No matter what time of year you're planning to visit Wales or where you're planning to go, it's always a good idea to have some alternative activities up your sleeve in case the weather turns.
The Bannau Brycheiniog National Park (also known as the Brecon Beacons in English) might not be the most obvious rainy day destination, but there are plenty of indoor activities waiting to be discovered. You just need to know where to look.
As a Welshman myself, I've spent plenty of beautiful and not-so-beautiful days exploring Wales. In this guide, I've curated a list of my favourite things to do in the Brecon Beacons in the rain, so you can enjoy your trip whatever the weather.
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Top Things To Do in the Rain
1. Visit the Royal Welsh Regimental Museum
The Royal Welsh Regimental Museum in Brecon tells the story of some of the British Army regiments based in Wales, now known as the Royal Welsh. I found it to be very similar to the Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum at Caernarfon Castle, so if you enjoyed that, this will be right up your street.
The museum contains a collection of over 30,000 items which tell the history of the regiment including uniforms, guns, letters from soldiers to their families, and medals.
It seems strange to say I enjoyed a museum about war, but learning about Wales' role in significant events such as the First and Second World Wars and the Anglo-Zulu War was very interesting.
I thought the miniature models were a nice added touch as they brought some of the most important battles to life.
The museum is typically open 9am-5pm on weekdays although it's manned by volunteers so this can vary. It's best to check ahead. Entry is £5 for adults and £2 for children, there is also a discount for veterans.
2. Meet the animals at Cantref Adventure Farm
Cantref Adventure Farm is a family-friendly attraction full of activities, play areas, and animal experiences in the heart of the Brecon Beacons, less than 10 minutes south of Brecon itself.
The farm is very well equipped for rainy days with a large heated indoor soft play area, a separate toddler play area, two role-play rooms where the kids can take part in imaginative games, a pedal tractor area, and ball cannons where family feuds can be played out by firing balls at each other.
For those that want to get up and close to animals, there’s a pet barn (where you can pet rabbits, guinea pigs and other small animals) as well as the big animal barn. There are also seasonal shows at their theatre venue such as lamb feeding and kid goat shows.
3. Go climbing at Llangorse Multi-Activity Centre
Llangorse Multi-Activity Centre is the best place in the Brecon Beacons National Park to practice climbing with Wales’ only indoor limestone climbing walls in Wales, 15m high artificial climbing walls, large bouldering areas, and a dragon and dinosaur you can climb.
The climbing is suitable for all abilities from newbies (like myself) up to more experienced climbers.
You’ll be given an instructor who can tailor the experience to your group so I recommend booking in advance (by calling them) to ensure there is availability.
Other indoor activities here include a high-level adventure rope course and an indoor zip line. If the weather clears up, this is also a great place to try your hand at horse riding with lessons or riding experiences.
4. Visit the museum at Cyfarthfa Castle
Just south of the Brecon Beacons, in the small town of Merthyr Tydfil, you’ll find Cyfarthfa Castle.
This was never a defensive castle like most others across Wales, it was a family home built by the Crawshay family who earned their wealth from the Cyfarthfa Ironworks.
Today, the castle is owned by the local council and houses a museum and art gallery. At the museum, you can learn about Metrhyr’s history from the Roman conquest to thriving times during the Industrial Revolution.
The art gallery features an extensive fine art collection as well as decorative art including porcelain from local factories that are now worth a small fortune.
Some of the famous artists to have pieces at the gallery include Merthyr local Penry Williams, who has often been called ‘the Welsh Turner’, and the landscape and portrait artist George Frederick Harris, who spent most of his life in the area.
5. Learn about the history of Breckonshire at the Brecknock Museum
The Brecknock Museum and Art Gallery is one of the highlights of Brecon, the largest town in the national park. It’s housed in Y Gaer, a cultural hub which was once the shire hall for Breconshire.
Inside the museum, you’ll find a variety of collections that tell the story of the historic county of Breconshire which now mostly falls under the modern-day county of Powys.
You’ll find an archaeological collection from the area and information about its natural history, right to industrial items and memorabilia from the past 150 years.
There’s also a recreation of a Victorian courtroom and classroom as it would have looked in the area at this time.
In addition to the museum, there are several art galleries containing a mix of contemporary art and craft items which are well worth some of your time. I spent over an hour and a half exploring the enormous (and free!) museum.
Brecon is a great place to spend time when it's raining outside as there are plenty of other indoor attractions such as Brecon Cathedral, several galleries, and lots of places to try some Welsh food and drink.
6. Go underground at the National Showcaves for Wales
If the rain is preventing you from enjoying the beautiful scenery outdoors, then why not head underground to explore some of nature's underground wonders?
