Montgomery Canal

The Montgomery Canal, known locally as ‘The Monty’, is a partly restored waterway running for 33 miles through eastern Powys and northwest Shropshire. It links Frankton Junction on the Llangollen Canal to Newtown, passing Llanymynech and Welshpool and crossing the England–Wales border. The canal comprises three historic branches: the Eastern and Western branches of the Montgomeryshire Canal and the Llanymynech Branch of the Ellesmere Canal. These once formed part of the Shropshire Union system after being taken over in the 19th century. A breach in 1936 led to disuse, and today only short sections remain navigable, though restoration continues. The canal was built not to carry cargo for profit but to bring lime to improve farmland in the Upper Severn Valley. Local landowners promoted the scheme, expecting higher crop yields rather than dividends. Parliament authorised the Montgomeryshire Canal in 1794, and John Dadford served as engineer before his father took over. By 1796 the first boat, the Royal Montgomery, was launched near Welshpool. Trade grew steadily, with limestone, coal, grain and building materials moving along the waterway. Visitors today can walk or cycle the restored sections around Frankton Junction, Llanymynech and Welshpool. The towpaths pass locks, aqueducts and quiet stretches of water bordered by farmland and woodland. Along the way, traces of the original 18th-century engineering remain visible. The canal’s rural setting offers peaceful views of the Severn Valley and the Welsh hills. Restoration work aims to link the isolated navigable parts into a continuous route once more.