I'm Claire Parsons. I live in Brecon and I work for The Canal and River Trust since the start of this year 2020. And I work as Enterprise Manager, which means I help get projects going along the canal networks in Wales and the Southwest, The Canal and River Trust manages 2000 miles of waterways, and we've managed waterways for well being because we think what life is better by water.
I enjoy that it's a conduit from the centre of Brecon from the canal basin, out into the countryside very quickly and easily and with super views as we go down usk valley of the Brecon Beacons, national parks and the canal is very peaceful and enjoyable place at the moment. But back when it was set up, it was very much an industrial landscape. And it was established for industrial means. So back in the early 19th century, canals were very profitable enterprises, and the canal was set up around the coal, iron and limestone industries for the transport of materials.
So, traffic along the canal had a huge increase at that time, about three and a half thousand tons of coal transported in 1796. And a few years later in 1809, they recorded 150,000 tonnes. So the canal was started in the late 18th century and opened to Brecon in December 1800. And was a very busy and industrious place. It declined into the 19th century when the railways came into competition with it. But in the intervening period, a lot of the industry was around limestone and that's where we have the lime kilns at the Watton and in Brecon and other places.
Lime kilns were a key part of the industry of the canal. And in that them line was burned for agricultural use, and also to make lime mortar for the construction industry. And again, that's a very quiet site at the moment, but in their time, they were very busy places. The lime was burnt in the kilns. It went up to 900 degrees sometimes took a whole week to burn and had to be looked after in that time by workers, sometimes working in appalling conditions. And they looked after the lime burn. We had, of course poor weather at times, they would try and keep warm as the lime was burning, Noxious Fumes would come up. Some of them unfortunately died in that process. They certainly didn't have the safety equipment we have these days. So it was a very different landscape, a very busy and sometimes dangerous landscape for the people working in the industry.
I've lived in Brecon for 20 years and my personal connection is getting out with my family and enjoying it and trying to avoid them falling in when they were younger. And we've managed to only have one falling in. My son was perhaps six and he cycled into the canal. But it's been a tremendous route, push chairs, bicycles, and walking out from Brecon into the countryside and gradually extending our range to enjoy the canal from Brecon. You can join at the canal basin by the theatre, you can do something very strenuous and join the TAF trail at 55 miles to Cardiff or you can take a gentler route and just walk and stroll along the canal, perhaps as far as Brynich Lock which is just under two miles, and we've created a trail a step by step trail, you can find resources for that online. And what you'll find is along your route, and go a little beyond Brynich Lock and you'll come to the largest aqueduct on the canal, which crosses the river usk so tremendous views either way along the River Usk, look out for the wildlife, herons, dippers, and if you're lucky otters in the river there and keep wandering beyond there to Pencelli or turn around and come back to Brecon. It's a very popular route, both for walkers, cyclist, dog walkers, people traveling at different speeds. So if you choose to cycle please keep an eye out for the walkers who may be just around the corner and may some of them may be slower to move as well.
If you really want to take it easy, you can hire a boat, or you can join a canal cruise from the canal basin. The canal cruises operate from the basin think a couple of hours. So you can travel at a very reasonable pace along the canal and just enjoy the views, views out to the Brecon Beacons and all of the wildlife along the way as well. Very quiet as well. So a lot of the wildlife isn't too disturbed by that going on. You're in a canal boat so you're seated, comfortable refreshments so it's a very easy journey to do.
So I enjoy running very slowly around Brecon with my dog and I will use the canal on occasion to do that because there are nice loops and links out from the canal. So not only going there and back on the canal, you can go so far out, find a footpath many footpaths, and make a loop and come back a different route into Brecon and then lots of nice places to have coffee.
Brecon is a very beautiful, town in a beautiful location. And I think it has the benefit of all those facilities that you might want. For a visit, for a stay. You can go to the cinema you can go to the theatre, lots of places to eat out or, or just to have a coffee, and then just stroll and then need to get in the car, you can stroll along the canal or along the footpath network along the river, a little hill just outside Brecon and enjoy walk as long as short as you like, and then come back for some more refreshments.
What inspires me about Brecon is that local people and visitors mix and mingle and both very often enjoy the same thing, the wonderful natural environment and the built structure that helps us access that as well. Going out from the town along the towpath is something you can't tell a visitor from a local very often everybody's enjoying the same thing.