Brecon Beacons National Park dropping English name
The Brecon Beacons National Park is changing its name as a direct response to the climate and ecological crisis, the park’s CEO has said.
From Monday, it will adopt the Welsh name of Bannau Brycheiniog National Park – pronounced Ban-eye Bruck-ein-iog – or the Bannau for short.
Bannau is the Welsh plural for peaks and Brycheiniog refers to the old kingdom of King Brychan, who lived in the fifth century.
The park’s managers said the present name referencing wood-burning, carbon-emitting beacons no longer fits the ethos of the park.
They want it to be celebrated for its natural and cultural heritage by becoming net zero by 2035, have nature recovering with clean water environments by the end of the decade, as well as meeting the health, economic, recreational and residential needs of people in the park by 2028.
Catherine Mealing-Jones, the park’s CEO, told the PA news agency: “Given that we’re trying to provide leadership on decarbonisation, a giant burning brazier is not a good look.
“Our park is is shaped by Welsh people, Welsh culture, and as we looked into it we realised the brand we’ve got and the name we’ve got, it’s a bit of a nonsense, it doesn’t really make any sense – the translation Brecon Beacons doesn’t really mean anything in Welsh.
“We’d always had the name Bannau Brycheiniog as the Welsh translation and we just felt we needed to put that front and centre as an expression about the new way we wanted to be celebrating Welsh people, Welsh culture, Welsh food, Welsh farming – all of the things that need to come with us as we go through this change in the management plan.”
The new plan is set to launch on Monday, the 66th anniversary of the park’s national designation.
It seeks to restore tree cover, wetlands, hedgerows, peaty bogs and wildflowers to attract wildlife while introducing localised renewable energy sources like small wind turbines.
People will be encouraged to farm in a way that benefits nature, such as restricting grazing to certain areas, leaving a cover crop over winter for birds to eat and not spreading manure or fertiliser where it could contaminate watercourses.
Simple measures
Helen Roderick, sustainable development manager for the park, said a group of six farmers is sharing hydrological maps with other farmers to help them avoid causing pollution.
She said: “It’s just simple measures, but things that are highly effective. The other thing they’ve done is install weather stations on four or five of the farms.
“Those are open through an app to any farmer who wants to understand the rain, the wind, ground conditions, to make sure that what they’re doing, they’re doing at the right time in the right weather conditions.”
Duncan Fisher, founder of Our Food 1200, a regenerative farming enterprise, is encouraging growers to produce food for local markets.
He said there are currently 16 small-scale farms that have teamed up to build a more local food economy outside of the supermarket-dominated system, which would allow growers to keep more of the profits.
“We’re very keen on this idea that the farmers own the supply chains, or that all of the money in the supply chain is local,” he said.
“That creates wealth that creates the circulation of money, which creates the market. The minute you start selling to a supermarket, it’s just really brutal.
“The pressure on the price is down and that’s why farming is in such a lot of difficulty because they’re being paid such bad prices. So one of our solutions is let’s build a locally owned system.”
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Why do we need the excuse of climate change to use the correct and legitimate Welsh name?
If you don’t link any proposed change such as this name change to climate change, gender issues, perceived racism etc etc the easily offended vigilantes will report you to the morality police. Such is life in the uber-touchy Bay Bubble. Good thing that most of us exist outside that nasty nest of time wasters, but sadly our lives are increasingly constrained by them.
I appreciate your comment but really is very negative!
It is a nonsense to suggest that foreign names – for that is what they are – should be kept because of the danger of slighting English speakers. I live and work in a largely English speaking part of Cymru and we enjoy – indeed rejoice – in having and hearing Welsh around us, both spoken and seen.
Take your argument to it’s (il)logical conclusion and no one would visit Caernarfon or Portmeirion or Croes y Ceiliog or any where else, or their businesses…….
Realistic rather than negative I think.
Unlike the Eryri rebrand the Bannau Brycheiniog one has come as a bit of a surprise at least for those not in the area. Unlike with the Snowdonia brand I wasn’t aware of any push to drop the Brecon Beacons brand.
I hope you’re proven right regarding people and especially businesses embracing and promoting Bannau Brycheiniog as the brand.
Of course we do have one “(il)logical conclusion” that we are reminded of everyday – the continued reference to Wales rather than Cymru.
Agree with CapM. While laudable we will be starting from zero in terms awareness for non-UK tourists despite Michael Sheen’s wonderful video (but we don’t want tourists right, lol?)
Anyone interested in doing “Slí an Atlantaigh Fhiáin”?
The Irish went for the English version for some reason…….
Both you and Dr John Ball appear to have misunderstood my view on this.
Just to set things straight I think it is fantastic that “Bannau Brycheiniog” will replace “Brecon Beacons”.
fantastic but a challenge as you put it. We could also say difficult but that word seemed to have been culled in favour of challenge.
