Newcourt Farm

The beauty to be found about the Brecon Beacons is no secret and every year many thousands of tourists come to walk the hills, breathe the air and take in the exceptional views. Principal stopping-off point is the town of Brecon (Aberhonddu), from where there’s easy access to the most popular routes. Hay-on-Wye (Y Gelli), to the northeast, serves a smaller number of visitors and, again, has well signposted thoroughfares to the hills and a steady stream of walkers. Between these two bustling centres is Newcourt Farm campsite, the launch pad for an altogether different experience of the Brecon Beacons.

A defiantly non-touristy site in a lesser-visited slice of these hills, Newcourt campsite demands some effort on the part of the visitor. Firstly, you’ll have to find it; no easy task in a sprawling landscape of narrow lanes. You also have to bring all your own supplies as there’s no shop onsite, nor any shop for many miles. And if your aim is to take to the hills, which is pretty much the only item on the agenda here other than sitting in a deckchair and looking out at them, then you’ll need an Ordnance Survey map and a compass, as well as some basic orienteering skills. The rewards, though, are worth the effort. Not only does the view from almost every pitch encompass a rich Black Mountains landscape, but when you do set off to explore, you’re likely to have the hills to yourself.

The campsite, a hedged field with the thinnest scattering of pear and apple trees, is within the vast 520 square miles of the Brecon Beacons National Park, so as you might expect, development has been kept to a minimum (though there is a handy shower block). Reception is on the campsite at the end of the tractor shed – a suitabley rustic enironment. If there's no one available when you arrive, just pitch up and someone will come and find you later.

It might be a good idea to take a book or two with you to Newcourt campsite, given the lack of busy entertainment in the area, but there is a hearty local pub in nearby Felindre and, really, the low key nature of this site is precisely where the attraction lies. For campers who don’t mind a bit of planning, preparation and perseverance, Newcourt Farm is an outstanding countryside site with rewarding walking.

Read More