The route follows some of the course of the
River Usk and runs from a start point at
Caerleon, not far upstream from the rivermouth at
Uskmouth, south of
Newport, up the river valley, with interesting detours, to
Brecon in the north. It passes from
Roman Caerleon uphill, climbing the
Wentwood ridge, to descend into gentle dairy pastureland , visiting the riverside towns of
Usk and
Abergavenny, where it enters the
Brecon Beacons National Park, follows the towpath of the
Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal, bypassing
Crickhowell where it climbs again providing views of the
Black Mountains falling back to the canal towpath again. Just after
Llangynidr it climbs again towards
Talybont Reservoir with fine views of the highest part of the
Brecon Beacons on the way. Passing below the reservoir the route climbs towards
Talybont Forest rejoining the canal at
Pencelli. The route ends at
Brecon. The route is waymarked using a symbol of an
otter's head, an animal that any walker may well see on the river. A guidebook for the route is available from bookshops. More adventurous walkers can follow further up the
River Usk towards its source in the
Carmarthenshire Fans below
Fan Brycheiniog in the west of the
National Park. == External links ==