Pontypool / Blaenavon Cycle Route
Go to online mappingFrom - To: Pontymoel Canal Basin to Garn Lakes
Type: Traffic-free railway path
Access: Nearest rail stations are Pontypool or Newport
Surface: Tarmac and gravel
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This route follows the disused railway line to the World Heritage Site at Blaenavon and the Big Pit Mining Museum. Climbing steadily as it heads north from Pontypool, the path passes through broad-leaf woodland and offers fantastic views east across the valley of Afon Llwyd. Completely traffic-free, the route does feature a steady climb of over 650ft (200 metres) up to Blaenavon.
Blaenavon played a significant part in the development of the Industrial Revolution during the 19th century when the town became the home of mine owners, managers and workers of the ironworks and Big Pit Colliery. Today the town contains 17 listed buildings, including Blaenavon Ironworks, one of the best preserved examples of 18th-century ironworks in Western Europe. You can also visit the Big Pit Mining Museum where visitors can experience going underground in a real colliery.
Local attractions: