If you love the great outdoors, then Wales is your country and the Brecon Beacons in particular will offer all you could wish for in stunning scenery, walking, mountain biking, climbing, canoeing and many other outdoor activities.

If you’re travelling on a budget or just prefer to get close to nature, then you may enjoy camping, but outside the summer months, you may find it a trifle chilly and damp. I love to hill walk in beautiful countryside but I must admit I prefer a slate tiled roof over my head at the end of a long day rather than damp canvas. This is where the discovery of a network of camping barns in the Brecon Beacons, could extend your enjoyement at any time of year. A bunkhouse is one step up from a tent, but not quite a bed and breakfast – it’s often a barn or outbuilding that has been converted into simple accommodation, with bunk beds and self catering facilities.

In the Brecon Beacons, you’ll find a group of bunkhouses that you can use as a base for exploring the area or spend your time hiking or cycling between them, and which are ideal for groups getting together or families. At some of the bunk houses there is also camping or bed and breakfast accommodation available , and normally they will have cooking facilities but if not there’ll be a cosy pub nearby.

We stayed in the bunk house at Trericket Mill last summer at an old water mill where a stone building in the orchard provided the bunk house with camping spaces surrounding it. We toasted marshmallows over the camp fire in an old oil drum then slept soundly with chickens pecking under the apple trees as well as ducks swimming on the mill stream that ran through the property. There was a swimming place with a freezing plunge pool just up stream which was so cold it took our breath away and lead to squeals of shock and delight from our children. In the watermill there was Bed and Breakfast on offer and you could even order a vegetarian home cooked evening meal, if the thought of another round of sausages and baked beans didn’t appeal.

Next time I visit the Brecon Beacons, I’d love hike from one of these bunk-houses to the next, using the maps and trails on the boots bikes and bunkhouses website. You can cross farmland and fields, follow the rivers or canals, stop off at interesting local towns like Brecon and Hay on Wye and soak up some history and pre-history in ancient forts, stone circles and Roman remains.

All photos by Heatheronhertravels