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USK WALKS
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Walk No 2: Both banks of the River Usk
(about 2½ miles - 45 minutes)


This is a short, pleasant walk along the east and west banks of the beautiful River Usk. (Note that flooding may occasionally prevent access to the riverbanks and that in Winter they are often muddy in some stretches.)


River Usk east bank
River Usk east bank, with the
old railway bridge in the distance


Turn left out of the town square and proceed on the main road to the bridge over the river. Take the path ("Conigar Walk") down to the riverbank just before the bridge. (See a photo of a commemorative plaque giving the history of the bridge and another explaining the origin of "Conigar Walk".)

 

Follow this path to the end and turn left on the Abergavenny Road. Take the footpath (“Old Station Walk”) to the right immediately before the old railway bridge. Follow the path round to the left at the small clearing. You will see the old railway tunnel entrance on the right.

Take the path to the left along the route of the former railway line. Cross the river on the old railway bridge and take the steps down at the end of it.

 

 

Usk railway tunnel
The long abandoned railway tunnel and site of Usk station

 

Usk Bridge
Usk Bridge

  Take the short concrete path to the area known as Usk Island and continue along the riverbank in the direction of the road bridge. Take the path with a high wall to the right which joins the end of the road bridge.

Turn left and cross the bridge and at the far end take the path on the left down to the riverbank as before. This time turn left at the bottom, go under the road bridge and walk along the riverbank. Watch out for goosanders which are fairly common on this stretch of the river, especially in winter.
     

After about half a mile, the path rises a little; at this point take the path which curves to the left, then to the right, following the football field perimeter. Head for the small car park to the left of a white building and go through the gap to the right of the metal gate.

Turn left on the main road, pass the prison and Sessions House, and turn right at the OneStop supermarket. Follow this back to the town square.

(Note that in the last half mile of this walk there is a small number of private gardens which usually have spectacular floral displays in Summer.)

 

The Sessions House, Maryport Street, Usk
The Sessions House, Maryport Street

A printed, laminated card showing this walk route, along with relevant photographs, is available at £1.00 from the Usk Rural Life Museum in New Market Street, Usk, NP15 1AU (Tel. 01291 673777) and from Usk Library at 18A Maryport Street, Usk, NP15 1AE (Tel. 01291 674925). If it is more convenient, the card can be ordered by completing the easy-to-use Order Form. It can also be ordered more cheaply in digital format (PDF file) on the alternative Order Form.


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WALK 12
WALK 13 WALK 14 WALK 15 WALK 16 WALK 17 WALK 18 WALK 19 WALK 20 WALK 21

Page last updated 18.12.12