Chomp on the wrong sort of mushroom in the Welsh hills and you could end up tripping like a hippy or heading for an early grave.

So I was glad that Dan Butler, a man who knows his 'shrooms, was in charge as we threaded our way through the misty Brecon Beacons on a Fungi Foray.

Although the later months of the year normally see the sprouting of delicious wild varieties such as porcini and chanterelles, even Dan found little that made for classy eating, as the autumn weather had been unusually mild.

However, Lee Evans - the Michelin-starred chef at Peterstone Court, off the A40 a few miles from Brecon - had stocked up just in case, so we got to taste sumptuous shaggy inkcap and truffle soup, and porcini risotto with a gourmet meal after our exertions.

Most visitors are likely to be more interested in the wide range of activities on offer to those who enjoy the great outdoors.

This is a great area for hiking, cycling, windsurfing (on Llangors lake), birdwatching (it's not dubbed Kite Country for nothing), canalboating, horseriding, golf, gliding, potholing, climbing and canoeing.

It's also a top spot for fishing - if you're lucky, you'll hook wild brown trout, salmon, perch or pike. Anglers can get up to date information from the Environment Agency's Rivercall line in Wales, on 0906 619 7755.

Although the slopes of Pen y Fan are well known to many hikers, the National Parks authorities have ensured that you don't have to be a fitness freak to enjoy the landscape.

The Taff Trail cycle route is suitable for anyone who can pedal, while many of the park's clearly-signed walks are designed for children and those who just want to amble.

One nifty feature is that several trails are labelled according to how many calories you're going to burn on the way.

And if you stay at Peterstone Court, which is to be found in a quiet lane (actually, I defy anyone to find a lane in the Brecons that isn't on the quiet side) leading to the village of Llanhamlach, the calories are likely to pile up.

That is, unless the likes of hot smoked duck breast with caramelised chicory, or roast rump of Welsh lamb with sun-blushed tomato and basil mash don't appeal, for some obscure reason.

The hotel, a sumptuous country house which dates from 1741 and has an outdoor swimming pool for those who like their exercise to be 'bracing', offers diners the likes of Black Mountain salmon and meats from its own farm, seven miles away.

In its converted wine cellars, there's a gym and spa treatment centre, offering all manner of pampering for male and female alike, from eyebrow tidying to Oriental 'paradise days'.

I ended up being cajoled into trying a Manao hot poultice treatment for men, which left me feeling limbered up and fragrant - just the thing for easing away niggles if you've been out plodding about in anorak and hiking boots.

Brecon and surrounding towns are successfully branding themselves as part of Britain's gourmet network, so you'll find not only regular farmers' markets but also several food festivals in the next few months.

And at the end of the day, the lack of 'sky glow' in the Brecons means it's possible to do some excellent stargazing, if astronomy is your thing.

There is, of course, plenty of accommodation pitched at budget travellers. Bunkhouses make for a handy option for groups who want a bit of freedom. They usually offer better washing, drying and equipment storage facilities than guesthouses or holiday cottages.

GETTING THERE FROM OXFORD The A40 goes to Brecon direct, but it's slow. The alternative is to travel down the M4 to Junction 24 and then head north.