llangollen barge trips

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal World Heritage site

Llangollen Wharf Tour

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Introduction

Llangollen was already an important market town when the canal arrived. Both the town and local industry benefitted as essential supplies such as coal arrived by barge while slate, lime and other goods could be exported much more easily and cheaply.

A public wharf and warehouse were built in the early 1800s. The warehouse was originally built from local stone but was later enlarged in brick as trade grew. The first goods train arrived in 1861 and gradually trade on the canal dwindled. However boat trips for pleasure started in the 1880s and are just as popular with visitors today!

Click on any Point of Interest marker to view the description

1. Llangollen Mooring Basin

Llangollen Mooring Basin started as a winding, or turning hole, when the canal was built to allow boats to turn round as few of them would be travelling to the end of the canal at Llantysilio.

Llangollen Mooring Basin © Jo Danson

In 2004 the winding hole was incorporated into a large modern Mooring Basin for 32 boats at a cost of £1.9 million. The moorings are just opposite the Llangollen International Eisteddfod site. Famous visitors who have taken a narrow boat holiday to visit the International Eisteddfod include Harrison Ford and his wife Calista Flockhart. However whilst they enjoyed travelling on the narrow boat during the day, they preferred to stay overnight in more roomy hotels!

2. Llangollen Wharf

Visitors have enjoyed trips along the canal from Llangollen Wharf since 1881 when Mr Newbery of the Royal Hotel ran a pleasure boat service from Llangollen Wharf to Chain Bridge, probably the first pleasure boat service on a canal in Britain.

In 1884 Llangollen born Captain Samuel Jones bought a redundant boat ‘The Pioneer’ and set up a business running daily trips to Chain Bridge and Horseshoe Falls.

Llangollen Wharf © Heather Williams

Listen to…

…the sound of the horses pulling the boats along the canal

Meet Ifan and Taffy

Captain Jones described the route to Horseshoe Falls as ‘a route of unsurpassed natural grandeur’ and by 1890 he had increased his fleet to six pleasure boats, the largest of which would hold 200 passengers, to keep up with growing demand. At that time he needed seven men and five horses at considerable expense but he said he didn’t grumble!

Captain Jones had travelled the world on steamships working as a chief engineer. There is a story that he may have been pensioned off when he was allegedly drunk and fell off the bridge of a ship!

Certainly in 1901 he was charged with blowing a bugle in a public place in such a way as to cause a public nuisance, something he did every half hour to signal that the boat was ready to depart.

Horse-drawn boats have operated from Llangollen Wharf ever since. It is considered to be one of the oldest leisure orientated business in North Wales and is now one of only three horse-drawn boat companies that still operate in the UK.

Business continues to thrive with over 30 staff employed during the busy summer months. The real attraction is the five Welsh cobs that pull the boats. The horses, working no longer than 3 hours a day, can pull a boat with up to 50 passengers weighing 20 tons with ease on the trips to Pentrefelin and Horseshoe Falls.

Llangollen Wharf © Jo Danson

© Llangollen Museum

3. Wharf Hill

Wharf Cottage backs onto the canal and was originally the home of the wharf foreman, sometimes known as a wharfinger. He was responsible for the goods delivered to the wharf and other day to day activities and probably had an office in the buildings at the wharf.

© Crown copyright: RCAHMW

The houses Number 1 and 2 Royal View reflect the magnificent views they have over the town of Llangollen. They were originally one property and were probably built shortly after the canal was constructed.

In 1901 a wealthy coal merchant Charles Williams lived here with his wife Mary and nine children, together with one of his employees. By 1911 Charles’s son, John, who was also a coal merchant, was head of the household at the age of 22, living with five of his sisters, one brother and one of his employees.

© The National Archive Crown Copyright 1911

4. Siambr Wen

Siambr Wen has a distinctive castle-like appearance with a crenellated parapet and octagonal end turrets. Set within the garage walls are medieval stone slabs believed to date from the 1300s and to have come from nearby Valle Crucis Abbey.

They were found when Llangollen Bridge was extended to go over the railway by Henry Robertson, the leading Scottish railway engineer and MP for Shrewsbury. The medieval stones were placed in the garden of Siambr Wen and later set into the garage walls.

© Heather Williams

Siamber Wen was the home of Alexander Reid, owner and partner of Llangollen Flagstone Company, Pentrefelin in the 1840s. He was also a director of the Minera Mining Company, formed in 1845 to exploit the lead in the Wrexham area. The miners discovered new reserves of lead deep underground so by the mid 1860s the profits were over £60,000, the equivalent of more than £7.5 million today. This enabled Alexander to move to the even grander Llantysilio Hall close to the end of the Llangollen Canal.

Later Siambr Wen was the home of Henry Robertson’s elderly brother John and his three sisters. John Robertson was a retired army doctor who had worked overseas, mainly in India, for over 20 years. Whilst in Llangollen he helped to establish the Llangollen Cottage Hospital, built in 1876.

