Camping in Penycae

Penycae's setting on the southern edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park, hard against the limestone country around Dan-yr-Ogof, makes it a natural base for a camping trip, and there are established touring parks in the immediate area that make the most of the riverside and valley scenery along the Tawe. As throughout Wales, wild camping without the landowner's express permission is not legally permitted, even on the open, apparently empty moorland above the village, so pitching up on a licensed site or arranging permission directly with a farmer or landowner is the way to camp here properly.

The terrain around Penycae is a mix of gentle valley floor along the A4067 and the Tawe, and steep, exposed limestone hill country rising quickly to the north and east toward the main Beacons range. Conditions on the higher ground can change fast, and the limestone landscape here is riddled with sinkholes and cave entrances, so campers heading up onto the open hill for wilder pitches should have proper navigation skills and be realistic about what the weather is doing. Established sites down in the valley are a more comfortable and reliable option for most visitors, particularly families combining a stay with a day at the showcaves or Craig-y-Nos Country Park.

May to September is the best window for camping here, with the longest daylight and driest ground conditions, though the valley's tree cover and river frontage keep pitches pleasant even in warmer spells. Glamping and static options in the area, from pods to converted farm buildings, offer a way to enjoy the same waterfall-and-cave scenery with rather more shelter, useful given how quickly Welsh hill weather can turn even in summer. Whatever the pitch, the pull is the same: falling asleep to the sound of the Tawe with the caves, castle and waterfalls of the southern Beacons all within a short walk or drive.