Brecon, 9am Sunday26th June
Rub a dub dub – Brecon Canal needs a tub! The Brecon and Monmouthshire Canal is famous for many things – its views, its history, its boating, its new food trail – but who would have thought that bathtubbing would soon be one of them! That’s right – you heard it here first. Bathtubbing is the new craze that is set to make the Canal a lot more popular for those who enjoy travelling a little bit differently.
In preparation, for this year’s World Bathtubbing Championships which is being held in Llanwrtyd Wells– famous for its bog snorkling – local people are invited to bring their bathtubs to the Brecon Canal Basin, near Theatr Brycheiniog to try bathtubbing themselves on Sunday 26th June. Apparently it’s just like kayaking except in a bathtub so don’t forget to bring a paddle!
Organiser of this year’s World Bathtubbing Championships, Tony Bain will be taking the journey from Brecon to Talybont on Usk, and people are welcome to join him as he uses a variety of different transport methods including the trust bathtub to travel the length of the canal. The idea is that people can walk, run, cycle, canoe, kayak, coracle, bathtub or even canalboat to Talybont. There’s even transport organised with Brecon Taxi Service which includes a Bike Trailer or the X43 bus to take people back into Brecon once they’ve completed their journey.
The Journey will start at 9am on Sunday 26th June 2011 from the Brecon Canal Basin by the Theatr Brycheiniog and will wend its way to Talybont. It’s not a competition but people are welcome to join the journey at any stage of the event. There’s also a new Canal Food Trail leaflet now on offer, so people can even eat their way along the route at a number of different local cafes, pubs, inns and restaurants.
Developed by Brecon Beacons National Park Authority and British Waterways, the new leaflet is all part of the lead up to the 200th Anniversary of the Brecon Monmouthshire Canal which celebrates its inception in 2012. The Canal Food Trail follows the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal south out of Brecon for 12kms/7.5miles through Brynich Lock, Llanfrynach, Pencelli, to Talybont-on-Usk and is serviced by easily accessible local pubs, cafes and restaurants that will offer you plenty of delicious local food and refreshments to continue your journey. In fact, people will be able to make the most of the lighter summer months ahead by walking to the pub on a balmy summer evening along the canal and then walking off their dinner back into Brecon.
With recent changes to the canal towpath users rights of access , visitors and residents to the National Park are welcome to run, walk, paddle, and cycle the route of the canal from Brecon to Talybont, all the way through to Abergavenny. But the best news is that anyone taking part in the canal journey can enter the Travel Challenge 2011 competition for a chance to win a walking or cycling holiday break for the whole family! Entrants can enter a monthly prize held from May until September to be in the running for the grand holiday prize.
All people have to do is either travel without their car (walk, run, cycle, canoe, bathtub, kayak) for a journey in the National Park (travelling to and from work is not included) or travel in or to the National Park using public transport.
All entries to the competition must be accompanied by proof of travel, in the form of a receipt,
ticket or photograph and travel must take place between the 1st May and the 30th September 2011. Entries can be made online www.travelbreconbeacons.info or via the Travel Challenge competition leaflet.
If you want to join Tony Bain on this Journey you can contact him on info@greendragonactivities.co.uk or 01591 610508. To find out more about the Brecon Beacons National Parks Canal Food Trail you can pick up a leaflet from a Tourist Information Point near you (Brecon, Abergavenny or Llandovery, or contact Carol Williams on 01874 620 478.