Free parking on the outskirts of Newport and a gentle and pleasant canal walk of less than two miles into the City Centre.
Parking is at a free car park – including two electric car charging points – near Newport High school, just beneath the canal. It is large and I’ve never seen more than a handful of cars in it.
From here you can access the canal tow path and then follow it South (keeping the canal on your left to begin with) until it ends. The path is decent tarmac, suitable for wheelchairs or prams and leads you through pleasant tree lined sections which are busy with squirrels and ducks.
You’ll arrive at a small bridge at the bottom of a lock, you cross this and continue following the canal which will take you underneath the M4 motorway and here the canal joins the Risca leg of the canal. You turn left here and continuing following the canal until it ends.
You can walk different ways into Newport, but I prefer to cross the road via the bridge and then follow the cycle routes which will take you to Newport Castle, at which point you can go underneath the road and out to the side of the river.
I cross the river here and head South towards the next bridge, which you can then cross back to take you into Friars Walk and the centre of town.
You can then follow the same route back to the car, or explore Newport further. The Transporter bridge is worth a visit if you want to continue walking along the river.
This is a really pleasant walk and Newport is actually quite photogenic and a nice place for a wander around with plenty of places to eat and drink should you fancy it.