THE MONMOUTHSHIRE & BRECON CANAL

Here's a little more information about the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal....

• Built between 1797 and 1812, The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal, also known affectionately as ‘The Mon & Brec’, was originally two separate canals, The Monmouthshire Canal and The Brecon & Abergavenny Canal. The Monmouthshire Canal ran from Pontymoile, just outside Pontypool, to Newport and The Brecon and Abergavenny Canal ran from Brecon to a junction with The Monmouthshire Canal at Pontymoile.

  Together the two canals formed the motorway of the industrial revolution carrying agricultural produce to market and connecting with nearly 200 miles of horsedrawn tramroad to carry coal, limestone, iron ore and coal, for example iron ore from Bleanavon Ironworks and coal from the Rhymney Valley. The limestone was burned in the lime kilns along The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal to produce lime for agriculture and building, many of these lime kilns can still be seen along The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal today. Ironically the iron ore carried along The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal was then transported around Britain, via Newport docks, and was used to provide rails for the transport system that eventually meant the end of the canals.

   

  

This drawing, courtesy of Michael Blackmore, shows Gilwern Wharf, where our hire base is situated on The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal, circa 1830.

Set in some of the most beautiful scenery in Britain, The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal was reopened in 1970. The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal lies almost wholly within the Brecon Beacons National Park and hugs the mountainside above the valley of the River Usk for much of its length. For 23 of its 33 miles The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal is lock free, one of the longest lock free stretches in the inland waterway system.

Along The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal there are superb views across fields and valleys with mountains near and far. With every bend in The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal there is a change of scene as wooded banks give way to open views across valleys to mountain peaks. Almost throughout The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal the rural character remains, though never far from civilisation there is an abundance of wildlife including ducks, moorhens, herons and kingfishers to name but a few. The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal is beautiful in all seasons and we look forward to sharing it with you.

You can find more information about the history of the canal from ‘The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal’ guide written by John Norris, which is included in the cost of your holiday.