The Usk Valley Walk
THE USK VALLEY WALK
A couple of months ago Isobel and I were camping in Pencelli a lovely little village Southeast of Brecon. One day we walked down the canal to Talybont on Usk and we came across signs for the Usk Valley Walk (UVW). When we came back to Wenvoe I did some research and found that the UVW stetches fifty miles from Caerleon, on the outskirts of Newport, to Brecon. The route follows the river Usk the whole way, but the path is very varied on the journey. The word Usk is derived from old English for “abounding in fish”. I found a couple of good friends and we decided to walk the UVW over three days in May.
The great thing about the Usk Valley is that, unlike most of the valleys in South Wales it escaped the ravages of the Industrial Revolution which saw coal mines and iron works introduced between Carmarthen and Newport. Instead, the Usk retains its natural course flowing down from Fan Foel on the north side of the Black Mountain into the Usk Reservoir before carrying on through Brecon. Below Crickhowell the river crosses from Powys into Gwent. From Abergavenny it meanders past small hamlets and villages before reaching the delightful market town of Usk, then Caerleon and the former Roman fortress of Isca before entering the Severn estuary at Newport. The Usk is a famous fishing river and both salmon and trout can be caught. It is said to be one of the top ten fly fishing rivers in the United Kingdom.
The normal direction of travel for hikers is from Caerleon to Brecon and so we caught the 07.45 train from Cardiff to Newport and then took a taxi the short distance to Caerleon. The gods were not smiling on us as we set off in rain towards the very well-kept Celtic Manor golf course, and we soon became lost, but a green keeper riding a large mower quickly put us back on track. After a muddy slog through Wentwood along a forestry track we emerged to see the very grand Bertholey house in front of us. This is a rebuilt Georgian mansion with impressive views across and along the valley. It was built around 1830 and destroyed by a fire started accidentally by a drunken guest. Winding downhill past magnificent wrought iron gates we came upon the M50 dual carriageway that had been the cause of traffic noise all morning. The route now led off uphill past blue fields of linseed, and then of wheat where a young deer sprang up in front of us and darted away.
On this first afternoon we had the pleasure of walking the banks of the river for hours. We saw very many ducks with their sweet ducklings. Nature gives ducklings a marvellous mottled plumage with colours that match the riverbank so they can avoid predators. There were many swans and some geese. A little further on we saw a fisherman with a fish on his line and we sat on the opposite bank to watch him slowly reel a trout into his net. It was a bit of a struggle for him in his waders, but he appreciated our applause when he succeeded and doffed his hat to us in return.
We arrived footsore at Usk in the mid-afternoon, the sun was high, and we were dying for a cool pint of beer. Happily, the historic Three Salmons hotel was open, and we were able to sit with our drinks in the cool and shady garden. We had booked accommodation in the Castle Inn close by, but it did not open until later so like schoolboys we set off to explore Usk and its castle. The Castle Inn was first class. We were given three good rooms each very well furnished and equipped, and a breakfast thrown in for £60, which is the best value I have seen for many years. The bar was full of locals, which is always a good sign, and we ate supper in the restaurant which was excellent.
The next morning, we were soon crossing the bridge to continue up the west side of the river passing the campus of Coleg Gwent. The sight of the Chain Bridge was familiar, and I knew that there was a popular inn on the other side. It was looking like rain so we asked if they could serve us coffee? The place was not open, but the publican kindly stepped up and served us good coffee which we enjoyed outside as our boots were muddy. Then it was waterproofs on and along the riverbank again towards Clytha Park and the elegant Pant y Goitre bridge where we found a very well-equipped fisherman who had travelled from Twickenham to fish this stretch of the river. After a few more miles we came to an unusual and private cable bridge which allows pedestrians to cross from the impressive Llanover estate. This was once home to Sir Benjamin Hall of Big Ben fame (it is said to have been named after him) and his wife Lady Llanover who wrote a noted cookbook on Welsh food. Llanover was also the birthplace of Penelope Fillon, wife of the recent prime minister of France.
On this second afternoon we were getting tired as we left the river for the first time and climbed up through the modern housing estates of Llanellen to reach the tranquil canal. In 1812 two canals had been joined to create the Monmouthshire and Brecon canal. This waterway brought iron ore from the south as well as limestone and coal to the towns and villages on the upper reaches. It was only thirty years later that the railways arrived and that started the decline of the canal, but it still runs for over thirty miles and provides lots of fun for canoeists and people who hire the many barges available. Walkers and cyclists can enjoy the flat and well-maintained towpath which runs alongside. We were able to cover the miles faster now and soon we were passing the historic wharfs of Llanfoist and Govilon. At Llanfoist there is an incline that served Hill’s Tramroad, built in 1818. It linked the great ironworks at Blaenavon to some limestone quarries and then the canal. Reaching Govilon we were met by a friend in his car who kindly put us up for the night at his home in Crickhowell.
Our last day saw us being driven back to the canal at Govilon as early as we could because we knew that the last day was a long walk, and we were very keen to catch the T4 bus to Cardiff which was to depart Brecon at 16.29 pm. Soon after Govilon we came across the splendid sight of a giant redwood tree on the bank which measures twenty feet across at the base. This is correctly called a Wellingtonia, a native of California, which can live for over four hundred years. This particular tree is thought to be over one hundred years old.
As we passed Llangattock we came across the substantial limekilns beside the canal. These limekilns alongside the wharf were built in two or more stages and are listed Grade II. The oldest were built in 1815 by the Brecon Boat Company. There are seven chambers in total, making them the largest set of limekilns along the canal. Limestone reached the kilns in wagons which descended on inclined planes and a tramroad from quarries on the hillside behind.
At Llangynidr we marvelled at the three locks and tried to imagine the effort it took to make them before the days of JCBs and power tools. Shortly after the locks we saw a barge pass swiftly under a bridge, but it failed to turn and went into the bank at full speed. The result was that it was firmly wedged, not in the bank but in the mud at the side of the canal. No amount of revving the engine in reverse by the crew made any difference so we offered our help in dislodging the boat. Perhaps pride caused the man at the helm to turn down our offer, but in any case, we waited to see what they would do as the barge was now completely blocking the canal. After more futile attempts our offer of support was accepted, and we first tried to use poles to push it free. That did not work so we took a rope from the stern and the three of us pulled it backwards. After much huffing and puffing with the engine in full reverse the barge finally began to move, and soon it was able to move forward under its own power.
The canal ends at the attractive basin in lower Brecon, but we had no time to linger as there were just minutes to go before the bus was due. So, with weary legs we pounded our way to the bus interchange, without even time to stop and buy a drink in Morrisons. The T4 arrived on time and the rush had been worth it. We had walked for ten hours, with stops, and covered twenty miles, it was good to be sitting down at last.
Alun Davies