A Brecon Beacons Walk with Pen y Fan

From towpath to towering peak
UK’s prettiest | Walk beside the acclaimed Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal.
Scenic variety | From peaceful, wooded vales to dramatic heights.
Charming accommodation | In three fine market towns.
Pen y Fan | Climb southern Britain’s tallest peak and enjoy the views!
More to explore | Abundant birdlife, and a fascinating industrial heritage.
What is included
  • 6 nights
  • 2 dinners
    1 picnic
    6 breakfasts
  • luggage transported
  • route notes
  • GPS navigation
  • transfer to Day 4 walk
  • A Brecon Beacons Walk with Pen y Fan
    From towpath to towering peak
  • Brynich Aqueduct © NJ
  • Sample the Brecon beers
  • Looking over the River Usk towards Blorenge
  • Narrowboats on the Brecon Canal © NJ
  • Brecon with Pen y Fan in the distance
  • Bridge over the River Usk in Abergavenny
  • The Brecon Canal at Llangattock © NJ
  • Walking in the hills towards Crickhowell
  • Castle Meadows, Abergavenny
  • Breathtaking views from Pen y Fan
  • The market town of Brecon
  • The River Usk flows through the heart of Brecon
What is included
  • 6 nights
  • 2 dinners
    1 picnic
    6 breakfasts
  • luggage transported
  • route notes
  • GPS navigation
  • transfer to Day 4 walk

Holiday information

A walking holiday in the Brecon Beacons

Staying in three traditional market towns, this hotel-to-hotel walking holiday follows the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal – regularly voted the UK's prettiest – into the heart of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Our self-guided routes also take you up high for far-reaching views, including from Pen y Fan, southern Britain’s tallest peak.
Many visitors to the Brecon Beacons National Park (Bannau Brycheiniog, in Welsh) are content to stay close to the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal – and with good reason. As this tranquil waterway progresses north through the Usk Valley, it reveals some of Wales’s most beautiful scenery: from peaceful wooded vales and fields speckled with sheep to the looming peaks of the Black Mountains and the open moorland, fern-filled gorges and dramatic heights of the Brecon Beacons. The landscapes change with each season, with daffodils lighting the countryside in spring, and the autumn months staging a spectacular colour display. From the towpath, you are also treated to glimpses of the area’s abundant birdlife, and of its fascinating industrial heritage.

In addition to exploring this glorious canal, our varied walking holiday takes you into the hills and mountains beyond, where you will find both satisfying routes and superb, far-reaching vistas. A particular highlight is the opportunity to climb Pen y Fan – the highest point in southern Britain – but lower peaks such as Little Skirrid and Table Mountain also offer extensive panoramic views.

Another key feature of this holiday is the charming, market-town accommodation. You stay in three fine towns – foodie Abergavenny, picturesque Crickhowell and cultured Brecon – in each, at a centrally located hotel or guesthouse hand-picked for its high quality and warm welcome.
Images courtesy of Nick Jenkins, Freespirit Images Photography (© NJ)


Itinerary

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on the day of your choice, and are free to add extra nights.
  • The average maximum daytime temperatures and monthly rainfall relate to the nearest weather station and are intended as a guide only.

    You should always be prepared for wet weather, whichever month you are travelling.
    Average temperatures and rainfall
      Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    °C 7 7 10 12 15 18 20 19 17 14 10 7
    mm 96 72 65 64 65 63 65 66 58 87 84 100
  • Arrival in Abergavenny
    Night 1: at The Angel Hotel or Abergavenny Hotel (the first of two nights here).
    As your first night’s accommodation is on the day of travel, Day 1 is your first day of walking.
  • Choice of routes from Abergavenny: 6.5 or 12.5km (4 or 8 miles)

    On the slopes of Blorenge: 12.5km (8 miles), 5hrs; 420m ascent/descent
    Your first walk is a scenic introduction to the wonderful local countryside: it initially takes you away from Abergavenny town centre, past the remains of a ruined Norman castle and through peaceful riverside meadows to cross over to the southern bank of the River Usk. From here, a gradual ascent unites you for the first time with the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal, which you follow south, enjoying fabulous views over both the Usk Valley and the Black Mountains. Leave the towpath near Llanellan to loop back north across the slopes of Blorenge, passing the Punchbowl – a wooded cwm (glacial hollow) which contains a picturesque, man-made lake that is popular with birdlife and hikers alike.

    Little Skirrid: 6.5km (4 miles), 2.5hrs; 240m ascent/descent
    For a shorter first day, opt to climb the wooded slopes of Little Skirrid. This small hill lies to the east of Abergavenny, and offers terrific views from its peak.
    Walking towards Blorenge
    On the slopes of Blorenge: 12.5km
    Little Skirrid: 6.5km
  • Abergavenny to Crickhowell: 17.5km (11 miles), 6.5hrs; 400m ascent/375m descent
    Your onward route from Abergavenny is a walk of two halves: the first section is predominantly flat, first crossing the River Usk then picking up the trackbed of the old Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny Railway – a disused line which would once have been very busy serving the local iron industry. A short canalside stretch follows, before you head up into the hills via the attractive parish church of St Elli’s. Enjoy far-reaching views as you traverse the high, rural slopes westwards, eventually descending to re-join the canal and enter Llangattock, a hamlet known for its well-preserved limestone kilns. Your final destination is the delightful market town of Crickhowell, which you reach via an 18th-century stone bridge with a notable 12 arches on one side and 13 on the other! Here you stay at The Bear Hotel, a former coaching inn which has been welcoming guests for over 500 years.
    A tranquil section of canal path © NJ
    Abergavenny to Crickhowell: 17.5km
  • Circular walk from Crickhowell: 7km (4.5 miles), 3hrs; 375m ascent/descent
    Dominating the Crickhowell skyline is Table Mountain, a flat-topped outcrop of red sandstone which rises to 451 metres above sea level. The route to the top is fairly short and not hugely demanding, but the panorama from the peak will certainly take your breath away: the Usk Valley stretches below, the Black Mountains loom close by and – on a clear day – the Brecon Beacons can be admired in the distance.

