Brecon Beacons National Park

Brecon Beacons is one of the jewels of Wales, located about 55 km to the north of Cardiff at the terminus of the River Taff Trail. It’s a prime location for hiking, cycling, and other styles of exploring, but runners will find plenty of trails to keep themselves occupied here. There are four distinct areas of this large park — Mynydd Du, Fforest Fawr, Brecon Beacons, and the Black Mountains — and each offers a distinct landscape with a variety of trails. Entire books have been written about the diversity of trail runs here, but some of the popular favorites include challenging routes like the Waun Fach Horseshoe and the Offa’s Dyke Path, or easygoing options like the Taff Trail and Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal.

There are some wooded paths, but most of the running is along open, rolling hills and wild moorelands. It’s pretty when it’s sunny, but also a unique experience on a bleak Welsh day.  To plan your route, we suggest consulting the park map, or this park website, which lists all sorts of walking options that can also be good for running.