October sees the return of crisp days and cold evenings, but that’s no excuse to hibernate. October is all about long leafy walks, pubs with fires and Sunday lunches. So get out there and enjoy the Brecon Beacons this October with our pick of events happening across the National Park.
Crickhowell Literary Festival-29th September- 7th October
The Festival features something for everyone – there will be lots of talks – on books, poetry, art, sport and politics; and there will be readings, stories, interviews, debates, candle-lit literary suppers, creative writing workshops and wholesome walks. Click here for some highlights from the festival.
Doggy Day at the National Botanic Gardens of Wales
Every Monday is Doggy Day at the Garden, bring your pet pooch for a lovely walk around our beautiful Garden. The Garden’s Doggy Day rules urge all owners to be responsible and clean up after your dog, and keep you dogs on a non-extendable lead at all times. The Garden is open from 10am to 6pm with last entry at 5pm.
Entry is FREE for Garden members and parking is FREE for all. There is no charge made for dogs. More here.
Brecon Harvest Community Supper in the Cathedral-5th October
On the 5th October at 7.15pm, in association with Brecon Food Festival and Brecon Cathedral, Convivium is hosting a Community Harvest Supper in support of Brecon Foodbank. This is an opportunity to celebrate the season with friends and neighbours.
There will be round table seating, a locally-sourced two-course meal (meat & veggie options), cash bar, and live traditional Welsh music. Doors open at 7.15 pm or arrive early for 6.00pm Evensong sung by the Cathedral Choir.
Tickets cost £10, of which £2 will go to Brecon Foodbank. They are available at Pilgrims or online at http://bitl.ly/BreconHarvest (please note this address is case sensitive).
Bring food donations for the Foodbank – please check the latest shopping list on this website (see the Give Help – Donate Food link), FYI or Facebook to see our current needs. Many thanks. Enjoy your evening!
Brecon Beacons Food Festival-6th October
The festival, now in its 20th year, promises a fantastic selection of local food and drink – some of the very best to be found in the Brecon Beacons National Park.
FREE to attend; Festival goers can look forward to sampling a range of produce from bread to beers and cheese to Welsh cakes with most items travelling less miles than the visitors themselves. Foody highlights will include cooking demonstrations from award winning chefs. More here.
Hay Walking Festival-12th-14th October
What’s the recipe for a wonderful walk? There are, of course, many answers to this question but surely great ingredients are key. Take the beautiful natural scenery of the Brecon Beacons and Welsh Borders, add myths, stories and wildlife, throw in a gang of engaging leaders and a fistful of fresh air and what do you have? The Hay Walking Festival, of course! After a three year fallow period, the Hay Walking Festival is back for a fifth outing. Hay warmly invites you to join in the fun from Friday 12th to Sunday 14th October. For all the details visit www.haywalkingfestival.com.
Brecon Baroque Festival 2018- Friday 19 – Monday 22 October: Angels and Archangels
This year’s Festival is inspired by angels and archangels – the divine, the maverick, the diabolical. Five concerts with Rachel Podger and Brecon Baroque, VOCES8, The Society of Strange and Ancient Instruments and lutenist James Bramleyframe a long weekend which also includes our pop-up café with live chamber music – Caffé Paradiso – Baroque dance events and guided walks in the Brecon Beacons National Park exploring the landscape that inspired 17th-century poet Henry Vaughan. Box Office now open.
Life in the 17th Century at Tretower Court and Castle (Cadw)- 20th October
Discover a day in the life of the Tretower household – see the differences between now and then! Have you ever wondered what day-to-day life was like in the 17th Century, with questions such as “What sort of food did people eat?” and “How did they spend their time?” Well, now you can discover the answers! Come and ask our friendly re-enactors, who will be in residence to give appropriate advice on all sorts of subjects – from dining etiquette to the best way of keeping your powder dry!! More here.