5. Dee Mills

At the bottom of the embankment as the canal leaves Llangollen is Upper Dee Flannel Mill, which was powered by water taken from the canal rather than the river. This was unusual for a mill and shows how plentiful the water supply was from the Welsh hills.

Upper Dee Mills © Crown copyright: RCAHMW

Lower Dee Mill was built as a cotton mill close to the River Dee by entrepreneurs Turner and Comber in 1805. This business lasted thirty years before it was bought by Robert Hughes for use as a woollen weaving mill to serve the prosperous wool trade. The business expanded into the Upper Dee Mill in 1855 and was the largest of several woollen mills that grew up in Llangollen after the canal was built. Both Mills remained in production until 1921.

Upper Dee Mill was later occupied by R & G Cuthberts seed merchants. In 1932 William Clayton Russon bought the company which grew plants and particularly roses. William excelled in marketing and by 1937 the firm was selling seeds in bright colour printed packets on Woolworths’ counters. The seed stocks and firm’s headquarters were moved to Wales on the Government’s instructions, as there was a fear of bombing in the Home Counties.

Eventually in 1942 William relocated the business to Llangollen, having tried relocating in two other places in North Wales. William soon developed the business into a thriving mail order business with a reputation for quantity and competitive prices. He was the first President of the Llangollen International Eisteddfod in 1947 and was knighted in 1968, just before his death.

Lower Dee Mill © Llangollen Museum

© WoolworthsMuseum.co.uk

Upper Dee Mills

6. Llanddyn

Llanddyn Bridge is an original arched stone bridge, typical of those on the Llangollen Canal built using the local materials. The bridge was designed by Thomas Telford and Thomas Denson between 1804 and 1808.

Llanddyn Cottage was built by the Shropshire Union Railway and Canal Company in the late 1800s for a lengthsman. He was responsible for maintaining this part of the canal, probably including Llanddyn Lift Bridge, and it reflects the growing organisation of the canal maintenance structure. Close to the cottage is a stop-plank store, where planks are kept to deal with any breaches on the canal.

Llanddyn Lift Bridge provides access to fields either side of the canal. It was rebuilt in the 1900s in a traditional style but with hydraulic operation.

7. Castell Dinas Brân

From the towpath you can see Castell Dinas Brân, dramatically perched on the top of the hill. The prominent ruins are one of the landmarks of the Dee Valley and it is said to be one of the most romantic and magical places in Britain, drawing visitors up the steep hill.

A ‘camera obscura‘ was built in the ruins in the late 1800s to take advantage of the magnificent view from the top. There was even a tea room and shop at the top!

© Jo Danson

Castell Dinas Brân stands on the site of an ancient Iron Age hillfort. The castle is thought to have been built by the Welsh Prince of Powys, Gruffudd ap Madog in the late 1260s.

The castle is rectangular in shape and you can see the remains of the characteristic D shaped ‘Welsh tower’. A closer look reveals traces of features such as wall plaster, fire places and even en-suite toilets, so originally it was a splendid, well defended fortress. The active life of the castle was very short, as the Welsh soldiers set fire to it in 1277 to prevent it being used by the invading English army of King Edward 1. The castle was briefly in the hands of the English soldiers but it was soon abandoned and left to the crows, where the popular local name Crow’s Fortress comes from.

A famous Welsh legend about Myfanwy is associated with the castle. The Welsh medieval poet Hywel ab Einion was inspired to write a poem Ode to Myfanwy Fychan of Castell Dinas Brân which tells the story of a poor bard who goes to the castle to sing and play to Myfanwy. He believes his love will return but instead she rejects him for a rich nobleman. In the 1800s the poet John ‘Ceiriog’ Hughes, the Robert Burns of Wales, was inspired to write another poem Myfanwy Fychan which was later set to music by Joseph Parry and now is a popular song in Wales.

Reconstruction © Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB

8. Sun Bank

The Sun Inn was so called because it sold beer from the Sun Brewery, the longest running brewery in Llangollen.

Just below the Sun Inn was a wharf on the canal where limestone was brought down from Trevor Quarry by a tramroad and incline. Boats were able to turn in a basin nearby at Bryn Howel, created to take advantage of a natural indent in the hillside.

A dreadful accident happened here on 7th September 1945 when the canal burst its banks and washed away the railway embankment, leaving the track suspended in mid air. The signalmen were unaware that anything was wrong and so the first train of the day carrying mail and goods fell into the breach, killing the driver. The fireman miraculously escaped with injuries and the guard, who was also injured managed to walk back to Trevor Station to raise the alarm. When he arrived he was asked ‘Why haven’t you cleared the section?’ The train, which had burst into flames, was mostly destroyed.

The force of the water created a breach of over 35 metres long and more than 15 metres deep. The report into the accident concluded that the maintenance of the canal had received close attention and the cause of the breach was probably due to the unstable nature of the underlying boulder clay. It was considered that even though strengthening measures had been carried out there was still a potential threat of further breaches of the canal. It was suggested that the canal could be closed in this area, as at that time there was no longer any obligation to maintain the canal for navigation purposes but in the end it was the canal that remained as a transport route, not the railway.

