Discovering the canal at Cwmbran and Newport

Explore the Monmouthshire Canal between Newport and Cwmbran - an isolated section of waterway as yet devoid of boats, but full of interest for the towpath walker.

Start your exploration by catching the bus from Cwmbran Bus Station. Leave the bus at Barrack Hill: the stop is underneath new roads. Cross the road you have come down on the footbridge by the garage. At the far end peace returns and you turn right onto the towpath and away towards Brecon, but we're not going that far on this walk!

After Crindau Bridge the canal sweeps west as the M4 roars alongside. Turn right here at Malpas Junction under the motorway in a bleak concrete cavern: the Crumlin Branch continues straight ahead. At bridge 27, Bettws Lane Bridge, you have to cross the road as there is no towpath through. Beside here is a car parking area and the wide canal before the bridge is a popular area for fishing and model boats.

The canal is now climbing gently but steadily up the valley. The next road you encounter has been built right over the lower chamber of a two flight staircase, but there appears to be reasonable headroom for the lock itself. Above here is a pretty tree lined stretch leading to another of the delightful stone bridges across the tail of the next lock. These are virtually a semi-circle underneath and very small but substantially built. Next yet another flattened road bridge, but this is a quiet residential area.

You then go through Holybush and Ty Coch and past the Waterloo Pub, where there is a cascaded lock on the other side of the road. After the Army depot there is a short stretch without water. Where the towpath meets the road go straight ahead down an open side road and you pick the canal up again.

Carry on to the end of the water and follow the path to a road, turn right and the road goes over a busy main road that has been built over the route of the canal. At the end turn left and left again. Pass Homebase on your right and at Glyndwr Road turn right, passing the Police station and back to the bus stop.

Getting there

Public transport: Buses number 15 and 24 leave half hourly from Cwmbran bus station on Glyndwr Road and stop at Barrack Hill.