Canoeing on the Brecon & Monmouthshire canal

Last weekend I went canoeing in Wales with a few friends. We had intended to go on the River Wye, but it was in flood and we'd probably have made it about 100m down before capsizing and losing all our kit, so the canoe hire company wouldn't let us go. Instead, they took us to to Brecon, to canoe on the Brecon & Monmouthshire Canal. While this was less exciting, it was actually very relaxing and enjoyable, as you can see from Phil's laid-back attitude here (note that we were using a disposable waterproof camera, so the quality isn't great):

Fortunately it was sunny, and we were able to cruise along enjoying the scenery, drinking a beer or two as we went.



There was the occasional drawbridge as an obstacle and we had to carry the canoes round, although this one we managed to squeeze under by lying down in the canoes:

Jim also found that kayaks don't work on land:

So we got him in the river:

but then he just ran into the bank:

Actually he was very good in the kayak, I expect one of us had just rammed him off course to get that last photo!

We were staying at the Baskerville Hall hotel (yes, it really is the one that inspired the Sherlock Holmes story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle), which does some very cheap bunk rooms, and staying there also gets you free entry to the infamous on-site club, Clyro Court. I say 'infamous' as we'd been there before a few years ago and knew what we were letting ourselves in for! Some may ask why we went back...

Anyway, it was a good weekend and great to catch up with old friends.

Mike