Glandŵr Cymru, the Canal & River Trust in Wales, has published a free guide to ‘Places to Visit in Wales’, with maps, information about visitor facilities and free activities, and ways to get the most out of visiting Welsh canals and rivers this summer.
Last year over 10 million people visited the charity’s 2,000-mile network of canals and rivers to enjoy walking, cycling, running, boat trips, fishing, wildlife spotting, feeding ducks, watching boats go through locks, paddleboarding, visiting a museum, enjoying food and drink at a canalside café or pub, and marvelling at some of the world’s finest examples of working industrial heritage.
Ben Cottam, Glandŵr Cymru’s director for Wales, says: “Glandŵr Cymru is the charity that cares for 75 miles of canals in Wales, providing free to visit outdoor open spaces, and the chance to connect with nature and rich canal history.
“From walking, cycling, running, fishing, wildlife spotting, feeding ducks and watching boats go through locks, to boating, paddleboarding and enjoying food and drink at a canalside café or pub, every year millions of visits are made to our waterways to be active, relax and to enjoy the scenic landscapes our canals offer.
“Our canals provide free and low-cost family-friendly days out by the water, and the chance to have some fabulous waterside experiences this summer. Even in urban areas, people can spot a variety of birds, animals, insects and plants along our canals. And from locks and bridges, to tunnels and aqueducts, there are hundreds of historic structures to marvel at.
“We want to encourage more people to visit our canals and rivers so they can experience the physical and mental health and wellbeing benefits of spending time by water, and find out more about the work of our charity to care for the historic canals in Wales.”
Glandŵr Cymru’s ‘Places to Visit in Wales’ guide provides information on the following locations:
Brecon Basin, Powys LD3 7EW
Brecon Basin on the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal is a great place to spend time by the water. Much of the canal, which follows the line of the wooded Usk Valley, runs through the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park. Visitors to Brecon Basin can take a stroll along the towpath to see the historic lime kilns, take a boat trip, cycle along a stretch of the Taff Trail along the towpath to Brynich Lock (2.2 miles/3.5 kilometres) and follow the poetry trail from Theatr Brycheiniog into the town centre.
Goytre Wharf, Llanover, Monmouthshire, NP7 9EW
Once a busy place processing limestone from the mountains in the limekilns, today Goytre Wharf near Abergavenny is a great starting point for exploring the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal. Visitors can hire a canoe or canal boat, enjoy a 1.7 mile (2.7 kilometre) circular walk passing through woodland alongside the canal, explore the wharf and old lime kilns and visit nearby Blaenavon World Heritage Site to find out more about the industrial history of the area.
Chirk Aqueduct, Wrexham LL14 5DG
Part of the 11-mile stretch of the Llangollen Canal designated at UNESCO World Heritage site, Chirk Aqueduct crosses the Wales-England border. Visitors can take a stroll across the Aqueduct, which carries the canal 21ft (70 metres) high above the River Ceiriog, take a walk along the river path and look up at Chirk Viaduct which runs alongside Chirk Aqueduct, walk through Chirk Tunnel and visit the National Trust’s Chirk Castle nearby.
Llangollen LL20 8RT
The beautiful Llangollen Canal twists its way through the Welsh Hills and Dee Valley to the pretty town of Llangollen, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site that stretches from Gledrid to the Horseshoe Falls. Visitors to Llangollen can take a horsedrawn boat trip along the canal, stroll along the towpath to the Horseshoe Falls, visit the Llangollen Museum and take a look at the steam railway, the only standard gauge railway in North Wales.
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, Queen Street LL14 3SG
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct carries the Llangollen Canal 127ft (39 metres) high above the River Dee. This spectacular feat of engineering designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the longest aqueduct in Great Britain and the highest aqueduct that you can still take boats across in the world. Visitors can take a stroll or a boat trip across the aqueduct, discover how engineers solved the problem of a ‘canal in the sky’ in Glandŵr Cymru’s visitor centre and cycle along the towpath to Llangollen (4 miles/6.4 kilometres) or to Chirk Aqueduct (4 miles/6.4 kilometres).
Welshpool SY21 7DG
The Montgomery Canal is one of the most important canals in Wales for nature and brings wildlife right into the heart of Welshpool. Visitors to Welshpool can find out more about the canal in Powysland Museum, see the old stone wharf where lime and other goods were once off-loaded, take a trip on the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway, cycle along the towpath to the nature reserve and visit the National Trust’s Powys Castle & Gardens.
Glandŵr Cymru’s ‘Places to Visit in Wales’ guide is available to download at www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/free-guide
