A Mini Welsh Adventure
While back in London, we’re always looking for new achievable adventures the we can fit into the weekend. While we love the buzz of the city, we think most of you would agree that after a week of commuting and long hours in the office, there’s something pretty special about that moment you take in a deep breath of fresh air as you look out over fields as far as the eye can see, surrounded by the blissful sound of birdsong. The biggest problem is usually how long it takes to get to these remote parts of the country.
Looking for inspiration we decided to Google the closest mountain to London which turned out to be Pen-Y-Fan in the Brecon Beacons. After a bit of research on Instagram, scrolling through epic shots of mountains, lakes and wild horses we quickly decided that this would be our next mini adventure destination. The greatest discovery however was finding out that it was under 3 hours from London! Who knew?!
An Early Start
Most of us like the thought of getting out of London the minute the clock strikes 5pm on a Friday, unfortunately however, everyone has the same idea and you’ll most likely start your weekend sat in hours of traffic as you slowly crawl out of London, tensions running high as everyone in the car starts to get irritable.
Unless you can beat the crowds and leave at lunchtime, next time we suggest you hold off until the next morning. This way you can enjoy a (guilt-free) night in watching your favourite Netflix series with a takeaway, leaving you revived and ready to leave at 6.30am the next morning. What’s more - this cuts your costs in half as you only have to pay for one nights accommodation.
Setting off bright and early from South West London we stopped for breakfast on the road - there’s something about an early morning breakfast on the road that makes us feel like we’re going on an adventure! With this, a fuel stop and a quick caffeine pick-me-up, we still made it to our evenings accommodations for 9.40am - we’d usually only just be getting up at this time on a Saturday!
Greeted by the friendly host Fiona, we were treated to tea by the fire before gearing up to scale a mountain.
Pen-Y-Fan
Being the highest and most famous mountain in the Brecon Beacons means Pen-Y-Fan can sometimes be quite crowded - exactly what you don’t want on your escape from London. We were tipped to go up the quiet route which starts from Cwm Gwdi car park. On the walk up we only passed two other groups of walkers and were soon all alone in the midst of the Welsh mountains and it was only just midday. The views from here can only be described as epic, giving you that amazing sense of insignificance as you look out over the vast landscape.
We loved this route up Pen-Y-Fan but another hike suggestion we received from @xxx was to go to Llyn Y Fan Fach on the Western edge of the Brecon Beacons. With precipitous cliffs and mountain lakes, this area is a little further to drive but absolutely stunning and pretty much deserted.
Where To Eat
Close by to Pen Y Fan, Brecon is a great place to stop for supplies before heading off on your hike. We grabbed a couple of sandwiches from the local supermarket and ate lunch at the top of the mountain, but there are also many cafes where you can stop for a quick bite if you fancy something more substantial.
After a good day of exercise in the Great British countryside the only answer is a some hearty pub grub and a glass of Red Wine. We went to The 3 Horseshoes in Groessford and the food was simply delicious. The pub itself wasn’t anything special and so we were pleasantly surprised when our lamb cooked two-ways came out. Perfectly pink and beautifully presented, the gourmet food almost didn’t fit with its surroundings - not that we’re complaining. The amuse-bouche of marmite butter is also not to be sniffed at!
Other pub suggestions in the area include:
The White Swan in Llanfrynach
Griffin in Felinfach
A Lazy Drive Home
To finish off our short break away we decided to take the long, scenic route home. First stop was a short walk in the woods, followed by a drive along Gospel Pass where we stopped again to enjoy the views and see the wild horses. Gospel pass is the highest road pass in Wales squeezing between the mountains of Twmpa and Hay Bluff and offers amazing panoramic views for miles around. It’s a must if you are visiting the area. As we were heading to Oxford, we took the opportunity to explore bits of the Wye Valley en route home - another location we have now added to our mini adventures from London!
Tips for executing the perfect mini adventure to Wales
Avoid the Friday madness and leave early Saturday instead.
Don’t try and fit too much in.
Enjoy all of your weekend - don’t think your weekend is over by the time Sunday lunchtime arrives and don’t sacrifice Friday night.
Find a way to make the journey itself more interesting - stop along the way.