The Brecon Beacons

The Brecon Beacons is a mountain range in South Wales. A range of old red sandstone, which lies to the south of Brecon. They include South Wales highest peak, Pen Y Fan.

 

The Brecon Beacons range, consist of six main peaks, from the East to West, these are: Corn Du (2864 feet), Pen Y Fan, the highest peak (2907 feet), Crybyn (2608 feet), Fan Y Big (2359 feet), Bwlch Y Ddwyallt (2474 feet), and Waun Rydd (2523 feet).

 

The Beacons are reputed to be named after the ancient practise of lighting signal fires (Beacons) on mountains to warn of attacks by invaders.

 

Inhabited during Neolithic times and after the Bronze Age, there are numerous burial cairns scattered across the hills.

 

Roman times show evidence of numerous hill forts from Y Garn Goch near Bethlehem, and Y Gaer Fawr, and Y Gaer Fach, and Y Gaer near the town of Brecon.