National Park Visitor Centre

Your one stop shop to information about the National Park!

Libanus, Brecon, Powys, LD3 8ER. Tel: 01874 623366. Email.

Information, exhibition and shop:

Open all year except Christmas Day but please call ahead when there is heavy snow as the Centre sometimes has to close.

Spring (March - June) 9.30am - 5.00pm
Summer (July - Aug) 9.30am - 5.30pm
Autumn (Sept - Oct) 9.30am - 5.00pm
Winter (Nov - Feb) 9.30am - 4.00pm

We have helpful and friendly staff on duty every day. We are used to typical (and unusual!) questions about the National Park and we have a wealth of knowledge about the popular sites and the lesser known gems of the area to share with you.

Tea Rooms:

Open all year except Christmas Day but please call ahead when there is heavy snow as the Centre sometimes has to close.

Spring (March - June) 9.30am - 5.00pm
Summer (July - Aug) 9.30am - 5.30pm
Autumn (Sept - Oct) 9.30am - 5.00pm
Winter (Nov - Feb) 9.30am - 4.30pm

Breakfast, lunch or light refreshments served daily.

Catering for weddings, conferences, parties and special occasions.

Navigation courses 2013

Learn new skills or brush up old ones on these two day courses run by Manzoku on behalf of the National Park Authority:

Safety on the Hills/Bronze NNAS course details. Silver NNAS course details.

How to find us

Download a map of the roads near the Centre here or if you are new to the area, here's a link to a wider map

Or download our leaflet with a handy sketch map of how to find us. You'll be able to follow brown and white tourist road signs from a few miles away.

Parking

The only charge we make is for parking - entrance to the Centre is free.
Short stay of up to two hours - £1.00
Longer stay / all day - £2.50
We don't charge blue badge holders. There is dedicated parking for blue badge holders at the top of the main drive, outside the toilet area.

If you are a regular visitor, why not consider a season ticket?

2013 Car parking season tickets:

National Park Visitor Centre only - £27 pa
Craig-y-nos Country Park only - £27 pa
National Park Visitor Centre and Craig-y-nos Country Park - £36 pa
Prices shown are for a full calendar year. Tickets bought for less than a full year will be charged at £2.25 per remaining calendar month for individual centres and £3 per month for joint centre tickets.
Contact the National Park Visitor Centre on 01874 623366.

Easy access

If you have specific access requirements, you may find our access statement useful.

Toilets / baby changing

The toilets are open daily within normal opening hours.
There is one unisex toilet which is accessible for the disabled. This is open 24 hours a day.
Baby changing facilities include a private space, changing table and waste bin.

Grounds

The grounds of the Centre are an ideal place to relax and take in the view. They are gently landscaped and mostly lawns and there are picnic tables, benches and seats in many places around the building.

Dogs

Dogs are welcome but on leads please. There are no dog waste bins at the Centre - so please remove your dog waste. Don't use the litter bins. Beyond the gates and stiles is Mynydd Illtyd Common.

Events at the NPVC

Sat 22 – Sun 23 Jun 09:45 – 16:00. Navigation Training: Silver NNAS Award Booking essential on 01874 623366. This 2 day award will give you the skills to navigate in the countryside, building on the skills acquired at the Bronze level, along with the additional skills required to navigate to features and places away from paths and tracks. Accurate compass work and an ability to use appropriate cross-country navigation techniques is required. With a minimum of 12 hours of training, including assessment over a distance of 5-8 kms. This NNAS accredited course is run by Manzoku, a local company based in the Brecon Beacons. Price: £110 per person. Spaces limited. Venue: The NPVC, Libanus, LD3 8ER (SN 977262). Parking charges apply.

Sat 27 Jul 10:30-16:00. SOLAR SCOPES at the NPVC, LD3 8ER. Cardiff Astronomical Society invites you to enjoy a rare chance to see our nearest star in close-up. Solar telescopes will be set up to allow you to view the sun safely (weather permitting). Come and have a peek for free, and find out how to get involved in astronomy. Free. No booking required. Parking charges apply. To find out more call the NPVC on 01874 623366.

Tues 30 Jul 10.00-13.00
Take pART Pottery Workshop at the Mountain Centre, LD3 8ER. Be inspired by the natural environment around you and create your own masterpiece. Suitable for adults and children aged 5 and up. Children under 12 - make sure you bring an adult with you. Cost: £5.00 per child. Parking charges apply. Booking essential. To find out more and to book a place call the National Park Visitor Centre (the Mountain Centre) on 01874 623366.

Wed 31 Jul 10.00-13.00
Take pART Mask Making Workshop at the Mountain Centre. Make and decorate your own large 3-Dimensional animal or fantasy mask from a choice of designs. Suitable for adults and children aged 5 and up. Children under 12 make sure you bring an adult with you. Cost: £5.00 per child. Parking charges apply. Booking essential. To find out more and to book a place call the NPVC (the Mountain Centre) on 01874 623366.

Thur 1 Aug 10.30- 12.30: Nature’s Games and Challenges at the Mountain Centre Join the National Park Education Team playing games and solving puzzles inspired by nature here in the National Park! Suggested donation £3 per child. Suitable for children aged 5-11. Children aged 7 and under must bring an adult with them. Parking charges apply. Booking essential. To find out more and to book a place call the National Park Visitor Centre (the Mountain Centre) on 01874 623366.

Tue 6 Aug 10.00-13.00
Take pART Pottery Workshop at the Mountain Centre. Be inspired by the natural environment around you and create your own masterpiece. Suitable for adults and children aged 5 and up. Children under 12 - make sure you bring an adult with you. Cost: £5.00 per child. Booking essential. Parking charges apply. To find out more and to book a place call the NPVC (the Mountain Centre) on 01874 623366.

