Canal walks for the Brecon Canal 225th anniversary

There's something to see every step of the way along the canal, from heritage that has featured as part of the landscape for over two centuries to stunning nature and wildlife that call the canal home.

Anywhere along the Mon & Brec you can head out onto the towpath and feel the benefits of spending time by the water.

If you are looking for some ideas for walks then why not try out some of our step-by-step guides and discover more about the section of the canal that's celebrating its 225th anniversary in 2025, from Gilwern to Brecon.

Picnic sites

Enjoy a spot of lunch, or sit and enjoy the peace and quite alongside the canal, at one of our picnic sites along the towpath.

There are a number of picnic sites along the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal where you can spend time, many of which that are in locations steeped in history or in places that are ideal to watch boats go by or to try and spot the special wildlife that lives on the canal.

Llangattock

The picnic site at Llangattock sits on top of a Grade II* listed limekiln. It offers a scenic experience with views of the canal and surrounding landscape.

The benches here were designed to reflect how a tram car would have looked, as these were used to get the raw materials to site by running across the top of the kilns where the benches now sit.

Gilwern

With the help of Monmouthshire County Council’s access improvement scheme, in April 2025 the picnic area at Gilwern was upgraded to include pathway improvements and an upgraded wheelchair-friendly picnic area.

The improvements were made as part of the 225th anniversary celebrations of the Brecon Canal with construction of the waterway starting near Gilwern in 1796.