All walks › Severn Valley and Newtown
Severn Valley and NewtownNewtown Canal and the Severn
The terminus of the Montgomery Canal and a riverside loop through the town where Robert Owen was born and the Chartists organised.
- Distance
- 3.7 mi / 6 km
- Time
- 1 hr 55
- Ascent
- 60 m
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Shape
- Circular
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 restored canal arm from the town, returning along the Severn through the riverside park. Flat throughout.
Worth knowing
- Robert Owen, the founder of the co-operative movement, was born and buried here; the museum is free.
- The canal terminus is being restored in stages by volunteers.
- The riverside park floods regularly and the paths can be muddy.
What you’ll see
The canal basin, the Severn, Robert Owen’s grave and the textile museum.
Background
Newtown was a woollen town and the birthplace of Robert Owen in 1771. The Chartist movement was strong here in the 1830s.