This location is on the canal near the village of Llangattock at 207173. Do
not try the apparent shortcut from the first location as the road becomes very
narrow, cars yes, minibus no. Insteads go back to the A4077 drive along it to
just before Crickhowell bridge, then follow the main road through Llangattock
for Beaufort. (As you pass through Llangattock oposite the Six Bells pub is
a reacreation ground with toilets on it. (Closed as of May '99 but due to be
repaired!)) The visit site is beside a hump back bridge over the canal number
115, take care parking. (The convient car park is the private property of the
local boat club.) The picture below shows the wharf and lime kilns from the
bridge as you approach them.
The two features at this location are the Limes Kilns which have been restored and the canal wharf.
The Limekilns.
Limestone was brought down from the quaries by a tramroad which arriving at the top of the kilns starting at the foot of the incline (the top of which have just visited!) Coal from the mines over the Head of the Alleys was also brought by the same route. The lime kiln was loaded with alternative layers of limestone and coal and then light from the bottom. This reduced the limestone to lime powder which was shovelled out at the bottom of the kiln, to be loaded onto boats, then taken by canal for the use of farmers on their fields. Below are pictures of the top and bottom of the kiln. Safety fences are provided all around the kilns.
The wharf.
From the top of the kiln you have a good view of the wharf now used to moor private boats. (Beware some of these boats have alarm systems and if children try to climb on them they will set the alarms off.) A very good exercise is to try and get the children to compare the modern boats with the picture of the old boats shown above and found much clearer on the display boards at the kilns. Keep your eyes open and in the summer it is quite likely that a boat will pass while you are at this location.
