The quaint village of Talybont-on-Usk, nestled within the majestic landscape of the Bannau Brycheiniog Brecon Beacons National Park, has its own community website that describes life there as 'as active as you want, as peaceful as you need'. The village is situated alongside the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal where it intersects with the Caerfanell river and its tributary Nant Bwrefwr, which flow into the nearby River Usk.
This convergence of two bodies of water, one still and one flowing, adds a unique natural element to the stunning landscape that surrounds the community. It offers captivating views of mountains, fields, woodlands and even waterfalls that stretch to the horizon in all directions; truly idyllic. If you ever feel the need to venture out of the village, nature's playground awaits in this special corner of Wales. There are facilities and amenities in the nearby market towns of Brecon, Crickhowell and Abergavenny, but it's the national park that is the biggest draw for activities such as riding, rambling, biking, hiking, sailing on the nearby Talybont Reservoir, and exploring the river routes on land or on the water.
The area boasts a plethora of attractions, including the mesmerising Blaen y Glyn waterfall nestled within Talybont Forest. This captivating destination is part of the Lower and Upper Blaen y Glyn Waterfall Walk, but there are numerous other trails in the vicinity that can easily lure locals and tourists to explore the stunning landscape. As the sun dips below the horizon, the area continues to enchant with its minimal light pollution. In certain parts of the national park, it's non-existent, making star-gazing a truly magical experience, reports Wales Online.
Fishing and birdwatching are popular pastimes here, but this village is far from sleepy. It offers a vibrant community for those seeking to immerse themselves, yet simply wandering around the village is a delight in itself. The quaint streets are lined with charming stone period properties and pristine white-washed homes, historic bridges dot the landscape, and pedestrians can enjoy leisurely walks along the canal path, serenaded by birdsong and bathed in dappled sunlight. The village and its surroundings have been a favoured dwelling place for thousands of years, dating back to the Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age.
Stone relics from these bygone eras still stand proudly within the local landscape. Fast forward to today, and the 2021 census reveals that the village has a population of 684, consisting of 339 males and 337 females. The age breakdown is as follows: 118 residents are aged between 0-17 years, 379 are aged 18-64, and 179 are over 65. However, if you're looking to join this community, finding a home might prove challenging. According to property portal Rightmove, no one sold their home in this charming Welsh village in 2024.
The last recorded sale was in August 2023, based on the most recent Land Registry data. Over the past year, have averaged at £307,256, says Rightmove. This is significantly higher than the national average of £232,430, as reported by the Principality Building Society. Naturally, being a village means there are fewer properties on the market at any given time. Yet, neighbouring villages like Talyllyn and Llanfrynach have seen properties sold within the last year, unlike Talybont-On-Usk.
Julia, originally from Brynmawr, and her husband had their hearts set on one location when they decided to move back to Wales after living in London. Having resided in the village for about a decade now, Julia said: "We wanted to be somewhere where we could still be accessible to family in Hertfordshire and London, and we were looking for a village that had a shop, a pub and a community that we could slot into, and it's got all of those.
"Actually there are two pubs which are both really good, a great shop and a café run by a lovely family who are just brilliant. It's somewhere where we feel like we're living in the middle of the country - it's great, we absolutely love it here.". According to Julia, the village is bustling with clubs to join and activities to partake in, mostly centred around the village hall. This includes a weekly tea and chat meeting for the elderly and a monthly film night.
"The hall is also used for parties", she said, "plus we do a big bonfire night from the hall and there's a village show in August when we all bring our own produce, we are doing something for VE Day in May, and there's a hall committee which organises things for the local community. "There's lots going on but not everybody gets involved with everything, of course there are some people who prefer to keep themselves to themselves, but there's lots going on and everything is advertised via posters in the village shop and at the bus shelter.".
