The Brecon Beacons National Park has reclaimed its original Welsh name of Bannau Brycheiniog, as of 17th April – the park’s 66th birthday. The change to revert to the Welsh translation reflects not only a celebration of all things Welsh and the Welsh language, but also as a better fit for the National Park’s sustainability stance.
Bannau Brycheiniog – the old name for a new way to be
The name Bannau Brycheiniog is pronounced ‘Ban-aye Bruck-ein-iog’ and the date of the change also marks the 66th anniversary of the area’s designation as a National Park. The name derives from the plural of the Welsh ‘ban’, which means ‘peak’ or ‘summit’ and ‘Brycheiniog’ refers to the kingdom of King Brychan, a medieval kingdom in South East Wales. So, the translation to English is ‘The Peaks of Brychan’s Kingdom’. The name can be abbreviated to ‘The Bannau’ for short.
The commitment to use only the Welsh name going forwards, follows the lead of the Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park, which was the first National Park to use its Welsh name, to preserve the heritage of the Welsh language and culture.
Bannau Brycheiniog – a new kind of National Park
The name change is part of a bigger, wide-reaching change, to be a new kind of National Park, where sustainability and responsible tourism are at its heart. Bannau Brycheiniog is, as actor Michael Sheen describes in the promotional video, ‘an old name for a new way to be’. Watch the video below.
The previous name, Brecon Beacons, referencing wood burning, carbon emitting beacons is no longer fitting to the park’s ethos and way of being. The aim is to tackle natural and climate change issues and achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2035, with plans around sustainable farming, peatland restoration, water quality improvement and planting of new trees. This move towards more sustainable tourism will protect the beauty, history, and heritage of this amazing area, and echoes the current support for responsible tourism. You can read more about our commitment to responsible tourism here.
Visiting Bannau Brycheiniog
The amazing Bannau Brycheiniog National Park is awash with mountain views, moorlands, valleys, waterfalls, castles and picturesque Welsh market towns, across its 520 square mile span. The stunning scenery of the Bannau can be seen on our When Coal Was King sightseeing tour, as well as part of our Castles, Mountains and More tour, exploring more of the history and heritage of Wales.
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