.
Pause in Defynnog for lunch at
The International Welsh Rarebit
Centre, a former a schoolhouse
that’s now a cafe, art gallery and
cultural hub. Accompanied by
salads prepared from garden-
grown produce, a number of the
delicious rarebits on offer deviate
from the traditional recipe. These
include the likes of Guinness-
laced Stout Irish and Summer
Rarebit, made with Welsh goat’s
cheese, honey, walnuts and lemon
zest. It’s as good as cheese on
toast gets.EVENING
Post lunch, the road beckons for
a short but scenic drive south
through the wild heart of the
Brecons. Allow sufficient time
for gawping at the views of the
sweeping peaks, including South
Wales’ highest, Pen y Fan, to the
east. After 20 minutes or so, you’ll
arrive at Penderyn, just in time to
catch a distillery tour. Or make
straight for the bar for a tasting
of its single malt whiskies and
traditional juniper-based gins.
Should this whet your appetite
for the good life, treat yourself to
an overnight stay at Gliffaes hotel,
an Italianate Victorian manor on
the banks of the River Usk that
offers a dash of old-school class.
The restaurant menu is weighted
towards dishes created using local
produce, like supreme of guinea
fowl with spring vegetable broth.DAY TWO CRICKHOWELL TO PENDERYN
TOP 5Outdoor
ActivitiesSHEEP TREKKING
What could be more Welsh
than a walk with a sheep? At
Aberhyddnant Farm in Crai,
near Brecon, you can do just
that with its flock of sheep,
which include Jacob, Valais
Blacknose and Ouessant (the
world’s smallest breed). Bring
sturdy footwear for mud and
wet weather. From £25 per
person. sheeptrekking.co.ukFORAGING
Passionate forager Adele
Nozedar, author of The
Hedgerow Handbook,
runs half-day, kid-friendly
foraging courses, which give
the inside scoop on wild
food in the Brecons (from
£35 per person). Botanical
gin workshops are also
available (£40 per person).
breconbeaconsforaging.comWILDERNESS SURVIVAL
Bear Grylls Survival Academy
has 24-hour courses covering
everything from building an
emergency shelter to fire
lighting. £349 per person.
beargryllssurvivalacademy.
comSTARGAZING
The Brecon Beacons National
Park is an International Dark
Sky Reserve. Among the
best spots are the Crai and
Usk Reservoirs, Llanthony
Priory, Hay Bluff and Sugar
Loaf Mountain.
breconbeacons.orgADVENTURE SPORTS
Brecon-based Black
Mountain offers canoe,
kayak and mountain bike
hire, whitewater rafting,
caving, gorge adventures
and much more. From £26.
blackmountain.co.ukBehind-the-scenes tour
at Penderyn Distillery,
where you can try its
single malt whiskies
and juniper-based ginsJul/Aug 2020 41WEEKENDER