Time will tell if it works. In the mean time let’s be told what it costs!
The costs associated with a rebranding are small and a one off they are practically negligible compared to the costs of implementing the long term overall plan for the park.
Dipyn llai na HS2
yes a vast waste of money. The problem is we don’t have the figure spent on rebranding. Many seem to think that because royalty, HS2 etc spend money heedlessly, Wales should too. Why? can’t we look at the cost-benefit of different options? A comment I made about using the rebranding money to provide affordable housing for locals in the few remaining Welsh speaking communities in Llanddeusant / Myddfai / Capel Gwynfe has been deleted for some reason but I think that might do more for the language than rebranding…. If there aren’t any Welsh speaking communities left we might as… Read more »
A Parc Bannau Brycheiniog officer was on TV yesterday evening explaining that the rebranding was low financial cost and low carbon cost. Examples from memory- she said new brand items would be introduced when current items eg uniforms needed to be replaced due to normal wear and tear or currently branded goods ran out. She also said that the company involved in the rebranding had undertaken it at below the commercial rate. Your idea that Welsh speaking communities should get help with housing costs is doubly wrong. First the lack of affordable housing does not only affect Welsh speakers. It’s… Read more »
If Wales is not careful,it will end up
like us here in Cumbria,once a
Welsh-speaking area,now a forgotten Northern desert.
The other end of precious England
is Cornwall almost entirely colonised by Londoners’ second
homes.
They don’t need any excuse to use the Welsh name but The Beacons are a big tourist draw and boosts the local economy so keeping the Incomers on board. Good idea surely.. Personally, as a local, I prefered the peace and quiet of 1950’s.🙃
Cofiwch epynt.
bannau brycheiniog is not a translation it’s the original,real name.brecon beacons is the translation.sorry to be pedantic but get it right for gods sake.
Cywir, cywir, cywir. Now that’s pedantic, your comment wasn’t.
Quote: “From Monday, it will adopt the Welsh name of Bannau Brycheiniog National Park – pronounced Ban-eye Bruck-ein-iog – or the Bannau for short.” Ban-eye?? Bruck?? For goodness sake get it right. “eye” should be “aye” and the “ck” in Bruck should sound as if one is clearing the throat. Anyway, the English speakers won’t take a blind bit of notice, even the Welsh born ones unfortunately. Has anyone heard the use of Eryri or Yr Wyddfa yet?
Unless they’ve learnt a foreign language such as either German or Dutch, most English first language speakers can’t cope with gutturals.
They can’t cope with anything much without mangling it. Beeb types go on courses to pronounce “difficult” Eastern European place names and other names but too effin’ busy to be bothered with Welsh. Some of our own “regional” newsreaders also sound low on ability when confronted by a series of Ll’s, Ch’s, Rh’s.
Too right there, the person who announces the traffic reports just before the news on BBC Radio Wales every morning makes me grind my teeth when giving the update on the traffic situation on the A 465 heads of the valleys roadworks near Merthyr Tudful. I’m still trying to find Kevin Coed on my satnav.🙄.
Lol botes ydi hyn I gyd meddai fy nghyfaill Heinrich o Munchengladbach Nosdawch
Why is my comment “awaiting approval” when what I wrote is correct?
Maybe the algorithm flags any comments that have too many instances of ‘uck’?
Missing from this article is that Michael Sheen is launching the rebrand in a video written by the Black Mountains’ very own poet laureate, Owen Sheers.
Every Morning i read all newspapers online AS TO MEAN TO BUY A PAPER as per usual the Daily Fail mail put a story out about this over a thousand comments on it most slagging it off full of ANTI WELSH comments a lot of them Disgusting some i would call racist what the hell is it to do with the English
They cannot keep their noses out of anything. They have an inferiority complex thinking everyone in the world is bad mouthing them…. which is probably true.
Frank, with all due respect, what reasons would you think this?
Read comments on WalesOnline and you will see what I mean. They cannot help nosing on other people’s news sites. One does not have to be an expert to suss them out. They are either English or worse ….. Welsh turncoats who rue the day they were born here.
Have an upvote, Frank. You’re 100% correct
Fay Jones is furious that her constituents were not consulted on the change of name.
This is rich coming from a far right Borisfan who point blank refuses to engage with her constituents.
Isn’t National Parks a devolved matter? If so that would be the job of the local MS.
Not only which but her constituents have inundated her with links to the extensive surveys and consultations carried out with those constituents she never speaks to.
Ah, fussy Fay has to have her periodic moments of fury, anger, irritation, etc etc. Would easily obtain a high ranking among the easily offended.
You cannot even spell “Merthyr”. This is the problem. There is no respect for other people’s language. English is the only language they understand because they cannot be bothered to learn a smidgen of someone else’s language. The first words out of an English speaking person when abroad is: “Do you speak English?” If they don’t the English person will then make them the subject of ridicule.
