Itinerary Planner

Romantic Weekend in Mid Wales | Two Nights for Two in Bannau Brycheiniog

A two-night break for couples in the north of Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) and the Wye valley, with one night in a country house hotel and one in an old coaching inn. There's time for bookshops, a lakeside walk, a medieval manor house and two good dinners. It works at any time of year; in winter, you'll get the log fires.

Day one: Hay-on-Wye and Llangoed Hall

Spend the afternoon in Hay-on-Wye, the town of books on the border, with more than 20 second-hand and specialist bookshops, plus independent cafes and antique shops. Hay Castle, reopened after restoration, has exhibitions and a rooftop viewpoint. Then drive ten minutes south-west to Llangoed Hall near Llyswen, an Edwardian country house hotel in the Wye valley, remodelled by Clough Williams-Ellis. Dinner in the hotel's restaurant uses produce from its own kitchen garden.

Day two: Llangorse Lake and Tretower

After breakfast, drive south to Llangorse Lake, the largest natural lake in south Wales, and walk along the common by the water. There's a reconstructed crannog, an Iron Age-style island dwelling, on the north shore. In the afternoon, visit Tretower Court and Castle near Crickhowell, a medieval manor house run by Cadw, with a 15th-century garden and a round tower beside it.

Spend the second night at The Bear in Crickhowell, a 15th-century coaching inn on the main street, with open fires, beamed bars and a restaurant.

Day three: Crickhowell

Crickhowell has independent shops, a long stone bridge over the Usk and the flat-topped Table Mountain behind the town. Walk up for the view before heading home; it takes about two hours there and back from the town. For something gentler, take a riverside stroll along the Usk, or browse the shops and delis on the high street for something to take home.

Good to know

• Book both hotels and dinner in advance, especially on weekends and during the Hay Festival in late May.
• More ideas on our romantic breaks page.