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About
The Beacons Way is an iconic long distance walk that offers some of the best views the National Park has to offer. If you want to complete the whole 163km (101 mile) walk it takes eight days and is a challenging route that includes uphill climbs and undulating ridges give spectacular views of the National Park.
Walking east to west across the National Park,the starting point for the first section is Abergavenny - Llanthony Prior which is a distance of 13.5 miles (22 km). Difficulty rating is hard and the trail shoud take around 6 hours to complete this section.
NAVIGATIONAL SKILLS AND THE ABILITY TO READ A MAP AND USE A COMPASS ARE ESSENTIAL
Some days are more challenging than others but should be within the reaches of a fit and competent hill walker. The route often goes off the beaten track into countryside and landscapes not usually explored by the average walker. The route has limited waymarking, especially on open hill and moorland sections, meaning navigation skills will be required, but the rewards are great – new vistas and new experiences.
The route is waymarked where it crosses farmland, but there is no waymarking on open hills and moorland. Walkers will need the Brecon Beacons National Park 1:25.000 Ordnance Survey maps OL12 & OL13 to see the trail in its full context. Without these maps, in bad weather or emergencies, it will be impossible to devise escape routes. No person inexperienced in hill walking should attempt this trail without an experienced guide.
Day lengths vary from 16 to 23.5km (10 to 14.5 miles), often with significant height gain, so be prepared for a challenging route needing fitness and careful planning. This is particularly true in the west where accommodation is much scarcer and the use of taxis or public transport may be needed.
Unless you are a very experienced winter hill-walker, you should plan your walk during the summer when more daylight is available and weather conditions more forgiving. The timings for each day have been calculated based on an average walking speed of 4.5km per hour.