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Usk Valley 5-day Self-Guided Walking Holiday

A five day riverside walk through the Vale of Usk, from the Roman fort at Caerleon to the market town of Brecon in the heart of the Brecon Beacons National Park.

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Type of Holiday: Self-guided Walking Holidays, Walking Holidays

Price:

£365 per person based on two people sharing

Duration: 5 days

Departures: Available year-round to start on any day of the week

Start point: Caerleon

End point: Brecon

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Day 1: Arrival in Caerleon

Day 2: Caerleon to Usk - 10miles (16 km)
Start at the old Roman town of Caerleon, originally called Isca after the River Usk, where you can explore the Roman fortress baths, Legionary Museum and amphitheatre. The first day is a gentle climb through woodland followed by a river-level walk to Usk town.

Day 3: Usk to The Bryn - 10 miles (16 km)
Leaving the peaceful town of Usk, known in Welsh as Brynbuga, the walk will continue along the riverbank. You'll pass some of the most beautiful stretches of the river today, with plenty of opportunity to see kingfishers and other wildlife close up. Abergavenny has a growing reputation for excellent food, and also boasts a stunning location at the edge of the Black Mountains.

Day 4: The Bryn to Crickhowell - 11 miles (18 km)
Enjoy fantastic views of the Brecon Beacons without any major climbs today - the trail continues past Govilon along the Monmouth and Brecon canal, passing lime kilns and other industrial archaeology. The canal is popular with narrow boats, whose bright colours and cheerful flowerpots enhance the natural environment, while the towpath makes for easy walking.

Day 5: Crickhowell to Talybont-on-Usk - 9 miles (14 km)
After breakfast you can explore Crickhowell Castle, before the journey continues westwards through the wide and fertile Usk Valley, first veering away and then rejoining the canal by the village of Llangynidr. You'll pass a series of five locks as the route ascends to the high point of the walk at around 300m above sea level. Then it’s down to Talybont-on-Usk with its beautiful reservoir and marvellous situation in the shadow of the Central Beacons.

Day 6: Talybont-on-Usk to Brecon - 8 miles (13 km)
The final day takes you through the landscape beloved by Henry Vaughan, the 18th Century poet who lived near Talybont, and then onto the thriving market town of Brecon. Here fine Georgian townhouses and the buildings of Christ College, a school established by Henry VIII, provide an ideal backdrop for an annual Jazz Festival and numerous other cultural and artistic events.