Alasdair and Sarah were delighted to welcome Welsh Government Minister John Griffiths AM to Beacon Park Boats last week. As the minister with responsibility for natural resources in Wales, John Griffiths was invited by the Canal and River Trust (CRT) to view a successful canalboat holiday business on the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal which has attracted thousands of visitors to Wales, boosting the local economy.

View from the canal towpath across the Usk valley towards Abergavenny

The Canal & River Trust is keen for the Welsh Government to understand the importance of the Mon & Brec as a leisure resource for visitors and the local community, and as a significant contributor to the wider economy. As part of the visit Andrew Stumpf, Head of the Canal & River Trust in Wales, showed John Griffiths the recently completed work to restore a section of the waterway following a landslip back in January this year. Fortunately, the disruption to cruising on the canal was minimal, and, on the plus side, there’s now a lovely new view point across the Usk valley where the landslip occurred! 

The visitors included (from left to right in the above photograph) CRT engineer responsible for the work on the landslip site Simon Hughes, CRT Public Affairs Officer Wales Laura Lewis, Alasdair Kirkpatrick, Welsh Government Minister John Griffiths, Sarah Kirkpatrick, Chair of the All Wales Partnership Mark Lang and CRT Head of Wales Andrew Stumpf. The day’s discussions will have helped the Minister to understand that this well-used, 200-year old feat of engineering has a cost attached to it - a cost which the Canal & River Trust (formerly British Waterways, now a charity) is finding harder and harder to fund. Certainly, the Canal & River Trust are looking to the Welsh Government for financial support to guarantee the canal’s future.

The work to restore the Mon & Brec after this year’s landslip at Llanfoist cost £1.4m. This comes on top of £8m of engineering works to repair a huge breach at Gilwern in 2007/8. A 200-year old canal inevitably requires investment to keep going: the proposed solution to prevent further breaches is to re-line every section of the canal that is on an embankment with a liner and concrete. This engineering solution is likely to cost £70m but is the best way to guarantee the long-term future of this much-loved waterway.

One of Michael Blackmore's illustrations from our book "200 years of The Monmouthshire and the Brecknock & Abergavenny Canals"

Originally, the Mon & Brec Canal was lined simply with puddled clay but, in its day, it was a huge engineering project, skilfully undertaken. We’re so fascinated by the history of this canal that we’ve published a limited edition illustrated book about it!

Welsh Government Minister visits Beacon Park Boats

On Monday 21st July the biggest agricultural show in Europe welcomes the crowds to a spectacular part of Wales. We’re spoilt – it’s less than an hour’s drive from us. Here’s why you shouldn’t miss it....

It lasts four days and attracts over 240,000 people, and this year is expected to be even bigger. There are over 8,000 entries in the livestock classes and special awards so expect fierce competition amongst the horses, cattle, goats and even pigs.

2 There’s a Royal Welsh Show App

Developed by S4C, you can download this free bilingual App from iTunes Store or from Google Play and then you’ll never miss a thing. It has an interactive map of the showground, parking information, a timetable for the day and the results of competitions as they happen.

From its stand at the Royal Welsh Show, The National Trust will announce the shortlist of ten in its Special Places Campaign. During June the public nominated their favourite spots in Wales and, once the shortlist is announced, voting will open to determine the ultimate winner  – which will be announced at the National Eisteddfod in Llanelli in August.

MVW-C27-1112-0129-A6W.jpg © Crown copyright (2014) Visit Wales

Take a photo while you’re there, enter it into the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society Photographic Competition and you might win a year’s free membership and see your photo on the front cover of the Society’s 2015 journal.

Families visiting the Marks & Spencer stand will see a real, buzzing bee hive with viewing window, courtesy of the British Beekeepers’ Association. It’s part of a drive to show how bees and other pollinators are crucial to the food chain, and to get children interested in protecting wildlife.

Some of our favourite local producers are exhibiting their wares, including Welsh Venison Centre and Blaenavon Cheddar Company. And Master Chocolatier Jules James from Black Mountain Gold in Crickhowell with be demonstrating why ‘Chocolate is a lady’s best friend’.

7 World War I and D-Day anniversaries are remembered

MVW-C27-1112-0148-A6W.jpg © Crown copyright (2014) Visit Wales

This year’s main attraction will be the King’s Troop of the Royal Horse Artillery who will hurtle around the main ring driving teams of six horses pulling WWI guns. Equally agile are the Royal Signals White Helmets display team who will perform amazing stunts on their 750cc triumph motorcycles. And overhead there’ll be the impressive sight of aircraft from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

We think there won’t be a spare seat for the demonstrations by Bryn Williams, chef patron of Odette’s in London and Cyrus Todiwala, BBC Food Personality of the Year 2014.