9. Trevor Rocks

Trevor Rocks marks the end of Eglwyseg Rocks, a spectacular carboniferous limestone escarpment. Stone was quarried from the escarpment for over 200 years leaving a legacy of challenging rock faces enjoyed by rock climbers.

Trevor Uchaf quarry was extensive with at least three faces being worked in the late 1800s. A series of limekilns were situated around the quarry site but were disused by 1912. There are remains of a railway winding house which stood at the top of a steep incline, one of the main inclines down to the Llangollen Canal, and later the railway line at Plas Ifan wharf.

Old lime kiln at Trevor Uchaf © Crown copyright: RCAHMW

10. Bryn Howel

Bryn Howel is a striking house built in 1896 for James Coster Edwards, the son of J. C. Edwards Senior, owner of the great brick, tile and terracotta works. Edwards’ products of bright red brickwork, terracotta, tile hanging and tiled roof are in used in the building, probably produced at the family’s Pen-y-Bont works.

© John Allan

The gardens, which included a walled garden, produced all the vegetables, fruit and flowers for the mansion. The sweeping grounds lead down to the canal, where an attractive boathouse was built, showing how popular boating had become by the late 1800s.

James lived here with his wife and two children until he died in 1934. His widow allowed it to be used as a billet for army personnel in World War 2. The house was sold in the 1960s and was turned into a hotel. Guests include Pavarotti who stayed here on a visit to the Llangollen International Eisteddfod in 1995.

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Horse Drawn Boat Trips

Horse-drawn boat trips go from the canal wharf towards the Horseshoe Falls, which were built by Thomas Telford c. 1808 to feed water into the Llangollen Canal.

You can also take a narrow boat trip along the canal and over the spectacular Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. 

Eleven miles of the canal from the Horseshoe Falls to Gledrid Bridge were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009.

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ENJOY THE BEAUTIFUL BRITISH COUNTRYSIDE BY NARROWBOAT  

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CRUISE DOWN BEAUTIFUL WELSH AND ENGLISH CANALS 

CUSTOMER FEEDBACK    Fab few days on gorgeous canal..boats are fantastic...service brilliant..would say go and see for yourself..you wont be disappointed...Brilliant...Will be back     by Mark Webb       Brilliant, beautiful barge!!   Amazing time away and the scenery stunning. The most relaxed night we’ve had away. Thankyou     by Chrissie Fox      

Llangollens Favourite Holiday Company

Explore our Canal History

Crest narrowboats.

Escape the hustle and bustle and explore North Wales at your own pace.

A Family run narrowboat hire company with over 50 years experience

Canal boat hire special offers.

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Crest Narrowboats is a family run canal boat hire business providing narrowboat holidays in the North Wales region. With a good selection of canal boats to hire that suit all budgets and requirements, we are confident that you will enjoy your time spent exploring the tranquil Llangollen Canal and beyond. Above all, we pride ourselves on providing a top quality service and barges that are in excellent condition.

We have a wide variety of boats to suit every need and budget, so you can be rest assured that you’ll find the perfect vessel for your canal boat hire holiday. Whether you’re looking for a short trip to explore the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct or a week’s hire taking a leisurely trip down towards Whitchurch , we have a boat that’s perfect for you. We are ideally situated between the Chirk and Pontcysyllte Aqueducts for canal boat holidays on the English and Welsh Canals.

All of our canal boats are regularly maintained & serviced to the highest standards, they’re equipped with everything you need for a comfortable and enjoyable holiday, and our experienced and friendly staff are always on hand to help with any questions you may have.

Not sure of what you can accomplish in a short trip or a week? Take a look at our Routes page . Want to know more about the areas on the Llangollen Canal? Have a look at our Places of Interest page ! For more information about our boats and what to expect on a Crest canal boat hire, or to make a booking , take a look around our website or contact us via email or telephone . We hope to hear from you soon!

Fun on the Llangollen Canal

★★★★★ This was our first time doing a narrowboat cruise and I’m so glad we went with Crest. Their tutorial got us underway quickly and the staff was friendly, cheerful and patient. Located in Chirk means you have easy access to the spectacular Llangollen Canal! Again, we’ve only gone on one trip but everyone we talked to said this trip was the one to do. Go in one direction and you have farms, fields, grazing cattle and sheep and small villages. Go in the other direction and you’re in the Welsh highlands, headed for the spectacular Pontylssomething Aqueduct. (I can’t spell Welsh words very well).

First time and definitely won’t be our last time!

★★★★★ This was our first experience on a canal boat and it definately won’t be our last! We arrived at Chirk Marina and was warmly greeted by the staff there. After a quick tour and demonstration we were on our way. We decided on a route with the destination being Ellesmere. We decided on this route as with travelling with children the experience of crossing the aqueduct, chirk tunnel and the 2 locks made the experience more of an adventure! We travelled on the Cadi Fach which is a 4-6 berth boat. The boat was well equipped with all the necessities for our weekend away. The boat itself was immaculately clean and well presented with all matching furnishings. I would definately recommend Crest Narrowboats and look forward to booking again with you next year! Thank you Dorothy and all staff

Our 1st narrowboat holiday – amazing!

★★★★★ My parents, doggo and I hired the narrowboat “Angharad” for our first canal adventure. We picked up the boat (it was clean, tidy and ready to go) and were given a walkthrough of the vessel and some instruction afloat, this was done by Chris who was very helpful and entertaining. The canal was amazing, with picturesque countryside views, tunnels, locks, bridges and aqueducts. A brilliant introduction to canal holidays – now we want to go again! Thank you to Crest Narrowboats for being so welcoming!

Family Break

★★★★★ Really pleasurable experience, would not hesitate to recommend.

We began our experience on a Saturday, our boat, Dinas Bran, was ready for us nice and early to begin our trip. The staff at the Marina were so helpful, they went above and beyond and it really helped our trip.

The boat itself was more than adequate for 6 people, everything on board that you could possibly need.

We would recommend this experience to those with young or older children, there is plenty to do for everyone. The run from Chirk to Ellesmere has some delightful views and you can’t beat going over the aqueduct

Really Good Experience

★★★★★ Our first narrowboat experience and the staff at Crest were excellent. Boat was in good condition, no mechanical issues at all. Allowed us to pick up the boat early and get on the water. Great introduction and walk round at pickup along with a short cruise where the staff member came with us and made sure we knew how to turn the boat. Llangollen canal has a bit of everything for a first timer. Two viaducts, tunnels, and a couple of locks. The advice to head to Ellesmere first before attempting Llangollen is well worth following as some practice before navigating the narrows was very useful. Also by heading for Llangollen later in the week we seemed to miss the worst of the traffic. Would highly recommend Crest!

Can’t wait

★★★★★ Perfect Stunning! A thoroughly enjoyable time was had by all. The staff are all absolute stars. Once again thank you Crest Narrowboats!! We’ll be back

Clean and tidy

★★★★★ Clean and fit upon arrival – very good. Paul gave a thorough orientation – Thank you – ideal for the beginner

Something different

★★★★★ Beautifully appointed. Good central heating. Good lighting. Nice size. Clean!! Its a great boat

★★★★★ What a fun craft, verbal and written instructions were thorough and effective. We quickly became adequate in operating the vehicle, but now there is less paint on the hull!!

★★★★★ Lovely condition and fresh looking. Staff always helpful and friendly by email, phone and face to face

Very nice layout, comfortable bed and chairs. Lovely boat, clean linen and towels. TV signal dodgy which is understandable

At handover, pleasant staff and good instruction. Like the modern easy living style

Have you been on one of our boats? Leave us a review here!

How much time have you got? Stay on the Llangollen Canal or go further afield with the Montgomery, Shropshire, 4 Counties or Cheshire ring.

We have a selection of boats, from 2 berth for romantic getaways, 4 to 6 berths for families and 6 to 8 berths for larger families or parties.

our canal boat hires As seen IN MEDIA

KARA AND NATE

Take a virtual journey with Kara and Nate down the stunning Llangollen Canal. Click the link to watch their captivating three-day trip and find out why this should be on your bucket list.

Canals: the making of a nation

Liz McIvor explores the canals after post war neglect, becoming places of tranquillity for narrow boat holidays.

Celebrity 5 go barging

Nigel Havers, Debbie McGee, Lorraine Chase and Simon Callow with Crest Narrowboats on the Llangollen Canal.

TIM AND PRU

The nations favourites return to where they had their honeymoon on the Llangollen Canal. You can still see it here.

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Llangollen Wharf is one of the longest-established visitor attractions in the North Wales market town of Llangollen, with visitors enjoying trips for over 100 years .

About Llangollen Wharf

Llangollen Wharf is one of the longest-established visitor attractions in the North Wales market town of Llangollen, with visitors enjoying trips for over 100 years. 

From the Wharf you can embark on either a horse drawn boat trip along the feeder for the main canal, or a motorised aqueduct boat trip that takes you across the famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct built by Thomas Telford. Both of these boat trips take in the magical sights and sounds of this beautiful World Heritage Site. Group rates apply on all trips for larger groups, whilst lunches and cream teas can be pre-ordered for the aqueduct trips and takeaway food for the Horse Boat Trips. Mulled Wine Special trips operate on the motor boat over the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct at weekends in November and December. Other Special Trips are available throughout the year.

We also have two purpose-built 32' self-steer day hire boats for groups of up to 10 people. This is an ideal way to take a leisurely cruise along the Llangollen Canal and across the unforgettable Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. Perfect for families, groups of friends and corporate teams alike, a private boat for the day is a totally unique experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you allow dogs on your trips?

We allow dogs on our horse drawn boat trips and on our self-drive day hire boats but not on the motorised aqueduct cruise.

Do you have parking at the Wharf?

We only have a pick up and drop off point at the Wharf but it is only a 5 minute walk from any of the car parks in Llangollen town.

What times are the Aqueduct Cruises?

