The Beacons Way : Accommodation in hostels and bunkhouses

Hostels and Bunkhouses providing accommodation on the Beacons Way.

The Beacons Way long distance path cover 95 miles over the wildest areas of the Brecon Beacons. A truly glorious walk for those who are sure of their navigation skills. The path passes through the Black Mountains and east of the Brecon Beacons National Park onto the wild western Beacons where you walk under wide skies with no sign of humans and no roads. The route is waymarked where it crosses farmland, but there is no waymarking on open hills and moorland.

In the official guide, the Beacons Way is split into 8 stages, each a day’s walk.  Walking from East to West you will arrive on the first night at Llanthony Priory.

First stage of the Beacons Way

Walking from East to West the start of the Beacons Way is at Abergavenny Train station.  A good base for the night before the walk begins is MIDDLE NINFA BUNKHOUSE, a 6-bed bunkhouse with camping 2 miles from Abergavenny.

The first days walk will bring you to Llanthony Prior  the location of THE WAIN HOUSE bunkhouse.  A comfortable self catering bunkhouse within walking distance of two pubs. It sleeps up to 16 and is available for group bookings only.

Second stage of the Beacons Way

The second stage of the walk completes at Crickhowell.  The stagecoach Bus X43 runs every couple of hours from Crickhowell to All Saints, just a five-minute walk from The Star Bunkhouse.  This makes The Star an ideal base for nights 2 and 3 of the walk and gives you a luxury rucksack-free day on the third day of the walk.

Third stage of the Beacons Way

The STAR BUNKHOUSE at Bwlch is situated right on the Beacons Way long-distance footpath in the gap between the Black Mountains and the Central Beacons mountain range. The route passes right by the bunkhouse on day three, making it an ideal overnight stop.  The bunkhouse welcomes individuals, couples, and groups and makes a great place to meet and swap stories with fellow travelers.

Fourth stage of the Beacons Way

The fourth stage is the most challenging with steep climbs from Blaen y glyn to Craig y Fan Ddu. You may have to stop for a break but the views are reward enough for the effort. Another tough climb is Pen y Fan, at 886m it’s the highest peak in southern Britain.

The fifth section of the Beacons Way

The fifth section of the walk completes at Craig Y Nos Country Park. The country park was once the gardens of CRAIG Y NOS CASTLE, an unusual building with a fascinating history. Unknown to many the castle has its own bunkhouse, providing accommodation in twin rooms with fully made-up beds for up to 21 people. The bunkhouse can be hired for sole use by walking groups or a room at a time by individuals. It has some basic self-catering facilities and the restaurant in the Castle provides lovely meals. Guests of the bunkhouse are welcome to spend their evening in the Castle Bar which has a huge log burner and stunning views over the river.

The sixth section of the Beacons Way

Coming to the end of the sixth day at Llanddeusant,  The Old Red Lion provides ideal accommodation.

The seventh section of the Beacons Way

Have your maps and compasses ready for day seven as most of the route is unmarked. Open moorland awaits so the amount of climbing you’ll have to do is reduced, good news for tired legs. There is plenty of history to keep a look out for. Two Bronze Age cairns are on the route as well as Carreg Cennen Castle. Bird watchers should be looking up to the sky as red kites are abundant in this area.

The eighth section of the Beacons Way

The last days walk ends at Llangadog railway station with connections via rail to the start point of the walk at Abergavenny.

Find the details of the route on the LDWA website and view the location of all the bunkhouse and hostel accommodation in the Brecon Beacons.