1
Turn right when you leave the car park (by the roundabout) and go down the road to the junction with The Watton. Cross over, heading for Gas Lane, almost opposite. Follow the lane, cross the bridge and drop down left to the canal. Go right (east), along the towpath, now following the Taff Trail. Follow the lane past bridge 165 and the remains of Watton Wharf (A). When the path divides, go straight ahead, leaving the towpath briefly, in order to walk past the old lime kilns (B). After the lime kilns, continue in the same direction, leaving the metalled road for an unmade lane, which soon rejoins the towpath. Continue along the towpath in the direction of Brynich Lock. In the distance, ahead and to the right, is a view of Penallt Mawr. The canal passes under the A40 at bridge 164A (where you may enjoy exploiting the acoustic). Continue ahead and pass under bridge 164. As you emerge from amongst the trees, fine views of the Brecon Beacons open up ahead (C). Continue along this peaceful (barring the odd cyclist) stretch between the canal and the river, until you reach Brynich Lock.
2
At Brynich Lock, where the towpath crosses a minor road, turn left over bridge 163 and head under the big A40 road-bridge ahead of you on the B4558, in the direction of Llangorse. Continue ahead, past the turning to Abergavenny, walking carefully on the side of the busy road and up a gentle incline. As the road levels out, pass a right turn to Llanfihangel to enter the peaceful village of Groesfordd. You will see the Beacons again to your left and, which may be equally welcome, the Three Horseshoes Inn up a turning to your right. To continue your walk, stay on the road through the village, passing allotments on your right and a right turn to Llechfaen. You leave the village in the direction of Hay-on-Wye, passing a cream-coloured house and a footpath on the left. Carry on along the road, past Ty'n-y-Caeau Farm. The road enters some woods, by a house also called Ty'n-y-Caeau; as you emerge from the trees, look for a bridleway on your left. Take this path down to the busy main road.
Watch out for traffic on the B4558.
If you cross the minor road at Brynich Lock and follow the towpath around the bend, you will come upon Brynich Aqueduct (D), another impressive piece of nineteenth century civil engineering. You can then retrace your steps to the lock and take the road over bridge 163.
3
Cross the A470 road with care, heading for the entrance to the bridleway on the other side, where you will see a wooden bridge. Cross the bridge onto the path. This is Slwch Lane, which for much of its length is sunk below field level, beneath banks and hedges, and is thus a "holloway". Walk up the lane which, after the third field entrance on the right, broadens into a cart-track. When you reach a gate into the yard of Slwch Farm, go through (more fine views of the Beacons to your left) and out through another gate on the other side. Continue up the lane. You will pass two field entrances on your right, before the path narrows and becomes a little steeper. Pass a stile on your left. The path, now a leafy green tunnel, continues to climb. When you reach a field-gate on your left, the path levels out and soon begins a gentle descent. Pass a stile and a farm building on the right, with pastoral views to the north. After another metal gate on the left pass though a bridal gate, passing a metal field-gate and a stile on your left. Carry on down the bridleway, which soon begins to drop more steeply and provide views of Brecon to your left.
The traffic is fast-moving at this point on the A470.
If the "holloway" is too overgrown to get through, go back to the road and back just past Ty'n-y-Caeau where a gate on the right takes you onto footpath under the A470, along the edge of a couple of fields, across the next two and then zig zags along the edge of the barracks (on you left). At a T junction turn right to a lane where you go left, once more on the main route just past Slwch Farm.
4
As the path levels out a little and bears right, you will find two gates on your left, roughly at right-angles to each other. Each gate has an adjacent stile. Take the second stile, following the hedge on your left down to a stile in the bottom corner of the field. Cross the stile, turn right and walk along the road (Camden Crescent), following it as it swings left and down to the junction with Camden Road. Turn right and walk to the next junction, where you turn left and arrive on the main road, Heol Gouesnou. Turn left on Heol Gouesnou and follow it past the bus station and back to the car park.
