Crickhowell: Hiking, History and Landscapes in Bannau Brycheiniog

Crickhowell combines the landscape of Bannau Brycheiniog National Park with a remarkable wealth of history and active experiences. Anyone wishing to plan a trip involving hiking, culture and a strong regional character will find various opportunities here for diverse days out. When choosing your holiday accommodation, you can therefore consider whether you mainly want to explore the paths around Crickhowell, visit historic places or combine excursions by bus and train.

Hiking between Table Mountain and the Canal

Crickhowell is a good starting point for a variety of hiking plans. Hikes from Crickhowell can reach Table Mountain; other routes lead to the Brecon and Monmouth Canal. Crickhowell’s Walkers are Welcome team has compiled hikes in brochures, with difficulty levels ranging from easy and moderate to challenging and very challenging. This range helps you adapt each day to the desired route and your own pace, without having to plan every excursion in the same way.

A special date for hiking enthusiasts is CRiC’s annual walking festival, which takes place in early March. CRiC also sells maps, guidebooks and publications. In 2015, two information boards for walkers were installed: one in Bullpit Meadow beside the River Usk and one in front of the CRiC building. Anyone looking for accommodation for an active stay can therefore view Crickhowell as a destination for a trip planned around several different days of hiking.

Historic Places with Their Own Character

Tretower Court and Castle lies five kilometres north-west of Crickhowell. In the vicinity of Crickhowell, this historic site includes a castle, a court, a large barn and a reconstructed medieval garden. This allows you to add a cultural and historical visit to your stay without focusing the trip exclusively on nature experiences.

Crickhowell itself also offers points of interest for a historical discovery. The original Norman motte and bailey was fortified with stone in the late 13th to early 14th century. By the 15th century, Crickhowell Castle was no longer in use and was subsequently quarried for stone. Traces of a shell keep were identified at the summit of the oval motte. Crickhowell Bridge was rebuilt in 1706.

St Edmund’s Church was founded in 1303. It contains monuments to Lady Sybil and her husband Sir Grimbald and is the only church in Wales dedicated to Saint Edmund. For your travel planning, this means that a stay in Crickhowell can combine nature, local history and ecclesiastical architecture, with each perspective offering its own reason to visit.

Cycling, Canoeing and Regional Products

Cycling is a popular activity in and around Crickhowell. Canoe trips can also be booked and enjoyed locally in Crickhowell. This creates various opportunities for a trip with changing pace: a day on the bike, a hike to a scenic destination or a trip on the water. Families and other travel groups can divide their days according to different interests without committing to just one type of holiday.

Local shops on Crickhowell High Street sell produce and products from the region. This is a tangible part of the town’s character and an opportunity to discover regional specialities while strolling along the High Street. Anyone who values a location with nature, history and shopping opportunities for regional products when choosing holiday accommodation can consider Crickhowell a versatile base.

Getting There and Further Destinations

The nearest railway station with long-distance connections to Crickhowell is Abergavenny. The journey by car or taxi takes around 20 minutes. Buses run regularly between Abergavenny, Crickhowell and Brecon. These connections may play a role when choosing accommodation if you do not want to plan individual excursions exclusively by car.

For your further travel planning, you can also discover Brecon, Llandysilio, Church Stoke, Pencelli, Ystradfellte, Llangurig, Llanwern and Colva. Crickhowell is particularly suitable for anyone wishing to combine hiking trails, historic sites, cycling, canoe trips and regional impressions in one trip.

For the higher-level travel overview: Powys.