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Neath and Tennant canal circle
Route facts
Waterways:
Neath Canal »
Tennant Canal »
Distance: 4.35 miles / 7 km
Duration: Two hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Circular route from: Canal bridge near the castle in Neath
An interesting circular walk on the Tennant and Neath Canals - and only 200 yards of the walk are away from the water. The canals are privately owned but open to walkers.
From the canal bridge nearest the castle ruins a small flight of steps leads from the adjacent car park onto the tow path, turn right. Under a series of very low bridges the last is a railway, the Kingdom Hall is now on your right, turn right beyond it and follow the road over the river and turn right again onto the Tennant Canal. To visit Neath Abbey you turn left and the Abbey is one mile down the towpath. For this walk go right.This stretch of towpath was very overgrown when I walked it. Under a road and then railway, the next bridge has no tow path so go over and the path is now more used. The next bridge has iron railings, past this you reach the concrete cavern of the new roads. Good path under the first one but then you meet the sunk towpath and walk on the capping as the towpath is flooded. Out at the end and walk up to a road. Ahead of you is the aqueduct, waterless and inaccessible now, so turn right to the road and left passing a marvellous view of the aqueduct under the railway bridge. Beyond the Railway Tavern turn left into Aberdulais Canal Basin.This is a delightful area with an enchanting bridge over the Tennant at it's junction with the Neath Canal. The walk turns right down the Neath, under the railway and then the road. From here back to the start is through a beautifully wooded area where the canal and river run close for several lengths. At some points a spillway from the canal runs down to the river and crossing the spillways needs care.Neath now hoves into view and you leave the canal just after passing the castle on the opposite side of the canal by a large winding hole.
