Neath Canals
This is an easy walk in the Vale of Neath, following the Neath Canal and back along the Tennant Canal.
The river Neath is known to have been navigable to Neath town bridge for sea going ships since Roman times. The Neath canal was preceded by several smaller canals connecting industrial sites to the river. In 1790 it was decided that a canal from Pontneddfechan to Neath would be of public benefit. Construction started in 1791, one of the building contractors was imprisoned over financial irregularities in 1794, and it was completed in 1795. For the first 60 years of its existence the canal prospered and in 1845 a £100 share was worth £350. As much as 200,000 tons of coal was carried annually, as well as iron, ironstone, fire/clay bricks, silica, lime, gunpowder and building stone. The opening of the Neath and Swansea junction canal (Tennant canal) in 1824 led to traffic being diverted, as Swansea had better shipping facilities. When the Vale of Neath railway opened in 1851, canal trade dwindled and in the 20th century the canal closed. It was maintained for the supply of water to industry, but navigational structures (locks) were abandoned and became derelict.
Restoration began in 1974 with the formation of The Neath and Tennant Canals Trust. Both canals are owned by private companies who have lost their income from selling water so there is little money for maintenance, and they are wary of others working on the canals because of insurance liabilities. The Trust is limited to work approved by the canal owners which is often just litter picking. They want to see a master plan created which would preserve the canals and promote them for well-being and tourism.
It was a wet day and we set off in full waterproof gear. As we began our walk along the Neath canal, we puzzled over what looked like a dog’s kennel on the opposite bank of the canal – a cheap duck’s house? Then we walked past a huge gas depot – every type of canister and gas you could imagine.
South of Tonna is the Neath canal Depot where there was a smithy, workshop, wood seasoning shed and sawpit as well as the lock keeper’s cottage and stables. In its heyday it would have been extremely busy with lock gates being built and repaired, boats maintained and horses which towed the barges being cared for. Some of the buildings are still standing. The man living in the cottage obviously has a sense of humour as there were several figures on the land past the house including skeletons and large cats sprawling on tree stumps. Ducks and geese swam peacefully on the canal.
Soon we arrived at the 13th century, church of St Illtyd. The last time we walked here we saw a bride arriving at the church by barge. Sadly, this would be impossible now as the canal is overgrown and not navigable.
The present St Illtyd church is built on the site of a much older church and probably the location of a hermit’s refuge. The tower of the church is Norman but the actual church dates to the time of St Illtyd, centuries before the Norman conquest. St Illtyd’s was the parish church for nearby Neath until the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII. The present church was rebuilt in 1859. CADW restored it in 2005/6, the final part of the restoration being to paint the outside of the church white with a solution of lime and tallow just as they did in the Middle Ages.
At Tonna we saw the river Neath. The canal passed through several tunnels, and we walked along what felt like narrow paths at its side. One of the tunnels was quite long so very dark on this cloudy day. Another had an ornate metal bridge over it and fascinating reflections of the ceiling and sides in the water.
After this our path became narrower until we came to an area where there were several small bridges across the canal, a rusted-out barge, and some derelict locks. Here we crossed to the Tennant canal. We planned to lunch here, but the pool was overgrown and the ground wet. Someone explored and we went to a small beach on the river Neath with an excellent view of the Aberdulais aqueduct, viaduct and lockhouse. The river was full, and we watched the water swirling around the arches and the weir as we ate. In 2020 Storm Dennis damaged the aqueduct overwhelming the low arches but the Inlands Waterways Association with the help of the Neath and Tennant Canals Trust formulated a plan in 2021 to save the aqueduct.
The weather was a bit brighter now and the remainder of the walk was delightful with reflections of trees in the canal and leafy walkways.
Walk 6m 170ft. Map OS165