We run 2 trips per day. The first departs Llangollen Wharf at 11.45am and takes 2 hours to cross the Aqueduct where a coach is waiting to bring the passengers back to Llangollen town centre. For the second trip you need to check in at Llangollen Wharf by 1.30pm where you will be directed to the coach pick up point which will take you to the boat for your cruise back into Llangollen Wharf.

Why is there no availability for a self-drive boat on your booking site?

When you book a self-drive boat on our website enter 1 when asked how many are in your party. The booking is per boat not per person. The maximum allowed on the boat is 10 people and this includes babies. Please note you will need a £70 cash damage deposit on the day of hire.

Do you have toilets on the boat?

The motor boat which does the Aqueduct Trips does have a toilet. The Horse Drawn trips boats do not have toilet facilities. There are toilets with disabled access at the Wharf. The Day Hire Boats have a toilet.

Is there disabled access?

There is disabled access to the Tea Room and toilets at the Wharf. We can load wheelchairs onto the Horse Boats but you should note that we cannot off load them at the Chain Bridge on the 2 hour Horse Drawn Boat trip. We are not able to take Wheelchairs on the Aqueduct Trip although people with some mobility may be able to board and we can carry folded wheelchairs. There is a bus transfer so the usual criteria we use it that if the individual can get on a bus then they will be able to get on the boat. If unsure please contact us to discuss.

Can we get food on the boats?

There are no catering facilities on the Horse Boats. Take Away food and drinks are available from the Tea Room. The motor boat has a licenced bar and tea, coffee, soft drinks and light refreshments are available on board. We can provide lunches on the 11.45 trip which need to be pre-ordered on the day. Please order at least half an hour before your trip to allow us to prepare the food in the Tea Room. We can also provide Welsh Cream Teas on the afternoon trip. Ordering in advance is recommended.

Book online for this unique experience!

Choose from 45-minute and 2-hour horse drawn boat rides and enjoy everything this World Heritage Site has to offer from the perfect vantage point.

The Tea Room and Gift Shop at Llangollen Wharf is located in the old canal warehouse. All of our food is prepared and cooked on the premises, promising absolute freshness. 

We serve breakfast and a variety of light lunches throughout the day.  Welsh Cream Teas are always available with our own homemade scones and bara brith, complemented by jam and clotted cream. We also do afternoon Teas with a selection of sandwiches, tray bakes and home made cakes. Our homemade cakes are our speciality, which are all baked and iced daily in our kitchen. A selection of herb and fruit teas are available in addition to hot chocolate and freshly ground coffee. 

The Tea Room will be open from 9.30am to 4.30pm daily for Takeaway Tea, Coffee. Sandwiches,  Breakfast Baps, and  Ice Creams,.  We can also provide  tray bakes, panninis  and cakes to takeaway. 

In addition we can provide Welsh Cream Teas  and Afternoon Teas in a Box to take away.  These can be ordered in advance on 01978 860702  or prepared while you wait.

We have completed a Covid 19 risk assessment and  have all the recommended hygiene rules in place.

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Home / More Information / Route Blogs / Llangollen And Return

Llangollen and Return

Llangollen canal route guide.

The Llangollen canal meanders around the Welsh border and is one of the most popular holiday routes for narrow boaters.

If you're wondering why Llangollen canal trips are so popular, the route has lots to offer – including picturesque countryside, plenty of places to stop, minimal locks (only 2 locks on the whole stretch from Whitchurch to Llangollen), 2 tunnels, and 2 aqueducts including the spectacular World Heritage site Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, appropriately nicknamed ‘The Stream in the Sky’. What’s not to like?

Our helpful team have put together this seven-day guide of what you could expect on your own Llangollen canal trip – including detailing the best Llangollen canal pubs, mooring spots and more.

He gave us suggestions about where to moor on the route and where to get a good meal on our last night! He even came with us on the boat until we had negotiated the first swing bridge before waving us off on our narrowboat adventure. As there were only 2 of us, we had chosen one of the smaller boats in the ABC Boat Hire fleet. The Black Headed Bunting was just perfect for us, especially as the galley is at the back of the boat, so when you are making meals and drinks you can still talk to your tiller person.

Even though there are no locks on the Llangollen between Whitchurch and Ellesmere, there are a few swing bridges, so we got some practice at using our windlass to open and close them. The cruise is then quiet and peaceful, and we were able to spend time looking at the lovely countryside and spotting a duck with all her chicks under her wing aah! We decided to have lunch on the move – so I put together a salad and we took it in turns to leave the tiller to eat. Shortly before reaching Ellesmere, we could see the Ellesmere tunnel coming up. Its only short (87 yds), and we could see there was nobody coming the other way, so we gently cruised in. As we did though, 2 men on a boat behind us started shouting "speed up"! I was on the tiller and couldn't understand why they wanted me to go faster through a tunnel until one of them shouted "I can’t stop"! As their boat was now on a collision course with ours, I did speed up. It wasn't until afterwards that I wondered why they couldn't go into reverse to slow down, but maybe they were even newer than us at this narrow boating lark and had a bit of a panic...

