About rural Powys

Powys is the largest county in Wales and one of the most rural parts of Britain — a vast, mountainous region of upland farms, market towns, and wild, open country. From the Brecon Beacons in the south to the Berwyn Mountains and Clun Forest in the north, it is a county ruled by weather, terrain, and tradition.

Hill farming dominates here. Sheep graze on rough uplands, and hardy cattle are raised in narrow valleys and along winding roads. The landscape is crisscrossed by stone walls and drovers’ tracks — reminders of a long agricultural heritage still visible in farmsteads and seasonal fairs.

Towns like Llanidloes, Llandrindod Wells, and Knighton remain small but vital rural hubs, supporting farming supplies, livestock markets, and community life. Smallholdings, forestry operations, and conservation projects coexist with traditional farms, many of which remain family-run and isolated.

Powys is also rich in cultural heritage — from Welsh-speaking communities to longstanding traditions of sheepdog trials, chapel singing, and country shows.

This is rural life in its purest form — shaped by hills, hard work, and a deep bond between people and land.