Week long breaks on the Llangollen Canal
The beautiful 41-mile long Llangollen Canal crosses the border between England and Wales, and links the Eisteddfod town of Llangollen in Denbighshire with the Shropshire Union Canal, just north of Nantwich in Cheshire.
The scenery varies from rural sheep pastures and ancient peat mosses, to tree-lined lakes and the dramatic foothills of Snowdonia. In 2009, an 11-mile section of the waterway from Gledrid Bridge to the Horseshoe Falls in Llangollen – including the incredible Pontcysyllte and Chirk aqueducts – was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
Week long breaks from Trevor
To Whitchurch and back (52 miles, 4 locks, 25 hours)
Setting off from Trevor Basin, the spectacular Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, with its jaw-dropping panoramic views of the Dee Valley below, is just 10 minutes away. Next it’s a lift bridge and the canalside Aqueduct Inn at Froncysyllte. Then you’ll cruise on through Whitehouse Tunnel followed by Chirk Tunnel, before crossing Chirk Aqueduct. Opened in 1801, Chirk Aqueduct carries the canal 21.3 metres above the English/Welsh border.
Soon after the aqueduct, you’ll reach the Bridge Inn at Chirk, then the Poachers Pocket pub at Gledrid, and the Lion Quays waterside restaurant at Moreton – all good places to moor up for the night. Four miles later at Frankton Junction the Montgomery Canal meets the Llangollen Canal and after another three miles, the canal passes by the Canal & River Trust’s Ellesmere Canal Yard, dating back to the early 1800s.
At Ellesmere there are plenty of visitor moorings, giving you the chance to explore this pretty market town with a mix of Tudor, Georgian and Victorian buildings, as well as its famous Mere, with woodland walks. After Ellesmere, the route passes Whixall Moss nature reserve then the historic market town of Whitchurch, known for its clock makers. Look out for half-timbered buildings, fair trade independent shops and a choice of places to eat, including the award-winning Black Bear.
To Wrenbury and back (66 miles, 24 locks, 35 hours)
Follow the route to Whitchurch above and then travel on another six miles further east. You’ll pass through the Grindley Brook Staircase of Locks with lockside café and stores and then you’ll reach Wrenbury. The centre of the village is a conservation area with a range of historic houses and the 16th century St Margaret’s Church overlooking the village green. There is a Post Office with general stores and two pubs, the canalside Dusty Miller in a converted corn mill, and The Cotton Arms.
To Nantwich and back (83 miles, 42 locks, 45 hours)
Follow the route to Whitchurch and then Wrenbury above. Then cruise on east through the Shropshire countryside, then pass through four locks at Hurleston, before reaching Hurleston Junction. Here the Llangollen Canal meets the Shropshire Union Canal. Head south down the Shropshire Union Canal through a couple of bridges before reaching Nantwich Basin where you can turn. The historic market town of Nantwich was once the centre of the salt mining industry, which you can find out more about at the Nantwich Museum. Nantwich has a great choice of places to eat, including the Wickstead Arms and Loco Nantwich.
Week long breaks from Whixall
Llangollen and back (52 miles, 4 locks, 24 hours)
Start your journey through breath-taking scenery by cruising along past Whixall Moss nature reserve and connecting to the mainline of the Llangollen Canal. Heading towards Llangollen, you pass Cole Mere next, then Blake Mere. You’ll cruse through the short Ellesmere Tunnel before reaching Ellesmere in the heart of the Shropshire Lake District. At Ellesmere there are plenty of visitor moorings, giving you the chance to explore this historic market town with a mix of Tudor, Georgian and Victorian buildings, as well as its famous Mere and woodland walks. There’s a range of places to eat and drink, including The White Hart pub and The Red Lion coaching inn.
Then pass Frankton Junction, where the Montgomery Canal meets the Llangollen Canal. Cruise on through the countryside, going through two locks at New Marton. The canalside Lion Quays restaurant is next to Moreton Bridge no.17 and soon after the Poachers Pocket pub is canalside at Gledrid. From here, the next 11-miles of the Llangollen Canal is designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. You’ll pass The Bridge Inn at Chirk Bank just before you cross over the magnificent Chirk Aqueduct, the railway viaduct alongside. Opened in 1801, Chirk Aqueduct carries the canal 21.3 metres above the English/Welsh border. You can turn around just after the Chirk Aqueduct, before Chirk Tunnel. The National Trust’s medieval fortress Chirk Castle is upon the hill.
Continue on from Chirk, exploring more of the 11-mile UNESCO World Heritage stretch of the Llangollen Canal. Pass through the 420-metre long Chirk Tunnel, pass Chirk Marina and then you go through Whitehouses Tunnel. The Offa’s Dyke Path follows the canal for a while and you’ll pass Ty Mawr Country Park. The Britannia Inn is close by in Froncysllte and then you’ll pass the Aqueduct Inn just before you begin crossing the magnificent Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, carrying the canal 38 metres above the River Dee. Just after the aqueduct, you’ll reach Trevor Basin. The canal narrows after Trevor and you’ll need someone to hop off with a mobile phone to check that the navigation is clear. You’ll pass the canalside Sun pub and enjoy views of the valley below. There is a basin with visitor moorings at Llangollen (charges apply), which you can use as a base to explore the town, including the Llangollen Steam Railway, Plas Newydd house and gardens and the Horseshoe Falls. There are many independent shops and places to eat, including the popular Corn Mill with stunning river and mountain views.
Nantwich and back (42 miles, 38 locks, 28 hours)
Start your journey through breath-taking scenery by cruising along past Whixall Moss nature reserve and connecting to the mainline of the Llangollen Canal. Head east to the historic market town of Whitchurch, known for its clock makers. Look out for half-timbered buildings, fair trade independent shops and restaurants. There’s a good choice of pubs, including the award-winning Black Bear. After Whitchurch, you’ll pass through the Grindley Brook Staircase of Locks with lockside café and stores and then you’ll reach Wrenbury. The centre of the village is a conservation area with a range of historic houses and the 16th century St Margaret’s Church overlooking the village green. There is a Post Office with general stores and two pubs, the canalside Dusty Miller in a converted corn mill, and The Cotton Arms. Cruise on through the Shropshire countryside, then pass through four locks at Hurleston, before reaching Hurleston Junction. Here the Llangollen Canal meets the Shropshire Union Canal. Head south down the Shropshire Union Canal through a couple of bridges before reaching Nantwich Basin where you can turn. The historic market town of Nantwich was once the centre of the salt mining industry, which you can find out more about at the Nantwich Museum. Nantwich has a great choice of places to eat, including the Wickstead Arms and Loco Nantwich.
