, Llangollen, Denbighshire, Wales,

Street View of Llangollen Canal | Map of Llangollen Canal location

The Llangollen Canal links Llangollen in Denbighshire, North Wales, with Hurleston (close to Nantwich) in Cheshire, via the towns of Froncysyllte, Chirk, Preesgweene, Welsh Frankton, Ellesmere, Welshampton, Bettisfield, Grindley Brook (close to Whitchurch), Norbury, Wrenbury and Burland. The canal is one of the most popular waterways in the country and boasts both scenic beauty and fantastic engineering. The Llangollen Canal is worth visiting for the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct alone. The aqueduct was engineered by Thomas Telford to carry the canal over the valley of the River Dee at Froncysyllte close to Llangollen. It is truly a spectacular sight, carrying the canal 126 feet above the river in cast iron troughs mounted on 19 masonry arches, and indeed has been proposed as a World Heritage Site. Another aqueduct carries the canal over the River Ceiriog at Chirk, and there are tunnels nearby at Whitehouses, Chirk, and Ellesmere. From the Wharf at Llangollen you can embark on either a horse drawn boat trip along the feeder canal, or a motorised aqueduct cruise which takes you across the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. Both these trips take in the magical sights and sounds of the beautiful canal, and longer horse drawn trips can be arranged for large groups.

The canal is beautiful throughout its 46-mile length which includes rural countryside, the peaceful market towns of Whitchurch and Ellesmere (known as the Lake District of Cheshire), and the scenery varies from isolated sheep pastures, to tree lined lakes and the foothills of Snowdonia. Canal walking is an understandably popular pastime and the section in the River Dee valley and beyond the moorings at Llangollen are particularly attractive locations for ramblers. Anglers also appreciate the canal as there are good fish stocks that include roach, dace and gudgeon. Cycling is permitted from Llangollen (Bridge 45) to Irish Bridge 27 at Pentre, a total of 9 km (5.5 miles) in all. ....