Usk Valley Walk Guided Trail

Check-in at the hotel is available from 16:00. If you are a member you can arrive at the house from 14:00. Enjoy a complimentary cream tea at 16:30 and meet other guests.

We begin amid the ruins of the Roman fortress of Isca with impressive Roman Baths and amphitheatre, before crossing the ancient bridge over the tidal Usk to the official start of the trail. We pass through the Celtic Manor golf course, traverse Kemeys Graig through the western edge of the former Wentwood hunting forest, pass the mansion of Bertholey House and drop down into the valley near Newbridge on Usk. We ascend Cefn Hill for wonderful views of the Usk Valley, before returning to the Valley bottom at Llantrisant.

8 miles (13km) with 1,520 feet (463m) of ascent.

Llantrisant; from where we follow field paths and lanes to the small historic market town of Usk. From Usk we head upstream to Estavarney Estate, which was worked by Cistercian monks from Tintern Abbey during the 13th – 15th centuries. We cross the unusual Chain Bridge to the east bank of the river, passing below Coed y Bwnydd (topped by an Iron Age hill fort), by the imposing mansion of Bryn-derwen and through the National Trust’s Clytha Estate. After a short section of road, our route continues through riverside fields, with ever improving views of Skirrid Fawr, Sugar Loaf and Blorenge.

13 miles (21km) with 700 feet (200m) of ascent.

A day without any walks programmed, giving you the opportunity to explore the local area independently

Re-crossing the river brings us to Llanellen, where some of Cromwell’s soldiers are buried in the small churchyard. From Llanellen, we ascend to the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal and follow the towpath, passing Llanfoist Wharf, where Hill’s Tramroad, constructed in about 1825 from the ironworks at Blaenavon, comes around the side of Blorenge and down four inclined planes to join the canal. (To picture the scene as it was in the early 1800s, read Alexander Cordell’s novel “Rape of the Fair Country”). With Abergavenny and the River Usk below us we continue through Govilon to Gilwern, once the Canal Company headquarters and a busy tramroad terminus. The Usk Valley narrows and the scenery becomes more mountainous across to the Black Mountains. We continue to Llangattock wharf with its impressive lime kilns and tramroad terminus, and then walk down through the village and across the picture postcard bridge over the Usk, to finish our walk at Crickhowell.

13½ miles (21.5km) with 1,261 feet (384m) of ascent.

From Llangattock we enjoy views to Table Mountain and pick out Gwern Vale Manor, the birthplace of Sir George Everest, Surveyor General of India, whose name was given to the world’s highest mountain. Passing the quaint hamlet of Dardy, we ascend a steep track with views of the Llangattock Escarpment. We cross fields, looking down on the Glanusk estate and up the Rhiangoll Valley towards Mynydd Troed and Mynydd Llangorse. Another steep ascent brings us to one of the walk high points, about 1,000 feet above sea level, before we return to the canal, passing the medieval manor of Pen-y-bryn. The canal meanders along and on to the hamlet of Cwmcrawnon, with a flight of five locks. We continue on the tree-lined towpath to the 375 yard long Ashford Tunnel. There is no towpath through the tunnel and we walk over the top. In the days before powered boats, the horses would be led over the top and the boatman would lie on his back and “leg” the boat through the tunnel by pressing his feet against the roof. Our destination is Talybont-on-Usk, with its interesting canal artefacts and canal-side inns or tearoom.

11½ miles (18km) with 1,900 feet (600m) of ascent.

We are now in the Caerfanell Valley, crossing over the line of the former Brecon to Merthyr railway, before ascending on field paths to the edge of the Talybont Forest. We return to the canal towpath at Pencelli, and easy walking brings us to Brynich where a fourarched stone aqueduct, built by Thomas Dadford in 1797, takes the canal across the River Usk. The towpath crosses to the west bank at Brynich, where we also pass the last lock. Soon we are on the outskirts of Brecon and the canal ends in the attractive Theatre Basin. The canal is fed by water from the River Usk which flows through a culvert under the streets from a weir half a mile up river from the basin. The official route finishes in the town centre but a short walk to view the weir is worthwhile.

8½ miles (13.5km) with 1,000 feet (300m) of ascent.

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before making your way home.