52. Talybont, Henry Vaughan Walk

Parking

In Talybont on the roadside.

Directions

1. The entire route is waymarked – simply follow the blue and white swan logos. If you tackle the walk in a clockwise direction, these instructions will help keep you on track. With the main road through Talybont on your left and the canal on your right, follow the towpath to the bridge (number 143) and cross over to the other side of the canal. Follow the route of the former Brinore Tramroad, passing the Vaughan Garden and through the fields until you reach Afon Caerfanell.
2. Cross over the footbridge and turn right keeping the river on your right-hand side. Where the river forks, bear left across the field and cross the road. Follow the hedge until you reach another road and turn right.
3. Follow the road for about 200m, past Cui Parc. Look for a footpath sign on your left and go diagonally across the field to the top right-hand corner. (In practice we went a little further along the lane and through an open gate before climbing to the top right-hand corner.) Go over the stile and right along the lane.
4. When you reach the junction the Forestry Commission research station (It’s due to be renamed to NRW) is up the track opposite. Turn right down the lane, then at the T junction at the bottom turn left. Carry on along this lane until it reaches a T junction next to the war memorial.
5. Turn right, cross over and take the entrance about 50m the left to canal bridge 174. Take the towpath to your right and follow it to return to your starting point.

Points of Interest

1. Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal. One of the biggest changes to the Usk valley since Vaughan’s day, the ‘Mon and Brec’ was constructed between 1797 and 1812 and originally ran all the way from Brecon to Newport. Nowadays it reaches as far as Pontymoile south of Pontypool. The tranquil waterway’s industrial past as a busy trade route is hard to imagine. In place of barges carrying coal and limestone, the 32-mile (51km) stretch of largely level canal is now a peaceful paradise for pleasure craft.
2. The Allt. Look east across the valley from Talybont and you’ll see Allt-yr-Esgair, better known simply as The Allt, a green hill with the village of Llansantffraed at its foot. It was here that Henry Vaughan and his twin brother Thomas were born in 1621. Henry stayed in the area for his entire life and is buried in the churchyard at Llansantffraed. His writing was greatly inspired by his home, particularly in his volume of poetry Olor Iscanus (‘Swan of Usk’ in English). The Allt is crossed by a Roman road and its 393m summit is crowned by a hillfort, possibly Iron Age in origin.
3. Vaughan Garden. Sown with herbs and other plants Henry would have used in his scientific and medical experiments, the Vaughan Gardens are a fragrant spot to stop and bask in the serenity of the surrounding countryside. Laid out with benches, it’s also the ideal place for a relaxing picnic.
4. Brinore Tramroad. Built in 1815 to carry coal from mines near Tredegar and limestone from Trefil to waiting barges on the canal, the tramroad was once a busy place – a far cry from its peaceful present-day incarnation. Before being superseded by the steam-powered railway, horses hauled half-ton carts uphill – with gravity taking care of the journey back down. Now it’s a popular route with walkers and cyclists, stretching for eight miles (13km) between Talybont-on-Usk and Trefil.
5. Afon Caerfanell. It may not be the longest river in the world, but the Caerfanell has had a pretty eventful life. From its source high in the mountains, it tumbles down a series of beautiful waterfalls before flowing into Talybont reservoir. From there it passes through a hydroelectric turbine before travelling through Talybont and joining the river Usk.

Map