Brecon Craft Fair at Brecon Market Hall-20th September
Stargazing with Dark Sky Wales and the Cardiff Astronomical Society-26th October
For the first time we will have the combined expertise and knowledge of both Dark Sky Wales and the Cardiff Astronomical Society in one event. Come and enjoy a night of stargazing activities, including a tour of the night sky in our mobile planetarium with Dark Sky Wales, and fascinating talks from members of the Cardiff Astronomical Society. If the skies are clear you can also view the award winning dark skies of the Brecon Beacons National Park through a selection of telescopes. If the weather is against us, this event will still go ahead with the presentations and mobile planetarium.
To find out more about Dark Sky Wales visit www.darkskywalestrainingservices.co.uk
www.facebook.com/darkskywales/
To find out more about Cardiff astronomical society visit
http://www.cardiff-astronomical-society.co.uk/
Tickets are £15 which includes Coffee and Welsh Cake to get your evening off to a great start. This event starts at 7.00pm, and there are set activities, so please ensure you arrive on time as not to miss parts of the experience”
Safety on the Hills– 27th-28th October
Based at the visitor centre this two day course is a great starting point before heading out into the hills. It is ideal for those new to navigating with a map and compass or those looking to refresh their skills. During the two days the course will cover many aspects of how to stay safe with a few classroom sessions mixed in with plenty of practical training based on the local hills.
On Day one we’ll look at the equipment we use, what to look for when purchasing new and how to look after it; how to make sense of a weather forecast and the decisions we need to make when planning a day out; understanding commonly used maps, scales, symbols and the shape of the hills we’re walking over; Practical skills in route planning and basic navigation. On Day Two we’ll head out on a day walk. With plenty of practical opportunities along the way we’ll add to your skills and look at simple navigation strategies including using a compass. The aim at the end of the two days is to give you the confidence to plan your own routes, head out on your local hills and most importantly, return safely.
The course is accredited by the NNAS and leads to its Bronze Navigation Award. It is run by Manzoku Climbing & Mountaineering, a local company with over 25 years’ experience of helping people safely enjoy the hills and mountains of the UK. £115.00 per person. Course needs a minimum of 2 participants to run. This will be confirmed one week before the course.
Halloween at Dan Yr Ogof Caves-27th October-1st November
Keep underground in Dan Yr Ogof Cave our annual ‘Halloween experience’ takes place. Long before you get to the unique setting for our Halloween festivities the cries, moans of the ghosts, and ghouls can be heard echoing through the cave! Looking up you will see witches flying out of the smaller cave passageways as they make their way to Cauldron Chamber, which is the starting point for this unearthly event.
Everywhere in this section of the cave the human skulls, spiders, rats, and screeching sounds indicate that you are in another world, the underworld, where everyone’s most terrifying fantasies have suddenly become a reality!
Harry Trotter And The Pumpkin Patch – 27th October – 4th November 2018
(Please note: Pumpkin Carving & Fancy Dress Competition – 27th October – 31st October)
Put on your scarf, wrap up warm and fly over to Harry Trotter’s Wizard School at Cantref for some magical fun this October Half Term. Hop aboard the Cantref Express through Platform 9 and 6/8 to driving past the spooky forest,continue on your journey to marvel at the talking pumpkins and complete your wizard training at Wizard School with the star attraction Harry Trotter himself!
Take a walk to see the Pumpkin Patch, remember your camera to capture the moment. You can also get stuck in and carve your pumpkin before taking home to enjoy your creative delight. (Purchase a pumpkin from the barn together with a carving kit and tealight for £3.50) A day at Cantref Adventure Farm is always a full fun day, but this October half term, we promise it will be more fun than ever before!!
Halloween Bingo, Dress the Mummy,Pin the Nose on the Witch, Skeleton building & much more!!! We’re having a Fancy Dress Competition so find your scariest costumes and give us a fright!!! Also there’s a Spooky Prize for every paying child who enters our Frightfully Fun Treasure Hunt! so get your thinking caps on & follow the clues around the farm! Buy Tickets.
Keep an eye out for some of our best Halloween ideas to enjoy in the Brecon Beacons National Park!
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