Once we got to Ellesmere, we remembered that Ed had suggested we don't go up the Ellesmere Arm, so we didn't, but cruised past it and found a mooring next to the towpath just after the Arm. It turned out to be good advice, as the Arm was full – and we would have had to go all the way up just to turn round and come all the way back again. We were also facing the right way to carry on cruising the next day, so we were happy with our little spot. Time to leave our boat in search of an evening meal. We walked up the Arm and saw an advert for a Greek restaurant called Meze.

We decided to go there and got a really tasty meal - £15 for 5 courses to share AND a big bowl of chips! Suitably fed and watered, we retired back to our boat where I unearthed the bottle of Baileys I had brought with me and plotted our route for the next day (basically just keep going, that should be easy).

We set off at 8.30am with our aim for the day to reach Chirk, where Ed had given us another tip about a good place to moor. It was a beautiful day with gorgeous countryside, and in what seemed like no time at all, we found ourselves passing the top of the Montgomery Canal at Lower Frankton. The Montgomery is slowly being restored, and you can only go down it if you have booked your boat's passage beforehand.

It looked really pretty as we cruised past. After the junction, the bridge numbers on the Llangollen start again with a W after them, and once you've gone past bridge 11W, you know the locks are coming up. David moored us up on the centre rope before the first lock, and then I was able to untie us and hop straight back on the boat to go into the lock - easy! After that, there was a short stretch before the 2nd lock where we repeated the operation, only to find ourselves waiting for a canoe to come out of the lock which was a bit of a surprise. Immediately after the 2nd lock we saw some water points on the right-hand side, so we pulled over to top up our water before carrying on towards Chirk. Now the cruise started getting really interesting, as the Chirk Aqueduct is immediately followed by the Chirk tunnel.

I had been a bit nervous about the aqueducts, but once we were on the Chirk one I loved it - fantastic views of the viaduct and the surrounding countryside. There's even a notice on it telling you not to walk on the edge, as if anyone would do that... There was a boat behind us going into the Chirk tunnel, so after getting David to switch all our lights on including the headlight, I sped up a bit just to make sure nobody tried to hit us from behind again! Upon emerging from the tunnel, we looked for an inlet on the right-hand side where Ed had told us we could moor. It was almost immediately after the end of the tunnel, so we overshot it and had to reverse back to get into it.

Just one spot left, just the right size for our little boat. Cruising completed for the day and it was only 2.30pm! By now the weather was absolutely glorious, the kind of day you don’t often get in the UK, so we decided to make the most of it and walked up to Chirk Castle through the countryside. The castle is on a hill (not the one in the Ed Sheeran song) with stunning views to all sides. It’s a National Trust property and well worth a visit, especially if you are a member. Having walked all the way back, our thoughts turned to food, so after watching Eggheads on our tv (yes, there was a good reception!) we walked into Chirk itself and decided to eat our evening meal at the Hand Hotel in the centre.

The food was really good and the bar area was furnished with an eye-catching carved Welsh dragon which was apparently made locally. Having enjoyed our pub meal, it was a 10 minute amble back to our boat; the mooring inlet wed chosen was lovely and quiet and we had a great night’s sleep!

We were up and breakfasted early, excited at the prospect of getting to the famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and our final destination at Llangollen. Casting off at about 7.45am, we cruised through gentle shady countryside, through the Whitehouse tunnel (191 yds), and onwards to negotiate a Lift bridge at Frontcysyllte. I was just thinking it wouldn't be long now before the aqueduct when we rounded a corner and there it was facing us with a boat coming across it in the opposite direction! We had to hurriedly get our boat over to the other side of the canal, out of their way, before we could see the aqueduct was clear and we could proceed.

David had agreed to man the tiller over the aqueduct so that I could get some pictures, and I excitedly walked over to the open side of the aqueduct, only to quickly scuttle back to the other side - it's really scary! There is literally nothing but a sheer drop between you and the Dee Valley below, and even though we knew we were quite safe in our little channel full of water, its got to be one of the most breath-taking experiences I have ever had. Just have a look at the photos... Once safely over the aqueduct you find yourself at Trevor basin where Thomas Telford stayed at the Trevor Inn while the aqueduct was being built. Telford was the architect who designed the Pontcysyllte and it took 10 years to complete.

We made a sharp left-hand turn to continue our journey along the Llangollen canal, and just after going under the first bridge, a man on the towpath walked towards us shouting "there's chaos just ahead!" The canal gets very narrow on the final stretch to Llangollen, and there are a couple of sections where it is one-way. Even though there is an occasional passing place, it's a good idea for one of your crew to get off the boat and walk up ahead so that they can tell you if it's safe to proceed. That hadn't happened on this day and so there was a bit of a boat traffic jam! Having waited for it to clear, we had a lovely cruise into Llangollen with incredible views over the Dee valley to the left of us virtually all the way. Upon arriving in Llangollen, we moored up at one of the water points near Bridge 45W (this is permitted, unlike other water points where waiting is restricted to half an hour). David walked to the nearby cafe to buy our mooring permit - you have to pay to moor at Llangollen but its only £6 for 24 hours so hopefully won't break the bank.