At the southwest end of the Brecon Beacons, you’ll find the National Showcaves Centre for Wales where you can enjoy three unique caves on an underground adventure:
- Dan-yr-Ogof - The most well-known cave is Dan yr Ogof which contains an underground river and many interesting formations, such as the heavenly Angel and the Allibaster Pillar.
ㅤ - The Bone Cave - In the cave which dates back to the bronze age, the remains of more than 42 human skeletons were found next to fine bronze-age jewellery and Roman pottery.
ㅤ - The Cathedral Cave – This unique cave is millions of years old and contains thousands of stalactites and waterfalls as high as 40ft that plunge into underground lakes. It's so beautiful that it has been nicknamed ‘Dome of St. Paul's’.
7. Explore the bookshops in Hay-on-Wye
Hay-on-Wye is a small market town in the Brecon Beacons that has earned itself the nickname as the 'the town of books' due to an unusually high number of bookshops for a small town.
The number is always changing with new ones opening and others closing. On my last visit, I counted 14 different bookshops selling new, second-hand and antique books.
Even if you're not a huge literature lover, you can still enjoy spending a day exploring the bookshops which are all unique. Some are decorated according to the genre of books whereas others have that old-timey bookshop feel.
Aside from the bookshops, another indoor activity in Hay is Hay Castle which dates back to the medieval period. Inside, there's a cafe and shop on the ground floor and an exhibition upstairs for a small admission fee.
I recommend taking the guided tour of the castle where a local volunteer will go into detail about the history of the castle and the town. He doesn't hold back on the information so only do this if y ou're a real history buff like me.
8. Learn how whiskey is made at Penderyn Distillery
You don’t need me to tell you that drinking is a great rainy-day activity and with plenty of cosy warm pubs in the Brecon Beacons, you’ll be spoilt for choice. However, one thing you may not have considered is visiting a local distillery and seeing exactly where your tipple of choice is being made.
Penderyn is the best-known Welsh whiskey brand, making a range of award-winning malt whiskies and spirits right here in the Brecon Beacons.
You can visit Penderyn distillery, near the small village of the same name, and take an hour-long guided tour where you’ll see everything from their mill and mash tun to their pot stills. Of course, no distillery tour would be complete without sampling the product for yourself in their tasting bar at the end.
I recommend booking online ahead of your trip because you’ll get the discounted online price and guarantee a spot.
9. Ride the Brecon Mountain Railway
What if I told you it was still possible to enjoy the scenic Welsh countryside on a rainy day without getting wet? Well, that’s not far from the truth thanks to the Brecon Mountain Railway.
The route begins in Pant before travelling alongside the Taf Fechan Reservoir and up to Torpantau where you’ll get stunning views across the national park from the comfort of their all-weather carriages led by a vintage Steam Locomotive.
On the return journey, the train stops in Pontsticill where you can have a drink and snack at the Café or venture out for a walk if the rain allows.
The trip lasts approximately 1.5 hours including the journey there, a 25-minute stop at Pontsticill station and Reservoir, and the return journey.
There are also tearooms at Pant Station where your journey will begin. This is a seasonal activity which only runs in peak season so check their website for booking details.
10. Explore an old mine at the Big Pit National Coal Museum
An area known as the Welsh Valleys, just south of the Brecon Beacons, was once a thriving coal-mining community throughout the Industrial Revolution. You can still learn about the area’s rich heritage at the Big Pit National Coal Museum.
Based in a former coal mine in Blaenavon that used to employ up to 1,300 local people, the museum allows you to explore interactive exhibits that help you learn exactly what life would have been like in the mines during their heyday.
There’s also an underground tour where you’ll be led by a real miner 300ft below the surface into the tunnels that would have once been bustling with workers.
The attraction is mostly indoors or underground so it's a great activity for a rainy day.
Both the museum and underground tour are free. However, if you want to book a dedicated time slot for the tour to avoid queining, there's a £5 reservation fee per person.
11. Catch a show at Theatr Brycheiniog
Theatr Brycheiniog is the biggest theatre and arts centre in the national park. It sits alongside the canal basin in Brecon and is easily walkable from the town centre.
Most of the events here are evening entertainment t such as comedy shows, live music gigs, dance performances, and film screenings. However, you may find some daytime events here such as workshops, classes, and speakers.
There's something for everyone with events happening year-round so check their upcoming listings to see what's on.
Even if you're not watching a show, you can still visit the Andrew Lamont Gallery which is also inside the building. There's a constantly changing exhibition of local and international artists and a cafe/restaurant where you can enjoy some lunch.
12. Visit Abergavenny Castle and Museum
On the outskirts of Abergavenny, you'll find the medieval Abergavenny Castle. Although the castle ruins are outdoors, there is a huge museum within the castle grounds which is entirely indoors.
