The 'Mon & Brec' is
considered by many to be the most scenic waterway of all.
In its thirty-three mile meander through seven
villages to Brecon the 'Mon & Brec' rises only sixty feet through six locks,
remarkable considering the mountainous terrain. It follows the
valley of the River Usk, though the canal is often perched far up
the hillside with views of the river far below. Nearly all of its
route lies within the Brecon Beacons National Park, an area noted
for its often spectacular scenery, excellent for walking or general
exploration.
Above Gilwern
the canal passes through a village every four miles (useful for
supplies or pubs). Its route is high on the hillside above the
river, winding through wooded hillsides until five locks in a
tranquil sylvan setting lift it fifty feet higher up the valley.
Some spectacular views, a tunnel and lifting bridges follow until
the Brecon Beacons can be seen to the west rising to three thousand
feet, with the Black Mountains to the East. At Brynach the canal
crosses the Usk on a substantial four-arched aqueduct before rising
through one last lock to the level that leads into the old
market-town of Brecon where a large basin provides excellent
moorings.
Below Gilwern
the canal maintains a level high on the side of the hills, at times
making horse-shoe bends and passing on aqueducts over rushing
mountain streams. For a time the River Usk is closer to the canal,
its course through Abergavenny visible far below. The villages are
away from the canal, and the general impression is one of remote
peacefulness. |
