SHORT BREAK
GOYTRE TO TALYBONT
3/4 nights, lock free (if you choose), 2 locks (turn at Llangynidr) or 10 locks (Talybont)
The waterway is set entirely within the Brecon Beacons National Park . It has one of the longest lock - free stretches of water in the country and for much of its length it runs parallel with the splendid River Usk. This, together with facilities that have grown with the tourist area allows for numerous other activities such as walking, pony-trekking, fishing, cycling, caving and exploration of the historical land-marks.
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‘Goytre' means a ‘place in the woods' and if you arrive early for your boat you can enjoy the surroundings and relax into a holiday mood before even collecting your boat. The wharf and associated buildings were once used in supplying coal to the nearby Goytre Estate, the Heritage Centre now preserving that history together with woodland walks, a play area, cafe and picnic area.
2½ hours cruising on your first afternoon will take you to the village of Llanfoist and your evening mooring. If you want to eat out a brisk walk (for the more energetic) or a taxi ride will take you to Abergavenny, where you may also wish to stock up the following morning with a supermarket just 20 minutes walk from the canal.
The scenery is fantastic as you meander through the delightful countryside, the hillsides on your left with pasture and arable land falling away to the right. The area is a walkers paradise so you may be keen to spend as much time exploring away from the canal as on the boat. The towpath is well-maintained, with paths and country lanes leading to the hills – though sometimes the hills rise almost vertically from the canalside!
As the Vale of Usk becomes narrower to your right, you will be treated to a blaze of rhododendron bushes that line the bank at Llangattock Park in early summer. Here you may want to stop for lunch, perhaps walking across the medieval 13-arch stone bridge over the River Usk to the town of Crickhowell .
Your first lock is at Llangynidr, and here you soon realise that locking can be fun and they can be so easy to operate. If you have decided on a ‘lock free' itinerary you will turn below the lock and on a 3-night break you will turn here anyway, but you may wish to go through the lock and turn above it – just for the experience!
5 locks in total, in the most perfect setting take you on towards Talybont and, as you travel farther north towards Brecon, the wild beauty of the moors and the ruggedness of the Beacons themselves are this area's crowning glory.
The easy cruising, plentiful villages and good moorings will make your return trip easy to plan as you will probably have spotted suitable evening moorings and places in need of ‘further exploration' on the way north.