The museum has exhibits related to Abergavenny's history, culture, and heritage, with some exhibits dating back to prehistoric times such as tools used by those living in the area.
Other exhibits at the museum include a reconstruction of an air raid shelter, a typical saddlers shop (what Abergavenny was known for in the 19th century), and an example of a Welsh kitchen from Victorian times.
Of course, you can also learn about the castle at the museum and if the rain lets up, you can have wander around the ruins. Both the castle and the museum are free but keep in mind that the museum is closed on Wednesdays.
13. Cruise along the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal
You can get a different perspective of the Brecon Beacons by experiencing it from the waterway on a trip down the Brecon and Monmouth Canal.
The canal runs the length of the national park from Brecon to Abergavenny and continues down through South Wales to Pontypool. It was originally built to transport coal and iron but today it's a tourist attraction.
The easiest way to enjoy the canal is onboard the public boat with Dragonfly Cruises which runs daily between March and October. The boat is covered so you won't get wet in the rain.
If you want to get behind the ‘wheel’ for yourself, you can hire a private boat from Brecon Park Boats. You can take a day trip onboard one of their small electric self-drive vessels, or live on the waterway for up to a week by hiring a luxury 5-star narrowboat.
14. Uncover the past at Blaenavon World Heritage Centre
The iron-ore and coal-rich hills of Blaenavon, just south of the Brecon Beacons, helped fuel the Industrial Revolution and have earned the landscape a spot as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The town is home to the newly opened Blaenavon World Heritage Centre with interactive displays, exhibits, and videos that help you learn about the role of Blaenavon in iron and coal production.
Also nearby is the Big Pit National Coal Museum (mentioned earlier) and the old Balenavon Ironworks where you can see the old furnaces and go inside the workers’ cottages. However, keep in mind that the ironworks might not be great if it's raining too heavily since it's largely outdoors.
15. Explore Waterfall Country
Henrhyd Falls (during summer)
The Four Falls Trail
An area to the southwest of the park is known as Waterfall Country because it's home to a staggering number of waterfalls for a small area.
These waterfalls are even more impressive after heavy rainfall which is why visiting them is one of my top recommended winter activities in Wales.
While the rainfall makes for some staggering waterfalls, keep in mind that many are reached along woodland trails so they can be more dangerous when it's slippery. Walking boots are essential if you're attempting this after (or during) rainfall.
There are countless great waterfalls to choose from but a few I recommend are:
Four Falls Trail - This is the most popular waterfall walk with four unique waterfalls linked by a family-friendly path. The path is well-trodden and there are plenty of handrails if it gets slippy. The most stunning of these is the fourth waterfall Sgwd-yr-Eira where it's possible to walk behind the thunderous wall of water to take stunning photographs.
Henrhyd Falls - This waterfall is famous for featuring in the Batman movies as the entrance to the Batcave in the Dark Knight Rises. It takes just 30 minutes to visit (round-trip).
16. Go canyoning
If you’re going to get wet anyway, does it really matter if there's a bit of rain too? That's why canyoning can be a good activity even when there's some drizzle outside.
Canyoning involves making your way up or down a river gorge by climbing, abseiling, and swimming. Those brave enough might even try jumping.
You'll need to book a dedicated tour as this isn't something you can do by yourself.
I recommend using Adventures Wales. They’ll provide all of the safety equipment and a fully experienced guide who will ensure you have a safe and fun time.
If you fancy something a little easier, the same company also offers Gorge Scrambling which takes a much easier pace and doesn’t require all the harnesses and safety equipment as canyoning.
Where To Stay
Most of the main things to do in the Brecon Beacons (whether it's raining or not) can be found along the central and eastern half of the park so staying around these areas will minimise your driving time and maximise exploring time.
I recommend staying near Brecon (top pick), Hay-on-Wye, or Crickhowell.
When the weather is bad, there's nothing better than snuggling up in a cosy holiday cottage (ideally with a hot tub!). I tend to use Holiday Cottages when staying in Wales as they have the most choice.
You can also try Booking.com who have lots of self-catered accommodation these days.
If you’d rather a hotel, the two main options in Brecon are The Castle of Brecon Hotel and The Coach House.
The Castle of Brecon Hotel is quite literally in the same grounds as the ruins of Brecon Castle. It’s the ‘oldest Hotel in Wales’ and is relatively affordable.
The Coach House is a bit more luxurious. It’s a former coaching inn that’s been converted into a stylish boutique B&B, just a few minutes walk from the town centre. Expect a warm and welcoming atmosphere although note that it’s adults-only.
Also Read: Where To Stay in the Brecon Beacons?
Published: 16 November 2022 · Last updated: 16 January 2024