Line © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), checked by Global Adventurer.
The paddling route
Put in at the canal basin in Brecon, beside Theatr Brycheiniog and its car park, and follow the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal east out of the town along the Usk valley. After about 3½ km, get out to carry round Brynich Lock, then cross the river on the four-arched stone Brynich Aqueduct. The canal winds on below Llanfrynach and Pencelli, with Pen y Fan and the central Beacons rising to the south, to Talybont-on-Usk. Take out by the village car park, before the lift bridge.
It is 11.2 km one way; allow about 2¾ hours in a canoe or kayak and 3½ on a paddleboard. The grade is Easy: flat, still water with one portage, but a long morning for beginners.
Winter works close parts of this stretch: the canal at Llanbrynean Bridge 157 is shut to boats and on the towpath from 2 November to 18 December 2026, the length between Brynich Lock and Bridge 163 is drained from 9 to 27 November 2026, and Brynich Lock has gate works from 11 January to 12 February 2027. Check the Canal & River Trust's notices before you go.
You need a licence: Paddle UK or Canoe Wales membership includes one, or buy one from the Trust. Wear a buoyancy aid and check the conditions before you set off.
Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap waterways (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.
Good to know
- Over the River Usk on the four-arched Brynich Aqueduct
- One lock, at Brynich
- Inside Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, with Pen y Fan to the south-west
- Low lift bridge at Talybont: duck under it or get out
On the water
- Put in: Theatr Brycheiniog Car Park (car park) 51.94390, -3.38921
- Take out: Car park 51.89728, -3.29092
- Lock: Brynich Lock · 3.5 km (2.1 mi) from the start · carry round (portage)
- Rules and licences: Canal & River Trust. Check whether you need a licence before you go: on many inland waters in England and Wales you do, and Paddle UK membership includes one for many of them.
- Suits canoes, kayaks, paddleboards.
Getting there
Start: Brecon Basin. 51.94390, -3.38921
Places to stay nearby
Rooms in and around Rhymney: Booking.com → Expedia →
Affiliate links: if you book, Global Adventurer earns a small commission at no cost to you.
Water levels, flow and the weather decide the day. The line and figures come from OpenStreetMap and our own checks; wear a buoyancy aid, check the river levels and the forecast, keep well clear of weirs and powered boats, and don't go out in flood.