The Monty, as it’s locally known, is situated in the stunning countryside on the border of Wales and England. In the north it is in England’s North Shropshire while in the south it follows a route through Wales’s old Montgomeryshire to Newtown in Powys.
Parts of the canal are designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest and in Wales the canal is also a Special Area of Conservation. The Montgomery Canal is home to the largest UK populations of the rare aquatic floating water plantain and grass wrack pondweed. Otters have been seen near Welshpool and kingfishers are a regular sight.
The Montgomery Canal has featured in a number of television programmes over the years and has had a wide range of VIP visitors.
This website has been developed and managed by registered charity, Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust, to provide useful information about the canal to locals and visitors alike. Use the menu above to explore our website or use the links below to jump to the following sections.
Don’t bale out now on the Montgomery Canal
That’s the message from charity Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust to central government. MWRT promotes the sustainable restoration of the Montgomery Canal and is urging the government in Westminster to support an extension of time to complete restoration works in North Powys near Llanymynech.
Montygomery Canal restoration project ahead of schedule
Shropshire Union Canal Society makes the money go further! The Shropshire Union Canal Society’s contract to rebuild Crickheath Tramway Wharf and restore nearly 400m of the Montgomery Canal is coming in under budget and ahead of schedule.
Welcome for Montgomery Canal Aqueduct Restoration
The Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust has welcomed restoration work at Aberbechan Aqueduct, 2¼ miles from Newtown. The work is part of the Montgomery Canal Levelling-Up programme run by Powys County Council in conjunction with the Canal & River Trust with assistance from Cadw, the Welsh Government’s historic environment service.
More about the Montgomery Canal
Wildlife
Find out about some of the plants and animals on the Montgomery Canal.
Join the Friends
Friends of the Montgomery Canal.
‘The Friends’ was formed by the Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust to provide information and allow people to get involved with activities along the course of the canal.
Restore!
Find out how we are working to restore the navigation and bring boats back to The Monty.
History
For over 200 years, the Montgomery Canal has been part of the landscape.
Once an active part of industry and agriculture, thanks to the ongoing restoration, it is finding it’s feet as a wildlife haven and leisure destination.
“The joy with considerate canal restoration is that there is space for the addition of a wider variety of aquatic species.”
The Montgomery Canal has 127 listed historic structures, more per mile than any other part of the canal network, including the Vyrnwy aqueduct, the only surviving Hoffmann Kiln complete with chimney, and iron paddle fittings at locks unique to the Montgomery Canal.
