Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
bracken and foxgloves are a stone warehouse used by Country Craft Narrowboats, a Canal &
River Trust depot, a picnic area and a wooden roller next to the Afon Crawnon Aqueduct for
removing the drain plug.
The Coach & Horses Tavern is noted for its fine French cuisine and dining tables are often
placed placed on the bank above the canal, 100m before the last lock.
The canal is crossed by the B4560 at Coed- Yr-Ynys, the road then crossing the river at
Llangynidr bridge, a 17th century Grade II structure with six arches divided by triangular cut-
waters and pedestrian refuges.
Although the higher mountains have been to the south, a few of the hills on the opposite
side of the valley have been prominent, including Allt yr Esgair, Buckland Hill and now
Myarth. Further to the east are 701m Pen Cerrig-calch, with Table Mountain slipping off its
edge, and the conically shaped 596m Sugar Loaf beyond Crickhowell, the southern edge of
the Black Mountains. Myarth has a standing stone at each end and conspicuously out-of-place
Italianate towers in orange brick at Gliffaes.
Crickhowell, with its 18th and 19th century houses, is reached via a medieval 13-arched
stone bridge over the river, guarded by the Norman Ailsby's Castle. This was destroyed in the
15th century except for the motte, bailey, curtain wall and small tower, which partly survive.
The 14th century church has stained glass and other local features include the Porth Mawr
gatehouse and a burial chamber. The town was formerly a centre for Welsh flannel produc-
tion.
There is another standing stone across the river by Cwrt y Gollen army camp, from where
the noise of rapid gunfire might be heard.
The Bridgend Inn and Navigation Inn stand at opposite sides of the canal beyond the Gil-
wern Aqueduct, which clears the River Clydach in a single arch. Gilwern had two tramroads,
one passing under the canal and along the Clydach valley, to bring down coal from the Val-
leys and pig-iron from the Clydach gorge ironworks to Gilwern Wharf, now a picnic site. A
sign points up the hillside to the Lion Hotel, in the direction of the A465 Heads of the Valleys
Road, which now comes alongside for a noisy kilometre until it crosses and moves away. An
aerial on Gilwern Hill acts as a landmark but from close up it is hidden by the trees.
An oblique, disused railway bridge at Govilon has been an opportunity for the bricklayers
to demonstrate their skill with heavily skewed courses. It now carries a Sustrans cycleway.
Govilon Wharf formerly had an ironworks, limekilns and tramway. Now it is the home of
Govilon Boat Club, the first inland cruising club in the country, dating from 1963.
