All walks › Bannau Brycheiniog: Central Beacons
Bannau Brycheiniog: Central BeaconsThe Mon and Brec Canal from Brecon
Level towpath out of Brecon towards Pencelli, with the northern escarpment of the Bannau in view the whole way.
- Distance
- 3.4 mi / 5.5 km
- Time
- 1 hr 45
- Ascent
- 40 m
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Shape
- There and back
Where it is
The circle shows the general area, not the exact start. Use the directions link below to get to the car park itself. Contours and paths shown are OpenTopoMap, drawn from OpenStreetMap data.
The route
Follow the towpath south-east from the basin for as long as it holds your interest and return. Flat and surfaced throughout.
Worth knowing
- Fully accessible and one of the best flat walks in the national park.
- The canal runs for thirty-five miles to Pontypool, entirely within the park for much of it.
- Pencelli has a good pub at the four-mile mark.
What you’ll see
The canal and its bridges, the Usk valley, and Pen y Fan and the escarpment north.
Background
The canal opened in 1800 to carry lime and coal, and is the only British canal to lie almost entirely within a national park.