The Monmouthshire and Brecon canal runs for 32 miles (51.5 km) through idyllic scenery in the Brecon Beacons National Park between Brecon and Pontypool and then on into Newport. Built between 1797 and 1812 the canal linked Brecon with Newport Docks. During the 1930s the canal fell into disuse but it has gradually been restored by the British Waterways Board. In 1970 the canal was reopened and it is now used for canoeing, fishing, walks along the towpath, and for canal boat holidays.
The canal network was the motorway of the Industrial Revolution carrying iron and other goods to the docks to start their journey around the world. A section of the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal passes through Blaenavon World Heritage Site, affording spectacular views and with numerous industrial landmarks along its route. For instance, the wharfs at Llanfoist and Govilon were leased by the Ironmasters and linked to Blaenavon by a complex network of tram roads and inclines. Meanwhile, the ironworks in the Clydach Gorge sent its iron along a tram road linked to the canal at Gilwern.
Goytre Wharf is a picturesque site possessing over 200 years of industrial heritage, including some magnificent lime kilns and tunnels under the canal. This is a great base from which to explore the eastern section of the World Heritage Site.
