Brecon to Llangynidr
Today was to be the start of our walking the entire Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal. We drove to Talybont-on-Usk and stopped at the first pub we came to, the Travellers’ Rest. There we arranged for my bicycle to be looked after, promising to eat there at lunchtime. Then we drove to Brecon, parked in the pay and display car park by the basin (50p for six hours - should be enough time), and started to walk back to the Travellers’ Rest. It was 1050 when we set off. We had excellent weather - mostly unbroken sunshine - and thoroughly enjoyed our walk. I took lots of photographs - too many, really - and this slowed us down a bit. No, a lot! We had reckoned on six miles from Brecon to the Travellers' Rest, which should take no more than two and a half hours. I had calculated the distance by counting the mile markers on the Nicholson guide. So the fact that it had omitted one, between Pencelli and Talybont-on-Usk, meant that our walk was actually seven miles. At 1310 I decided to run the last half mile, just to make sure that they wouldn’t give up on us and stop serving food. It was OK: we had our lunch (I was ravenous) and had a good rest. I had a good pint of “The Rev. James” (and so it should have been, for £3.00!)
Theatre Basin, Brecon
Dadford Bridge 167
Gas Works Bridge 166
canalside buildings, Brecon (former stables?)
Watton Bridge 165
three ducklings in a row (and parent)
A40 road bridge 164A
Cyclists Dismount by Brynich Bridge 164
Brynich Bridge 164
Brynich Lock
"Vaila" and Cefn Brynich Bridge 163
Brynich Aqueduct over the Usk
someone's pulled the plug out
Turn Bridge 162 from the west
Turn Bridge 162 from the east
Bell Ear Bridge 161 from the west
Bell Ear Bridge 161 from the east
Bell Ear Bridge with boat!
smiley tree
Ty Newydd Upper Bridge 160
Ty Newydd Lower Bridge 159 from the north
Ty Newydd Lower Bridge 159 from the north (closer!)
Ty Newydd Lower Bridge 159 from the south
"Dragon's Tail" - anyone know what boat this is?
Dragon's Tail - another view
Storehouse Bridge 158
does what it says on the tin, I suppose. Came across this while photographing the aqueduct over Nant Monasgin
same boundary post, standing about 18 inches high
aqueduct over Nant Monasgin
winch support for drain plug? (see 13th photo from top)
Llanbrynean Bridge 157
Low Bridge 156 from the west
Low Bridge 156 from the east
Pencelli Court Lift Bridge 155
Pencelli Bridge 154
Cross Keys Bridge 153
Castle Bridge 152
weight restriction sign - some bridges still have these; many have just the posts and no diamond
Penawr Bridge 151
Penawr Lift Bridge 150
Gethinog Lift Bridge 149
Cross Oak Lift Bridge 148
Cross Oak Bridge 147
metal design on house in above photo
Chilson Bridge 146
Chilson Bridge 146
Beniah Bridge 145
Talybont Lift Bridge 144
aqueduct over Usk tributary
White Hart Bridge 143
old railway bridge with bridge 143 behind
pipe bridge, Talybont-on-Usk
limekilns, Talybont-on-Usk
After lunch I cycled back along the towpath, into the wind, to Brecon. Into the car with the bike, and on to Llangynidr, to where Jan would start walking by herself. By the time I got there in the car, Jan had arrived, so I cycled along the towpath to Talybont-on-Usk and back to Llangynidr, so I wouldn’t have missed out on any of the canal. Above Llangnidr Locks stop planks had been inserted: full depth channel to the west, a puny stream to the east. But the amazing thing was that the actual difference in water level was only the width of two stop planks, or about 18 inches! Is this canal known for its shallowness? When I got to the car Jan was sitting inside, having taken tea in the pub (£1.50 bought a pot and extra hot water, enough for a small army, apparently). Total canal mileage just over ten (and six locks).
Ashford Tunnel (north portal)
Ashford Tunnel horse path over the top
Ashford Tunnel south portal
the difference between a full canal and a wet ditch...
...can be as little as two stop planks or 18 inches
Wenault Upper Bridge 141
Wenault Lower Bridge 140
Snake Bridge (no number given)
Llandetty Bridge 139
Parsons Bridge 138
Dan-y-Graig Bridge 137
Workhouse Bridge 136
a lovely welcome to Llangynidr Locks, with Tofts Lock Bridge 135
another Great Western Railway post at Llangynidr top lock
Coombes Lock Bridge 134
BW allowed a little individuality here - what a wonderful gate
now, did bridge 117 have a number? See later photo!
ground paddle, Llangynidr Locks
Coach and Horses Bridge 133
Lower Lock Bridge 132 and Llangynidr bottom (lower?) lock
We left the car park of the Coach and Horses, our Llangynidr base, at 1800. We drove to Llanfoist, a couple of miles beyond our cottage, where we got an Indian takeaway. While we waited for that, I walked to Waitrose, a few hundred yards further on, and bought some beer. Back to the cottage for a very fine meal. And bed!
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