Our Top 8 Things To Do In Powys
With so many things to do during your visit to Powys, you’ll need a holiday to recover from your holiday. A hugely popular destination for outdoor activities, this landlocked county in Mid Wales is anchored by the mountains of Brecon Beacons National Park to the south.
There are trails and watersports at Lake Vyrnwy, and top-class stargazing at several spots with no light pollution, including the Elan Valley, an official Dark Sky Park. Birds of prey gather to feed at a farm in Rhayader, while bookworms congregate at Hay-on-Wye’s annual literary festival.
Whatever sort of break you want, this green region of undulating landscapes ticks all the boxes. So book your Mid Wales accommodation and read on for the top 8 things to do in Powys.
Hay-on-Wye
Literary festival, bookshops and riverside recreation
Sitting on the border between Powys and Herefordshire (with the English county sometimes claiming it as its own), Hay-on-Wye is a small market town with a big reputation.
Maybe it’s because of its somewhat unexpected twinning with the Malian city of Timbuktu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. More likely, it’s because of the Hay Festival. This literary event takes place between late May and early June, with author talks, book signings and lectures drawing thousands of visitors.
The town is said to have one bookshop per 100 inhabitants. Some sell all sorts of new and used books, while others, such as Murder & Mayhem, specialise in a particular genre. (Hint: it’s not romantic novels.) Whatever you do, don’t mention your Kindle.
Hay’s literary renown ought not to distract from the ‘on-Wye’ part of its name. Take a guided canoe excursion along the river, or have a picnic and a paddle at the pebbly beach of The Warren, a green recreation area where you might spot rabbits and kingfishers.
Book your accommodation near Hay-on-Wye.
Brecon Beacons National Park
Outdoor activities, from cycling to watersports, plus stargazing
A vast, mountainous playground for outdoor enthusiasts, this national park has miles of hiking trails, including one along the saddle between the Corn Du and Pen y Fan mountains, both topped by Bronze Age cairns. There’s plenty for cyclists too, from family-friendly off-road paths to black-grade routes such as the ominous-sounding Black Mountain Blitz.
The Brecon Beacons’ Dark Sky Reserve status means no light pollution – and that, in turn, means top-quality stargazing. Head out to Hay Bluff, about five miles south of Hay-on-Wye, and you’ll have no trouble locating the stars that make up the Plough or Orion’s Belt.
There are also watersports on Llangorse Lake and the river Wye, underground walks among unusual rock formations at the National Showcaves Centre for Wales and prime fishing spots along the river Usk. By the way, if angling’s your thing, click here for more places to go fishing in Powys.
Search for campsites around Brecon Beacons National Park.
Red Kite Feeding Station
Daily feeding ritual, bird hides and picnic facilities
If you’ve always wanted to witness raptors in a feeding frenzy, head to this working sheep farm, where hundreds of wild red kites will be happy to oblige.
Early in the afternoon, staff put out meat scraps to supplement the birds’ natural hunting diet, and visitors can watch from hides surrounding the field where the action takes place.
It’s quite a spectacle too, with kites deftly grabbing meaty morsels with their talons before fleeing the fray for a mid-air feed.
If this aerial feast has got your own stomach rumbling, there’s a coffee shop on site and picnic areas with views of the countryside – and you might see the farm’s donkeys, too.
Elan Valley
Dams and reservoirs, night skies and birdwatching
In the Cambrian Mountains of Mid Wales, the Elan Valley is known for a number of Victorian dams, including Craig Goch, with its brick arches and elegant valve tower.
Take in views of the reservoir from the top of the dam during the day, keeping an eye out for sandpipers and grebes, or linger until night falls, when the nearby car park draws stargazers looking for constellations and meteor showers.
If you prefer doing rather than watching (whether skies or birds), cycle the Elan Valley Trail, which runs along an old railway line, or follow one of the many hiking trails.
Look for campsites in the Rhayader area. For more hiking itineraries, check out these 7 walks in Powys.
Lake Vyrnwy
Watersports and an RSPB nature reserve
An artificial lake created in the late 19th century to supply drinking water to Liverpool, Lake Vyrnwy is now a hub of outdoor activities, from fishing to watersports.
Bethania Adventure runs kayaking and paddleboarding classes, as well as hiring out equipment for independent excursions on the lake, past the dam and the pointy turrets of the Straining Tower. Despite looking like something out of a fairy tale, the tower has quite a mundane job: to strain, or filter, the water of any large objects before it reaches the aqueduct.
As an RSPB nature reserve, the area is home to peregrine falcons, woodpeckers and kingfishers. If you’re lucky, you might spot these and other bird species while you take a walk or bike ride around the lake.
Pistyll Rhaeadr
Dramatic waterfall and hiking trails in a nature reserve
More trails await at Y Berwyn National Nature Reserve, an area of moorlands and bogs. The highlight here is the 240-foot-high Pistyll Rhaeadr waterfall, one of the Seven Wonders of Wales.
A path from the car park leads to the bottom of this dramatic single-drop waterfall thundering down the mountainside amid lush ferns and mosses.
The small iron bridge across the stream is a convenient spot for a selfie that’s sure to see your Instagram blow up with likes and comments about your camping adventures in Mid Wales.
Click here to find campsites in north Powys.
Centre for Alternative Technology, Machynlleth
Sustainability in action and woodland walks
If your kids follow Greta Thunberg on Twitter and want to make a positive impact on the environment, head to this eco centre on the outskirts of the market town of Machynlleth.
Interactive displays illustrate the potential of renewable energy from natural sources. Grownups can also learn a thing or two about insulating and making their homes more energy efficient, or get inspired to finally start that vegetable patch.
And if the young eco warriors start feeling overwhelmed by the monumental effort involved in saving the planet, a walk through the woodlands, looking for dormice and otters, may well restore their sense of purpose.
Look for accommodation around Machynlleth.
Powis Castle and Garden, Welshpool
National Trust property with Indian artefacts and terraced gardens
One of the best-known historic sites in Mid Wales, Powis Castle was built in the 13th century and later renovated into the stately home you see today.
Admire the artworks and tapestries lining its elegant halls, or head to the castle’s Clive Museum for a look at precious Indian artefacts that were looted during colonial times. Politically incorrect? No doubt.
However, if you can move past the dodgy means by which the collection was obtained, you’ll see some truly stunning items here. One of the highlights is a gold finial from a sultan’s throne: it’s shaped like a tiger’s head and is studded with emeralds and rubies.
Finish your visit with a stroll through the terraced gardens, taking in the huge cloud-like topiary hedges, colourful flowers and expansive views of the Severn Valley and the mountains beyond.
Those who are hankering after more Welsh heritage should read our list of historic Powys towns. If your trip to Powys is likely to take you beyond the borders of the county, be sure to consult our Ultimate Mid Wales Region Camping Guide.