Romantic things to do in the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons)

Stand on the roof of southern Britain, hand in hand, and you’ll feel on top of the world. There are several routes to the marker at the top of Pen y Fan, 886m up. The best known path is so gentle that anyone can mooch along it, but there’s also a horseshoe ridge walk via two other nearby peaks and steep tracks to really get your hearts racing.

Read more: Four walking routes to the top of Pen y Fan

Seen from a distance, Carreg Cennen has a stunning silhouette, perched high on a crag in the rolling Carmarthenshire countryside. Many an artist has sketched, painted or photographed it – not least JMW Turner, whose watercolours now reside in Tate Britain. Climb up to the ancient castle walls and you’re sure to feel inspired.

Peaceful and rural, with a flavour of times gone by, the Mon & Brec is a wildlife haven that’s often voted Britain’s prettiest canal. It’s easy to hire a narrowboat or small motorboat and there are even electric boats, for quiet, eco-friendly cruising. Alternatively, settle back while someone else mans the tiller on a relaxing cruise from Brecon Basin to Brynich Lock.

Read more: An idyllic escape on the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal

After a morning exploring, a decent pub lunch should set you up for the afternoon. The Royal Oak in Pencelli is a family-run, cosy country pub, with gardens backing onto the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal. You can expect a warm welcome, locally sourced home-cooked food and a toasty log burner roaring away on cold days. Or there's the Felin Fach Griffin, an elegant country gastropub near Aberhonddu (Brecon) has been showered with awards, including featuring in Britain's 100 Best Pubs by The Good Food Guide. Sunday lunch is a real occasion, with live music once a month.

Llangorse is the largest natural lake in the southern half of Cymru, with grassy banks, dreamy views and a poignant sense of history. Its crannog, a small island near the water’s edge, was once the site of a 10th century palace. The Crannog Centre explains how it was built and who lived there, and reveals some of its legends.

The 470-million-year-old landscape of the Fforest Fawr Geopark covers half of the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park. Get outside and explore the tranquil woodlands, magical waterfalls, deep caves, rambling country parks and ancient hillforts of our beautiful land. 

Read more: Things to do in Wales’ UNESCO Global Geoparks

If the thought of a brightly polished steam locomotive chuffing through the Welsh countryside warms your heart, jump aboard the Brecon Mountain Railway. It runs from Pant near Merthyr Tudful to Torpantau, high in the Bannau Brycheiniog, with panoramic views of the peaks and the Pontsticill Reservoir on the way.

For character and nostalgia, this quirky market town is pretty hard to beat. Browse the poetry shelves of Hay’s many bookshops for a special way to say 'I love you', dip into homeware boutiques for craft items and vintage finds to line your nest, then gaze lovingly at each other over locally made ice cream or cake in a cute little café.

Read more: An insider’s guide to Y Gelli Gandryll (Hay-on-Wye)

Y Fenni is gourmet central. Cwtch Café near the Market Hall couldn’t be cosier for morning coffee or lunch – cwtch or cwtsh is the Welsh for a snug or a cuddle – and The Angel Hotel will serve you and your loved one a heavenly afternoon tea. 

Read more: Things to do in and around Abergavenny

There are billions of reasons to hope for clear skies during your time in the Bannau Brycheiniog, and they’re all twinkling overhead. In 2013, the National Park became the first place in Cymru – and only the fifth in the world – to be granted special protection as a Dark Sky Reserve. The views of the stars are superb. Don’t forget to make a wish.