Usk Valley Walk

This five-day self-guided holiday takes you along the Usk Valley on a gentle 48-mile walk through the heart of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Start at Caerleon and end in the pretty market town of Brecon – accommodation in comfy B&Bs and guesthouses along the way included.

The Usk Valley Walk traces an 48 mile (77km) in the stunning Vale of Usk between Caerlon in the South and Brecon in the North. The walk follows the River Usk - a small but perfectly formed river which carves its way through hills passing charming small market towns and historic landmarks from the Industrial revolution.

Kick-start your holiday with a trip around the ruins of Caerleon’s Roman fortress and amphitheatre. You’ll also be able to see the best remains Europe has to offer of Roman barrack buildings, too. After that, it’s time to crack on with some serious walking. Highlights along the way include riverside pathways where the bright-cobalt-blue of kingfishers can often be spotted among tall grasses, canal towpaths that take in old lime kilns and other remnants of Wales’ industrial age and the village of Talybont-on-Usk that nestles among the Central Beacons.

You’ll cover 48 miles over five days, so this walk is not such hard going on the legs – especially as there aren’t too many steep uphill climbs on this one. The team who organise it has graded it as moderate – so it’ll suit active families and those used to walking fair distances. As this is self-guided there may also be some points where good navigational skills are required – though most of the time paths are marked.