Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
LIFE ON THE
canal
The
Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal
is one of the most picturesque in Britain
and follows the course of the River Usk
for much of its 32 miles. Walking or
cycling along the towpath is a rural
delight, and you can spot herons, king-
fishers, and buzzards. The canal starts in
Brecon and heads southeast to Aber-
gavenny and through or near other mar-
ket towns—Talybont, Llangynidr, and
Crickhowell.
Goytre Wharf
(
&
01873/
881069;
www.goytrewharf.com) at
Llanover, just south of Abergavenny, off
the A4042, combines a British Water-
ways Heritage Centre, aqueduct, shops,
cafe, bar, children's play areas, wood-
land walk, canoe rental, and holiday nar-
rowboat rental. At Llanfoist, just north
of Abergavenny,
Beacon Park
Boats
(
&
01873/858277;
www.beaconpark
boats.com) has luxury narrowboats for
short breaks and longer, heading toward
Brecon.
The Owl
canal boat has a four-
poster bed, log fire, and hot tub plus a
full-size rolltop bath.
18
at Welsh monuments), and you can walk freely along the river, and up into the sur-
rounding hills, to see it in its full glory. That's what Wordsworth did when he wrote
the poem
Composed A Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey
, and he knew a thing or two
about views. Admission is £3.60 for adults and £3.20 for children 5 to 16. It's open
March to May and October, daily 9:30am to 5pm; June to September, daily 9:30am
to 6pm; and November to February, Monday to Saturday 9:30am to 4pm, Sunday
11am to 4pm; closed at all other times.
Shopping
Abergavenny is market heaven (
&
01873/735811;
www.abergavennymarket.
co.uk): The Tuesday market has more than 200 stalls inside and outside the market
hall, heaped with local produce and much more. But there's also an indoor-only mar-
ket each Friday, a growing indoor/outdoor affair each Saturday, a big fleamarket each
Wednesday (an excellent place to find vinyl records and old comic books), an
antiques market, (3rd
Sun each month), and a crafts market (2nd Sat each month).
Apart from the high-street chains, visit
Rawlings,
19 Market St. (
&
01873/856773;
www.rawlingsbutchers.co.uk), which is the place for sausages. Try Farmhouse Pork
(voted best in Wales) or the hot, spicy Welsh Dragon.
M&D Cycles,
36b Frogmore
St. (
&
01873/854980;
www.mndcycles.co.uk) has cycles for hire.
Where to Eat & Stay
Llangoed Hall Hotel
This manor house dates back to 1632, and was
revamped by Edwardian architect Clough Williams-Ellis into a grand country house
in 1919. Its setting in the Wye Valley, overlooking the Black Mountains, is entrancing.
The bedrooms, all very different, have a wealth of antiques and fine fabrics, eight
with four-poster beds. Activities on the grounds include fly fishing, clay-pigeon shoot-
ing, and croquet, and there's a snooker table in the library. The
restaurant
is a divine
space in pale blue, serving Welsh Black beef and Radnorshire lamb with vegetables
from the gardens.
Llyswen, Brecon, Powys LD3 0YP. www.llangoedhall.com.
&
01874/754525.
Fax 01874/754545. 23
units. £210-£350 double; £385-£400 suite. Rates include breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. On the A470, 2 miles
northwest of Llyswen.
Amenities:
Restaurant; room service.
In room:
TV, hair dryer.