Wed 7 Aug 10.00-13.00: Take pART Mask Making Workshop at the Mountain Centre. Make and decorate your own large 3-Dimensional animal or fantasy mask from a choice of designs. Suitable for adults and children aged 5 and up. Children under 12 make sure you bring an adult with you. Cost: £5.00 per child. Parking charges apply. Booking essential. To find out more and to book a place call the NPVC (the Mountain Centre) on 01874 623366.

Mon 12 Aug 19.30 - 23.00 PERSEID METEOR SHOWER at the NPVC, LD3 8ER. Booking essential on 01874 623366. Come and view one of nature’s finest shows: the Perseid meteor shower, live from the dark skies above the National Park. Experts from Dark Sky Wales will help you explore the heavens in their portable planetarium; view stars and planets through telescopes. If it is cloudy there will be a range of lectures on the subject. Cost: Adults: £10.00 (min. age guide 8+ years). Price includes parking, entry to the planetarium and a hot jacket potato.

Tue 13 Aug 10.00-13.00
Take pART Pottery Workshop at the Mountain Centre, LD3 8ER. Be inspired by the natural environment around you and create your own masterpiece. Suitable for adults and children aged 5 and up. Children under 12 - make sure you bring an adult with you. Cost: £5.00 per child. Parking charges apply. Booking essential. To find out more and to book a place call the NPVC on 01874 623366.

Wed 14 Aug 10.00-13.00
Take pART Mask Making Workshop at the Mountain Centre, LD3 8ER. Make and decorate your own large 3-Dimensional animal or fantasy mask from a choice of designs. Suitable for adults and children aged 5 and up. Children under 12 - make sure you bring an adult with you. Cost: £5.00 per child. Parking charges apply. Booking essential. To find out more and to book a place call the NPVC (the Mountain Centre) on 01874 623366.

Sat 14 - Sun 15 Sept 09:45 – 16:00. Safety on the Hills / Bronze NNAS Navigation course. Booking essential on 01874 623366. This 2 day course is ideal for beginners and for refreshing dormant skills; you’ll learn useful navigation and mountain safety techniques. This NNAS accredited course is run by Manzoku, a local company based in the Brecon Beacons. Price: £110 per person. Spaces limited. Venue: The NPVC, Libanus, LD3 8ER (SN 977262).

Thur 15 Aug 10.30- 12.30: Nature’s Games and Challenges at the Mountain Centre. Join the National Park Education Team playing games and solving puzzles inspired by nature here in the National Park! Suggested donation £3 per child. Suitable for children aged 5-11. Children aged 7 and under must bring an adult with them. Parking charges apply. Booking essential. To find out more and to book a place call the National Park Visitor Centre (the Mountain Centre) on 01874 623366.

Tue 20 Aug 10.00-13.00
Take pART Pottery Workshop at the Mountain Centre, LD3 8ER. Be inspired by the natural environment around you and create your own masterpiece. Suitable for adults and children aged 5 and up. Children under 12 - make sure you bring an adult with you. Cost: £5.00 per child. Parking charges apply. Booking essential. To find out more and to book a place call the NPVC (the Mountain Centre) on 01874 623366.

Wed 21 Aug 10.00-13.00
Take pART Mask Making Workshop at the Mountain Centre. Make and decorate your own large 3-Dimensional animal or fantasy mask from a choice of designs. Suitable for adults and children aged 5 and up. Children under 12 make sure you bring an adult with you. Cost: £5.00 per child. Parking charges apply. Booking essential. To find out more and to book a place call the NPVC (the Mountain Centre) on 01874 623366.

Tue 27 Aug 10.00-13.00: Take pART Pottery Workshop at the Mountain Centre, LD3 8ER. Be inspired by the natural environment around you and create your own masterpiece. Suitable for adults and children aged 5 and up. Children under 12 - make sure you bring an adult with you. Cost: £5.00 per child. Parking charges apply. Booking essential. To find out more and to book a place call the NPVC (the Mountain Centre) on 01874 623366.

Wed 28 Aug 10.00-13.00
Take pART Mask Making Workshop at the Mountain Centre. Make and decorate your own large 3-Dimensional animal or fantasy mask from a choice of designs. Suitable for adults and children aged 5 and up. Children under 12 make sure you bring an adult with you. Cost: £5.00 per child. Parking charges apply. Booking essential. To find out more and to book a place call the NPVC (the Mountain Centre) on 01874 623366.

Sat 5 Oct 19:00-21:30 STARGAZING Booking essential on 01874 623366. Cardiff Astronomical Society will once again be hosting an evening of stargazing at the National Park Visitor Centre (LD3 8ER). If skies are clear their telescopes will be focused on interesting phenomena in the night sky, or if cloudy there will be lectures indoors. Price includes parking, soup and a roll. The event will run whatever the weather! Our stargazing events are very popular, so booking is essential. Adults: £6.00 Children: £4.00 (minimum age guide 8+ years). For more information and to book a place contact us on 01874 623366.

Sat 19 - Sun 20 Oct 09:45 – 16:00. Safety on the Hills / Bronze NNAS Navigation course. Booking essential on 01874 623366. This 2 day course is ideal for beginners and for refreshing dormant skills; you’ll learn useful navigation and mountain safety techniques. This NNAS accredited course is run by Manzoku, a local company based in the Brecon Beacons. Price: £110 per person. Spaces limited. Venue: The NPVC, Libanus, LD3 8ER (SN 977262).

See activities, walks and events full listings for more ideas.