Rugby legend, Gareth Edwards and the Montgomery Canal are both to feature on television later this week in a 'Great Welsh Adventure'.

In the second episode of 'Gareth Edwards’ Great Welsh Adventure', Gareth and his childhood sweetheart, wife Maureen, explore one of the quietest canals in Britain, at 7.30pm, on Friday, October 25, on BBC One Wales.

Their trip kicks off with their biggest challenge yet, a series of not one but four locks. These locks drop down 31 feet, which is certainly a baptism of fire for any barging beginner, especially two beginners still working on not scraping along the bank every 10 minutes.

Gareth and Maureen discover a fascinating link between this canal in particular and the reinvention of canals for tourism and leisure, rather than for industrial purposes. They seek the help of some traditional horsepower to get them through some un-restored sections of the canal before meeting the team behind the significant restoration project.

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Gareth is invited to be the honorary official starter for the Montgomery Canal Triathlon in which participants will bike, run and paddle the 35 miles of the canal, all aiming to raise money for the much-needed restoration project they care so passionately about.

Today, a growing number of people travel by canal in search of peace and tranquillity. For a man like Gareth who’s always lived life at 100mph, it’s a big change that will take some getting used to, especially when there are endless locks, bridges and obstacles to challenge even the greatest rugby player. For Maureen, getting him to play ball won’t prove easy.

Steve Thomas, the newly appointed chair of Glandŵr Cymru, which looks after Wales' canals said: “Seeing one of our national treasures travelling around Wales using the unique treasure of our industrial heritage could not be more fitting. Our beautiful canals are not just a wonderful tourist destination for visitors from home and abroad but research shows that being next to water also makes you feel happier and healthier.

“Locals and visitors can enjoy boat trips or can take up cycling, walking, canoeing or fishing opportunities, and I’d like to see many more people making use of our towpaths for fitness and fun. There are a variety of trails and educational guides available free on our website, and as Gareth and Maureen travel around the most splendid waterways, we’ll be working hard to share these with as many people as possible.

“I’ll be watching every week to learn more about the parts of our waterways that I haven’t visited yet, and to get tips from Gareth and Maureen on relaxing on and off the water.”