If you really can’t make the trip to Llanelwedd, just outside Builth Wells, you can watch live coverage of the Show from 9am to 5pm Monday 21 to Thursday 24 July on S4C. And there are highlights every evening!

10 It’s the first of many great shows near Beacon Park Boats

The summer is peppered with lively celebrations of our gorgeous countryside. Next is Llanthony Show and Brecon County Show on 2 August, Chepstow Show on 9 August, Bedwellty Show on 16 August, then Monmouthshire Show on 28 August and finally Usk Show on 13 September.

10 reasons why the Royal Welsh Show is a must

Last weekend saw the culmination of Abergavenny Festival of Cycling. And so the rolling countryside of this corner of Wales was inundated with cyclists, from enthusiastic families to ultra-keen mamils (‘middle aged men in lycra’) - you must have noticed the increase in these brightly-attired guys who drag themselves up the nearest hill every weekend.

The main attraction was the 2014 British Cycling National Road Championships, with the likes of Sir Bradley Wiggins, Mark Cavendish, Geraint Thomas (pictured above), Lizzie Armitstead and Laura Trott competing in a world-class field.

The day before the Championship races, the Sportive gave amateur riders of all ages and abilities the opportunity to ride the same course that the cycling elite would follow. The choice of routes ranged from the 20-mile long Bronze to the 100-mile long Gold which included a 4-mile 10% gradient climb up The Tumble (the road up our very own Blorenge mountain). It was superb to see the action up close, and particularly thrilling to watch the final stage of both the women’s and men’s races which took place through the streets of Abergavenny.

And we haven’t got long to wait for the next major cycling event: The Tour of Britain is coming to the county on September 9th. The third stage of the event will begin in Newtown and wind its way through the Black Mountains, into Abergavenny and finish at the summit of The Tumble.

Seems like everyone’s going bike-mad. Our friends at MidWalesMyWay are running a competition to win £250 of cycling accessories, and some enterprising locals have opened the Black Mountains Cycle Centre, which ‘rocks’ according to author and cyclist Rob Penn. Of course, there’s been a strong cycling fraternity in Abergavenny for decades. That’s where Double World Champion Becky James started out!

We’re very nearly tempted to get our bikes out of the garage and start our preparation for next year’s events. Then again, perhaps we’ll sign off now and watch the start of the Tour de France on television, followed by a gentle ride along the canal towpath. We don’t want to peak too early!

When the British Cycling National Road Championships came to town

At last we can share with you our latest baby: Incline Cottage - a couple’s canalside retreat at Llanfoist Wharf. Designer & photographer Jonathan Morris came and took some photographs last week which will vastly improve the website for our two cottages. For the past few months we’ve had only an artist’s impression and an architect’s plan to try and convey what we had in mind for this project.

Believe it or not, the property was originally old out-buildings which we managed to fill with all sorts of belongings. Then, one day, we started looking at this place differently, began sorting through the contents stored there and set about a plan to turn it into something really special.

It already had a lovely location, just metres from the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal, with amazing views across the Usk valley and backed by a wooded hill. But it didn’t look much from the outside. So Alasdair drew one of his sketches, Sarah put her unmistakeable style on the project, Jeff, our carpenter, built the oak kitchen, windows and doors from scratch, and we all spent hours discussing colour charts, furnishings and lighting.                  

What we knew from the outset was that we could create a luxurious retreat for romantic breaks; what we didn’t realise until it was finished was just how Tardis-like the cottage is. No, it’s not painted blue but it does feel very spacious inside. We are particularly pleased with the bedroom with its Feather and Black kingsize bed and roll top bath. What’s your favourite bit?          

And so Incline Cottage was born. Its name comes from the route, or ‘incline’, which ascends steeply from Llanfoist Wharf up the side of the Blorenge mountain, within Blaenavon World Heritage Site. It is one of a series of inclines that formed part of Hill’s Tram Road, a primitive railway which linked Blaenavon ironworks, Garnddyrus forge and various limestone quarries. Counter-balanced trams took raw materials up to the ironworks and brought pig iron and wrought iron down to the canal to reach markets via Brecon or Newport.

Step out of Incline Cottage and you’re a stone’s throw from the bottom of the incline. It’s a fascinating, if steep, walk. Look out for some of the stone sleepers on which the rails were mounted and be rewarded with amazing views at the top.

Check out the availability of this magnificent luxury cottage and get one step closer to booking your perfect romantic break!

Luxury holiday cottage for two opens its doors

Kite is successfully launched on to the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal ready to undertake sea trails before her first hire on the 21st March. 

News

Welsh Government Minister visits Beacon Park Boats

10 reasons why the Royal Welsh Show is a must

When the British Cycling National Road Championships came to town

Luxury holiday cottage for two opens its doors

Kite successfully sets sail