Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal
The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal is one of the most scenically beautiful canal routes in Britain, running for 35 miles through the heart of the Brecon Beacons National Park from Brecon in the north to Pontypool in the south. The canal was built between 1797 and 1812 to transport coal, limestone and iron from the Welsh valleys to Newport and the Bristol Channel, and is now operated as a leisure waterway through a landscape of outstanding natural beauty. The towpath provides one of the finest long-distance walking and cycling routes in Wales, following the contours of the hillsides above the Usk valley through scenery ranging from industrial heritage at the southern end to the serene mountain landscapes of the central Beacons. Narrowboats can be hired from several bases along the canal for holidays in this spectacular setting, and the combination of wildlife, heritage and mountain scenery makes the Mon and Brec Canal one of the most rewarding leisure waterway experiences in Britain.