The Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal is one of the prettiest canals in the country. It winds its way around the edge of the Brecon Beacons from Brecon to Newport, through small villages, farmland, deciduous woodland and the World Heritage Site of Blaenavon. It was built in the early nineteenth century to transport coal, iron ore and limestone, which was brought by tram-road from the mountains. There is plenty of evidence of the importance of this canal in the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution.

Goytre Wharf, near Abergavenny, was once a busy site where limekilns processed the limestone brought down from the mountains, and the boats transported the finished product. Now it’s a fantastic place to explore local history and discover the wildlife living in the canal.

Workshops

KS1 KS2 Local History: All About the Monmouth & Brecon Canal

This workshop looks at how and why the canal was built over 200 years ago and the main cargoes that were carried by boat. Find out about some of the problems our engineers face today when looking after the canal.

KS1 KS2 Bridge Building

Along the length of the canal there are many arched stone bridges (and a tunnel!). In this workshop children will find out why an arch is a good strong shape for a bridge, and they will work in teams to build some bridges of their own.

KS1 KS2 Habitats: Pond Dipping & Mini-beast Hunting

During the summer months our volunteers can take your class on a mini-beast hunt. Activities include bug hunting, exploring the hedgerows and investigating the creatures that live in the canal.

Learning Resources

Use the following resources to support learning on your trip and back in the classroom:

All About Canals

Life on the English Waterways

Canal & River Habitats Learning Bundle

Facilities

Café. Coaches need to park in the pay & display car park.

Price

Visits to Goytre Wharf are FREE!