We hadn't topped up with water since the previous day, so we decided to get the hose out and..... it was gone! Despite my suspicious questioning of my poor husband (are you sure you put it back in the boat?), David was adamant that he put it back there safely after our last top up, so we could only conclude that the phantom hose stealer had purloined it while we were moored up at Chirk.... A very kind couple in the boat moored next to ours let us borrow their hose, and I phoned Whitchurch marina to let them know.

We reckoned we'd probably manage for water until we got back to Ellesmere and decided we could call in at Blackwater Meadow marina there to fill up again before the end of our holiday. Having solved that little dilemma, we decided to go and explore Llangollen, but before we'd actually left the canal we spotted rides being organised on a horse-drawn narrowboat (£7 a ticket), cruising up a small feeder canal. There is no turning point on the feeder so hire boats can't go up it, but the horse drawn boats just turn the horse round and tow the boat back again! It was a lovely experience, so peaceful with no engine running; it must have been much quieter in the days when all boats were horse drawn. We then decided to continue our holiday making with a trip on the Llangollen steam railway.

The railway was closed in 1968 but rescued by local enthusiasts, and the train now looks very splendid indeed and was a pleasure to be aboard. It was £15 a ticket to go to Corwen and return. After a bit of souvenir shopping, we had a meal in one of the many eateries in Llangollen, before walking back up the hill to the canal and our boat. We noticed that almost everyone had already turned their boat to be ready to set off back towards Trevor the next day, but by now it was dark so we decided to turn in the morning. Time for my evening tumbler of Baileys!

We passed a man walking his dog along the towpath who told us that 3 boats had travelled ahead of us at 5.30am; now that's just ridiculous.... Time for a second crossing of the magnificent Pontcysyllte aqueduct and David did a superb job on the tiller again, although just before the end I could hear him keeping himself focused on the task by talking to himself aloud 'look straight ahead, look straight ahead'. He says it's OK so long as you don't look down! I took the opportunity to take in one last look at the incredible panoramic view. If you do this route, glance across the valley as you return from Llangollen to Trevor. If you're lucky you'll see a boat crossing the aqueduct and it looks spectacular. We cruised on merrily back towards Chirk, through the Whitehouse tunnel, then the Chirk tunnel, back over the Chirk Aqueduct. We had thought about mooring up at the Lion Quays Hotel at bridge 17, but as it was only 12 noon when we got there we decided we would carry on, go through the 2 locks and then finish our day's cruising at the Jack Mytton Inn at Hindford (first stop after the locks). At about 12.30pm we were approaching the locks when we noticed what looked like a HUGE queue of boats all along the left-hand side of the canal. As we got nearer, people on the towpath started signalling to us that we should pull over.

It turned out this was the queue to go back through the locks and everyone was temporarily mooring up while they waited. I jumped off the boat to see how many boats were ahead of us and counted 11. With etiquette at locks being for boats to take it in turns to come through up and down, it looked like we were going to be there for quite a long time! Never mind, it was a nice day and we chatted to some of the other boaters in the queue, had our lunch, and by 1.30pm we were up from 12th to 7th in the queue. We finally got through the locks at 3.30pm, and thought how lucky we were that we had started out so early. Having escaped from our lock-queueing extravaganza, we got to Hindford at 4pm. There were quite a few boats already moored up, but luckily for us our little boat just fitted into a gap in the mooring inlet right next to the pub. As the day wore on, it seemed as though every ABC Boat Hire boat on the canal decided to do the same as us and we ended up at the head of a parade of smart green and red boats.

Our dining experience that evening was at the Jack Mytton Inn next to the canal - its pub sign is a curious picture of a man riding a bear. Jack Mytton was an eccentric local aristocrat born in the late 18th century who inherited a substantial estate when his father died when Jack was only 2 years old. One of his many practical jokes was to arrive at a dinner party at Halston Hall riding a bear, hence the picture on the pub sign bearing his name. History lesson aside, we dined on Bear Pie (I don't think it was made out of bears) and Bangers & Mash. It was the most delicious meal of the whole week and I thoroughly recommend stopping there if you can bear it! **Please note: since writing this blog, the Jack Mytton Inn has apparently closed down which is a great shame (updated information June 2018).

Having made such brilliant progress yesterday, we set off for Ellesmere at 9am and arrived just after 11am, meaning we'd got almost the whole day at leisure! First port of call was Blackwater Meadow marina to pick up a replacement water hose, and then we ambled into Ellesmere.

After about 20 minutes we found ourselves at the Ellesmere itself and we treated ourselves to a boat trip around the lake (£5 for half an hour) this time skippered by someone else so we could relax and look at the scenery. The Mere is 70ft deep in the middle and was formed 10,000 years ago when the ice age ended. Today, it's really pretty with water lilies, a folly at the far side, and plenty of wildlife including Jemima Puddleduck who came to say hello to us. We spent the rest of the day wandering around looking in the little art gallery and various quirky shops, before plumping for the Black Lion public house for our evening meal, which was delicious and reasonably priced. Time to go back to the Black Headed Bunting where I was sad to find I was draining the final glass of Baileys from the bottle.