How do they pay for Me worked all my life paid the N I for all that time worked and paid for the 2 Occupational pensions i have for the Jobs i had through all my working life so come on you clever B how do they pay for me i am waiting to know how you came to that conclusion WHAT PART OF TORY ENGLAND DO YOU COME FROM HMMMM
The UK as a whole has to support over 58,000,000 English people. What Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland take out of the pot is miniscule in comparison and don’t think for one minute that Wales gets more than it puts in. It would never happen. Wales put more than its share into the kitty during the exploitation of our coal, gold, slate, copper etc. If we had been allowed to keep the wealth we would most certainly be the richest country in the UK without having to steal from other countries around the planet.
Waiting for the comments that this anti-English policy will crash our economy …
Its already started, Fay Jones the local Tory MP has said she has had messages of concern from several constituents. I bet they were also up in arms when Marathon bars changed to Snickers.
The Welsh language is Welsh tourism’s USP (Unique Selling Point).
The more it’s used and the more visible it is the more different Cymru will appear to people from those places that do not have Cymu’s USP.
Basically the chance to experience a holiday in a “foreign country” on England’s doorstep where everyone there also speaks English and there’s no passport controls on the border. A way to attract more higher spending visitors rather than those seeking out egg and chips.
1 – Erm, I was being ironic.
2 – I have no interest in helping the kind of tourism that currently plagues Cymru. It is over tourism, unsustainable, based on an extractive economy, and run by and large by colonists for their mates who want a weekend playground on their own terms.
Shock, horror, Brecon Beacons, will be know by it’s Welsh name. Imagine the disgust in the English media. We are just a celtic theme park to them. Shame on those Indians, for changing from Bombay to Mumbai, Calcutta to Kolta, Madras to Chennai.
Great news! Now let’s also get rid of some of the other ridiculous anglicisms like ‘Rhos on Sea’ and ‘Llantwit’. And, let’s spell Fflint and Cricieth correctly too. There are lots of corrections that need to be made. India and Australia have, rightly, de-colonised several of their place names (e.g. Bombay – Mumbai, Madras – Chennai, Cochin – Kochi, Calcutta – Kolkata, Ayres Rock – Uluru etc.) so let’s not put up with anyone telling us in Wales that it is wrong for us to do the same. Every time some nasty mouths accuses us of being anti-English, or something… Read more »
Well said.
Diolch 🙂
Croeso.
A word in defence of ‘Rhos-ar-Mor’, it is a great little place, nice shops, good chips and they have just reclaimed millions of tons of sand to make a perfect beach. Full marks for effort Rhos…
thank you Mr Williams.
“Taking over”!!!! What cheek you have. The English have been “taking over” for long enough. Time we DID take over and run our own country like most other countries in the world do.
Did you protest at the cost of changing the Second Severn Crossing to the Prince of Wales Bridge?
No because I have a day job. But yes, that was a waste of money. The issue is transparency. When we have the environmental and environmental costs of both we can “decide” on the cost benefit.
and if the whole rebranding exercise costs say 100-200K plus the environmental costs on top then I think that money might be better spent on subsidising housing for Welsh speaking locals in the small number of localities in the west where Welsh is still spoken by the community (Llanddeusant / Myddfai / Capel Gwynfe).
“Has the authority calculated the environmental (and monetary) cost of changing all the signs, webpage, letterhead etc?”
Good point, contact Westminster immediately- halt the royal rebrand – coins, notes, signs, webpages, letterheads, costumes, flags etc etc etc. otherwise it will cost billions.
I assume those working for the BBC will be doing the coronation coverage for free.
Cui bono indeed!
absolutely
Resources (financial and environmental) are limited.
No need for us Welsh to emulate the folly, vanity or waste of others……
Don’t despair I’ve just realised the rebrand will not only be be cost effective but will reduce costs.
At the moment all those leaflets letterheads signs etc have both “Brecon Beacons” and “Bannau Brycheiniog” on them. In the future they’ll only have “Bannau Brycheiniog” on them .
Savings on printer ink, paint, paper etc. You can rest easy.
You should go and comment on WalesOnline where there are loads of other ignorant, inadequate and anti-Welsh/Wales contributing trolls.
Nationalism is Liberalism’s highest expression. Modern liberals forget liberalism’s founding values created nation-state.s. Above all identities, we are Welsh. Taking back our places names is part of the process of reunifying the Welsh people. under 1 banner.
F A O Of Antony Chapel after reading your comments i have come to a conclusion you are either English or more likely a Cymru QUISLING
“Ban-eye Bruck-ein-iog” – rili? Dim fel ‘na fi’n gweud e.
Yeah, another British king passed off as being Irish. Even though his entitlement to The place that would bare his name originally belonged to his father, who himself took land in Ireland, where Brychan was indeed born. This is the major factor as to why you never had A Strong British resistance to his control over the area. Add him to the list that are either passed of as Irish, Or English.