The Brecon Beacons is a mountain range that takes in South Wales's highest mountain, Pen y Fan, along with its twin summit Corn Du, and Craig Gwaun Taf, the three highest peaks in the range. The Beacons have given their name to the larger Brecon Beacons National Park, which could be seen as mildly confusing.

The Brecon Beacons National Park was established in 1957, the UK's 10th National Park, and the third of the three Welsh parks after Snowdonia in 1951 and the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park in 1952.

The Brecon Beacons National Park covers an area of 519 square miles; the mountain range itself comprises six main peaks, which - going from west to east - are: Corn Du (2,864 ft); Pen y Fan, the highest peak (2,907 ft); Cribyn, 2,608 ft; Fan y Bîg (2,359 ft); Bwlch y Ddwyallt 2,474 ft; and Waun Rydd, 2,523 ft.

You'll find a splendid and diverse wildlife in the National Park. It's one of the last outposts for Welsh mountain ponies, which live wild across the most remote uplands. The heathlands are Britain's most southerly home for red grouse. And Britain's largest breeding population of lesser horseshoe bats can be found in the Usk Valley.

For those interested in archeology, the park is covered with hundreds of ancient monuments, prehistoric and Roman sites including stone circles, burial chambers, hillforts and camps.