Montgomery Canal Walk

The Montgomery Canal Walk is 54.83 km long with 403 m of total elevation gain, so it is usually treated as an easy multi-day route rather than a single short outing. Most walkers split it over 2 to 3 days, especially if covering the full line between places such as Frankton Junction, Llanymynech, and Welshpool.

The Montgomery Canal Walk is rated easy, and that matches the character of a canal-side route with generally gentle gradients. Even over its full 54.83 km length, the total ascent is only 403 m, so the challenge is more about distance and time on foot than steep climbing.

The walk follows the Montgomery Canal through the Shropshire border country and into Wales. The canal runs from Frankton Junction on the Llangollen Canal south through places including Llanymynech and Welshpool toward Newtown, so the route is defined more by towpath miles, locks, bridges, and canal settlements than by upland terrain.

Yes. At 54.83 km, the Montgomery Canal Walk is long enough to work well as a 2-day or 3-day easy-paced trip, and the towpath format makes natural stopping points around canal villages and towns such as Llanymynech and Welshpool. The low overall elevation gain of 403 m also makes it manageable for walkers who want distance without major climbs.

Dogs are generally allowed on Canal & River Trust towpaths, which includes the Montgomery Canal, provided they are kept under close control around wildlife, livestock, boats, and other path users. This matters on the Montgomery in particular because parts of the canal corridor are known for important wildlife habitats, especially around the Welshpool section.

The Montgomery Canal Walk is one of the more approachable long-distance options in Shropshire because it is rated easy and follows canal towpaths rather than steep hill paths. Families or newer walkers often tackle shorter sections around places like Welshpool, where the canal-side walking is flatter and easier to break into out-and-back stages than the full 54.83 km route.

Yes. Parts of the Montgomery Canal towpath have been resurfaced, especially between Newtown and Welshpool, and work has continued toward the border at Llanymynech. That means some sections are better suited to steady, easy walking than rougher countryside trails, although surface quality can still vary from one stretch to the next.