Hike and Bike the Beautiful Brecon Beacons

Perhaps best known as the training location for Britain's legendary SAS special forces regiment, the Brecon Beacons have a reputation for being barren, wild and rugged. All of those adjectives are appropriate, but they only tell half the story - the Brecon Beacons are also beautiful and full of superb trails for both bikers and hikers.

For the hikers out there we've picked our favourite trio of Brecon Beacons treks, starting with the "Central Peaks of the Brecon Beacons" route, which offers several options for climbing southern Britain's highest peak (Pen Y Fan). An equally challenging route in here is the "11 High Points in Brecon Beacons" line, which is a linear hike over and through some of the best - and best-known - parts of the Beacons. Both of those hikes should ideally be done in good weather, but rain and wind are no strangers to the Brecon Beacons, so we've also included "Brecon to Llanfrynach", a cruisy little hike which can be completed in any weather.

There's also an excellent bad weather option in amongst the 4 bike routes in here - the "Talybont on Usk Tramroad" trip can be done regardless of the conditions and is atmospheric and enjoyable on even the dampest of days. The nearby journey through the Aber forest is only slightly tougher and also makes for a good option on a bad day.

The remaining 2 bike routes in here are both truly epic, starting with "Mind the Gap" - a route which is challenging, scenic and fun in equal measure. Equally good and perhaps even wilder is the "Talybont and Pontsticill Reservoir Route", which is utterly brilliant and should really be much better known.

So whilst the Brecon Beacons are ideal for pushing soldiers to their limits, they're also perfect for a week of fun, fresh air and trails!