How the Brecon Becaons has become a popular place to buy a home

Rishi Sunak made headlines when he criticised the Brecon Beacons National Park for being rebranded Bannau Brycheiniog.

Well, love or hate the name, one thing is for sure — this 520 sq mile expanse of mountains, rivers and heathland in Wales is the most dramatically wild landscape within range of London and the South East.

This largely explains why it has seen spiralling house prices over the past three years.

‘People were drawn to the countryside during Covid and sales went through the roof,’ says Anto Clay, of Stacks Property Search.

‘Since then people have got used to the idea of working from home, reporting to the office just a few times a month. Abergavenny is only around two hours and 28 minutes from Paddington, so this lifestyle is easily doable.’

Figures from Rightmove prove the point — overall sold prices in the Brecon Beacons last year were 34 per cent up on 2020.

The most popular towns for incomers are to the south of the region, around Abergavenny and Crickhowell, with their good road links down to the M4.

Abergavenny is a busy little market town which has developed a reputation for fine dining. It has a lively indoor market, and runs an annual food festival. The Angel Hotel is the place to meet up with the locals, especially on market day.

Crickhowell (Crick to its friends) with its pastel-coloured Georgian houses and handsome 18th-century bridge over the River Usk, is altogether more twee. The High Street, lined with traditional independent shops, looks like a page from a 1950s children’s book.

The town has a buzzing arts scene. There are Open Studios events where more than 300 artists exhibit their work in venues ranging from cafes to their own front rooms. Authors and celebrities regularly give talks, while the Green Man Festival attracts hipsters of every vintage. The comedy festival is good for a laugh, too.

‘I lived in Brighton for ten years and there’s far more to do here,’ says Emma Corfield-Walters, who owns the Book-ish bookshop which hosts events most weeks. ‘Crick is a real community and there’s always something to look forward to.’

Although 60 per cent of the incomers are retirees, according to local estate agents, these towns have their fair share of young people. They are part of the commuter belt for Cardiff, and many parents relocate for the schools — notably Christ College Brecon and Crickhowell High — which have glowing reputations.

There is a lot for young people to do in terms of adventure pursuits in the mountains, and if the poor provision of night buses into Cardiff is a gripe among teenagers, many parents think that’s no bad thing.

Further to the north you meet the glacier-scarred hills and valleys, all overshadowed by Pen y Fan, at 2,907 ft. This is hardcore Beacons — where the SAS train — and it attracts a different type of buyer. 

In the words of one estate agent: ‘The off-grid types who come for the solitude, the wildlife and the dark skies’. There are lots of properties for burnt-out barristers and city types.

The National Park has about 1,250 farms, most of which can’t make a viable living as sheep farms. However, they are ideal for those who want to run a retreat or keep donkeys, alpacas or chickens as pets.

Joe Martin of Strutt & Parker says: ‘Substantial properties like these don’t remain long on the market. It’s quite an Anglicised community, the locals are welcoming and prices are half of those in the Cotswolds.’

Hay-on-Wye, famous for its literature festival and bookshops, is at the centre of this region. It’s worth noting that homes in the town itself are far more expensive than those in the countryside nearby.

The average price of a detached house in Hay last year was £591,000. That compares to £308,929 in Brecon, which is less chocolate-box pretty.

Although the Brecon Beacons National Park is undeniably beautiful, the area has its drawbacks. The weather can be harsh.

‘My advice to newcomers is to visit several times before you buy,’ says Anto Clay of Stacks.

‘It can take 90 minutes to drive across the Beacons: mileage means little on the mountain roads. Yet do your research and the Beacons offer a wonderful chance to change your lifestyle.’