    You should also have time to explore Crickhowell today. This lovely little town is alive with independent shops and eateries, and has been named both the best place to live in Wales, and one of Britain’s best market towns.
    Table Mountain above Crickhowell © NJ
    Circular walk from Crickhowell: 7km
  • Crickhowell to Brecon: 18.5km (11.5 miles), 6.5hrs; 235m ascent/230m descent
    Today’s route begins with a short transfer west to Llangyndir, where you re-join the canal as it changes level via a flight of five locks. Before too long you leave the towpath and continue uphill on the Usk Valley Walk, a long-distance footpath which – on this particular stretch – climbs to the Talybont Reservoir, affording excellent views of the uppermost reaches of the Brecon Beacons. The next section of the route allows you to delve into Wales’ industrial past as you follow the disused Brinore Tramroad downhill to Talybont-on-Usk; look closely and you can still see the stone-block sleepers that once lay beneath the tracks. From Talybont, you stay beside the canal all the way into Brecon, passing through increasingly dramatic countryside and over the impressive, stone-built Brynich Aqueduct. The canal terminates in Brecon, at the canal basin, from where it’s just a short stroll to the welcoming Mount Street House, or to The Coach House Brecon, should you choose to upgrade to this five-star guesthouse.
    Looking down on Talybont Reservoir © NJ
    Canal bridge crossing at Talybont-on-Usk © NJ
    Arriving at the canal basin in Brecon
    Crickhowell to Brecon: 18.5km
  • Choice of routes from Brecon: both 12.5km (8 miles)

    Pen y Fan: 12.5km (8 miles), 5hrs; 485m ascent/785m descent
    This thrilling ascent of Pen y Fan provides a fitting climax to your discovery of the Brecon Beacons. At 886 metres above sea level, Pen y Fan is the highest point in the Brecon Beacons, as well as in the whole of southern Britain. Your ascent begins at The Storey Arms (reached by bus from Brecon; pay locally) from where you climb steadily to the summit on well-made footpaths. Once you have soaked in the remarkable views from the top – on a clear day, the Bristol Channel, the Gower Peninsular and the Cambrian Mountains are all within sight – you descend directly down Pen y Fan’s north face and into Brecon, perhaps for some well-deserved refreshments!

    Taff Trail: 12.5km (8 miles), 4.5hrs; 75m ascent/380m descent
    A less-challenging option – for when conditions don’t permit you to climb Pen y Fan – is to follow the Taff Trail from The Storey Arms to Brecon. This walking and cycling path traces the valley basin, skirting the base of Pen y Fan as it makes its leisurely way back to Brecon.
    Pen y Fan © NJ
    Pen y Fan: 12.5km
    Taff Trail: 12.5km

Accommodation

Each of our hand-picked hotels and guesthouses is located in the centre of their respective market towns.

In some places, we work with more than one hotel, as shown below. All are hand-picked by us and, unless there is a price implication (in which case we will contact you to discuss your options), we will tell you which one we have booked for you on your booking confirmation.

To make your holiday all the more special, we offer an upgrade option in Brecon.

Whichever hotels you stay at, they all make good choices for extra nights. Cultured Brecon is a town that merits more time to explore. If you are looking for further walking, Abergavenny is the best option, as we provide notes for an additional walk, although you could use your map to devise your own route from Crickhowell or Brecon, too. 
Prices & travel options
All prices are in £ sterling (GBP). If you'd like to see what they equate to in your currency, use the converter. For general information on pricing, see the 'your holiday price explained' page.
Currency converter

We can only accept payment in GBP, but you can use this converter to find out how much the holiday equates to in your own currency.

Please enter an amount Please enter a valid amount British Pound Sterling (GBP)
Currency is required
NB: this should be used as a guide only. Fluctuations in exchange rates could result in significant variation by the time you come to pay.

  • 6 nights: 01 March 2026 - 31 October 2026

    Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price *
    1 - 30 Apr 2026 from £1186
    1 - 31 May 2026 from £1236
    1 - 30 Jun 2026 from £1236
    1 - 31 Jul 2026 from £1236
    1 - 31 Aug 2026 from £1236
    1 - 30 Sep 2026 from £1236
    1 - 25 Oct 2026 from £1186

    * Final price is subject to change due to the customisable nature of our holidays and is dependent on accommodation availability for the dates selected. We will contact you to confirm the final price. Single supplements are applicable on many of our holidays. Please contact us for full details.

    Includes accommodation, meals and services integral to the holiday as described, plus walking notes and maps, and any connecting travel detailed below.

    Please note: dogs are not permitted on Inntravel holidays

  • Prices below are based on 2 people travelling together. If you are travelling solo or as a party of 3 or more and our arrangements include a taxi, please contact us for prices; additional passengers often pay less.

    Where a price range is given, the price you pay depends on your date of travel.

    Connecting travel options - via Abergavenny station

    Outward route Price per person Latest
    arrival time
    taxi Abergavenny station to hotel (0h05) TBA flexible
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest
    departure time
    taxi hotel to Abergavenny station (1h) TBA flexible
A Brecon Beacons Walk with Pen y Fan
6 nights
Price from £1,186pp
A Brecon Beacons Walk with Pen y Fan
6 nights
Hotel-to-hotel walking
Grade: Moderate
Price from £1,186pp
Last fetch time is : 2/13/2026 4:53:16 PM

currency iplookup:

cookie value: null

querystring value: null