Camping

"Wild" camping in the Brecon Beacons National Park

The Brecon Beacons National Park states the following:

• "Camping away from designated sites is only allowed with the permission of the landowner or tenant. The National Park Authority does not grant permission for camping on any land that it owns. National Trust land is subject to additional by-laws prohibiting camping without prior permission - this is rarely granted. Areas of Common land make up a large part of the open hill, and permission would be needed from every Commoner before camping would be allowed";

• "Also camping is usually not allowed within water catchment areas as it can cause pollution of the water supply. This means that camping would not be allowed in many valleys within the National Park."

This effectively rules out "wild" camping within the National Park area. On the other hand, many farms in the area offer camping in remote areas which can almost be considered "wild".

Campsite Information

In years gone by we have issued comprehensive lists of the campsites that are available for use by groups undertaking Duke of Edinburgh expeditions in this area but unfortunately the lists have been abused and as a result we have lost very useful campsites where farmers have been annoyed by people requesting permission for non-Duke of Edinburgh camping.

The main area for expeditions in South Wales is the Brecon Beacons National Park so we have divided this into three main areas based on the two 1 : 25,000 OS maps covering the Park.

Each of the three areas has a co-ordinator (see below) who has information on campsites in their area.

In order to receive campsite information you should either

1. send a copy of your route trace (1 : 50,000 scale) with the areas where you wish to camp marked and a stamped self-addressed envelope to the relevant co-ordinator, OR
2. contact the co-ordinator by telephone and have a chat with him to see if he can help you, OR
3. e-mail the co-ordinator with the grid references of the areas where you wish to camp.

There are various commercial caravan and camping sites in the Panel's area that are suitable for base camps (some listed here) for expedition groups and their supervisors. Supervisors should note that most if not all of these site's telephone boxes will not receive in-coming calls and are therefore not suitable for emergency numbers. It is suggested that you make arrangements for someone either in the area or in the home area to be available to act as a liaison in case of any emergency occurring during the venture.

Campsite Booking

Please make sure that you have booked your campsites in advance of your expedition. It is not funny if after a day's walking you find that the farmer or landowner refuses to allow you to camp on his land because you have not pre-booked! It is also advisable to carry your Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme identity card so that you have proof of your involvement in the scheme.

Please ensure that you pay for campsites before you leave them as it is very tiresome for campsite owners or the panel chasing you for payment.

Please note that the National Park does not allow any wild camping within its boundaries so please make sure you have the landowner's permission!

Area Co-ordinators