Sheep grazing alongside the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal Sheep grazing alongside the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal. Photo: Claire Seyler / Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Open the interactive map → Map of NCN 49 - Monmouthshire Brecon Canal

Official route · Sustrans

NCN 49 - Monmouthshire Brecon Canal

40.1 km 566 m climbing A day 55% off road Road cycling Mid & South Wales

The route leaves Newport along the canal towpath and valley roads, threading through Cwmbran and Pontypool before the settlements thin out past Mamhilad.

The surface is mixed: around 55% is off-road, predominantly towpath, with road sections connecting the gaps. Beyond Llanover the canal corridor reasserts itself and carries you through Llanellen, Govilon and Maesygwartha to Glangrwyney. The climbing is concentrated in the second half.

The figures

Distance40.1 km
Climbing566 m
Off road22 km, about 55% of the route
Riding timeabout 4 hours, a long day
RegionMid & South Wales
Route fromSustrans

Worth knowing before you go

Newport has full resupply; after Pontymoile the towns give way quickly and options become limited before Govilon. The towpath sections can be slow after wet weather. Navigation through Newport and Cwmbran requires attention where the route crosses between road and towpath.

Put your own dates on this and TourTrax splits it into days at your pace, finds somewhere to sleep at the end of each one, estimates what it will cost and gets you to the start without flying.

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Other route guides

NCN 49 - Monmouthshire Brecon Canal is an official route from Sustrans (their website).