Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal

Our journey along the 35 mile long Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal took on a different pace from the previous three and a half months. This peaceful waterway was built as an industrial corridor for lime, limestone, timber, coal and iron. In its 19th century heyday, it was supported by horse-drawn tramroads that were used to bring raw materials from the hillsides.

Our canal boat was supposedly meant to travel along at 2 miles per hour however this was the average speed that we have been walking over the past few months and I can tell you that the boat was much slower than this! However, this made for a relaxing journey through the gorgeous countryside of the Brecon Beacons National Park.

Our journey took us from the town of Brecon to just beyond Goytre Wharf with lots of lovely little villages and towns along the way. The canal included a number of locks, drawbridges and the 343 metre long Ashford Tunnel which we had to tackle along the way.

Here are some photos of our journey along the canal:

Greg at the tiller

Looking back along the boat

Bell Ear Bridge (Bridge 161)

Waiting for the lock to fill or empty

Coming through a drawbridge

Open Drawbridge

Waiting for the lock to empty

Exiting the lock

Travelling through the Ashford Tunnel

Crickhowell Bridge over the river Usk

The Bear Hotel in Crickhowell

Brecon Beacons countryside

Pen-Pedair Heol Marina

Only the parapets remain of bridge 108

Dan-y-Graig Bridge (Bridge 107)

St Elli's Church yard, Llanelly 

The village of Gilwern as viewed from St Elli's Churchyard, Llanelly

Old yew trees and graves in St Elli's Church yard, LLanelley

View of the valley from Llanelly

Cruising along the canal

Wharfinger’s Cottage at Llanfoist Wharf 

Views of the countryside

Govilon Wharf