Last August my wife and I went on a three day holiday on the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal. The canal winds up into the Brecon Beacons National Park. Consequently you do not get into a lot of hustle and bustle. The canal winds through woods and small villages. It has only a few locks and we never got to any of them on our three days. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience. We talked to the people in the towns and those walking along the cut. We got an Welsh lesson from an old man walking his dog. He was a retired shepherd. We met a wonderful couple working in their garden. They invited us in for a tour of the plants they grew. We ate lovely meals in the local pubs, one of which was decorated with numerous pictures and statuettes of Laurel and Hardy. I tried the beer in each pub we ate in and declared it all good.

We used Beacon Park Boats (http://www.beaconparkboats.com/monandbrec.htm). On the first day we met an interesting family also headed out. One of their number was the wife's father. When we introduced ourselves he seemed a bit grumpy. When the wife assked Wakana's nationality we answered, "Japanese." The father commented that he'd once been the guest of the Japanese army. He'd survived four years in a Japanese prison camp during WWII.

We had a lovely time but there was no music involved except that which I provided while we sat on the boat. As for why we chose that one? It was one of the few that still had space available when I finally was ready to make a reservation. Don't delay. Holidays on the cuts are a very popular attraction.