Turned out that in such windy weather I needed to use a lot more revs to counteract the effect of being blown about. Once we'd successfully moored up, I thanked him for his help; he replied in a gruff voice "we've all got to learn". Having topped up our water, we spent the day lazily cruising our way back to Whitchurch. Ed had given us a tip of where to spend our final night aboard and where we could moor, but first of all I wanted to have another go at boat manoeuvring (glutton for punishment), so tried to turn the boat round in one of the winding holes near the marina. Once again the wind sabotaged my attempts, pushing the boat sideways just when I'd got it halfway round, so I ended up with the boat drifting out of the winding hole sideways to the narrower part of the canal.

By this time, I was rapidly losing confidence, until David appeared next to me and said look at the stern. So I looked, and wondrous to behold, it was very slowly turning and success was eventually achieved. Phew! Having turned back again, we proceeded to cruise just past Whitchurch Marina to the top of the Grindley Brook staircase of locks. There are moorings there and a winding hole just at the top, so we turned the boat there (I let David do it, aren't I generous) and moored up for our final night facing the right way to travel back to the marina in the morning. We had a look at the staircase itself which consists of 3 locks in a row, followed by another 3 locks quite soon afterwards.

There's a friendly cafe right by the staircase and we went in for a cup of tea. I was slightly unnerved though by two gigantic effigies of Rosie & Jim which appeared to be suspended from the wall, they didn't look very happy up there..... Eds recommendation for our final evening meal was the Horse & Jockey restaurant and bar, which is just a 5 minute walk from the locks and 10 minutes from our moorings. It's very popular so we did book a table a few hours before, but it was well worth it as the food and ambience was really good and welcoming.

Just 20 minutes' cruising got us back to Whitchurch for 9am, to reluctantly part with our floating home after an unforgettable week on the Llangollen. No wonder its popular - we'd love to go back again and perhaps try the Montgomery canal next time. If you're thinking of cruising the Llangollen, don't think any more, just do it!

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Afternoon Tea Cruise - Llangollen Wharf Boat Trips

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Went on the afternoon tea trip with my husband and another couple.we were originally booked to go... read more

what can i say , what a wonderful experiance, always wanted to to this trip. got on board... read more

Afternoon Tea Cruise

We had a really enjoyable 4 hour Prosecco afternoon tea canal cruise on New Year’s Day blessed by glorious weather and attentive service whilst on board which we both really enjoyed….. the only negative point we could find that we have never come across before when having a Prosecco afternoon tea was that there was an extra charge for tea/coffee in every instance at other venues everything is usually included in the set price but nevertheless it was still a lovely way to spend an afternoon on the first day of 2022.

Thanks for the review. We put so much into our Prosecco Afternoon Teas and the trip itself that we took the decision to keep it at such a great value for money trip. We still need to make a bit of money on the trip hence the need to charge for additional drinks. I’m glad it didn’t spoil your trip though.

What a fantastic day out yesterday on your Christmas Party Cruise. A fantastic trip with stunning food, great entertainment by Shea and the attentiveness of the lovely Chris and Jade serving us drinks all afternoon. Not forgetting the fabulous Neal who dealt with the booking, took phone calls and most importantly skippered the boat for us all to have such a fabulous afternoon out. Looking forward to returning again in the future. The whole experience was worth every penny and more!!

Thanks for the great review.

This must have been one of the best days we have ever had made to feel so welcome by all of the staff who couldn't do enough for you shea kept us all entertained with his singing what a way for us to celebrate our engagement definitely be returning soon thanks again guys

We are so glad you had the best day, we look forward to seeing you again one day.

This was a lovely hour-long trip we took up the canal in a long barge pulled by a beautiful horse called Dakota. We didn’t have to pre book & the gentleman I spoke to on the phone was very helpful & even allowed me to park by their tearoom as I am disabled & cannot walk up hills. It was a very enjoyable experience. We ordered hot chocolate & cake, which we ate on the boat & everyone was very friendly.

We are glad you enjoyed your trip, I will pass your comments on to The staff.

Visited Llangollen from Shrewsbury for the day and wasn’t let down! I booked a 12.00 horse drawn boat trip which was met with beautiful weather. The staff were friendly, as was the horse - Harley. A very peaceful trip and and down the canal. The tearoom and little gift shop is also fantastic. The food and coffee was delicious. Couldn’t have asked for a better day out!

Thank you so much for your great review on all aspects of your day spent with us. We are truly pleased when people who have spent their money with us go away having had a great experience.

arrived Friday afternoon and needed to fill an hour or to prior to arrival at accommodation. chose to spend some time on a Llangollen Wharf horse drawn boat trip, so glad we did, it was so relaxing.

We are glad you enjoyed your time spent with us.

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Llangollen Canal Boat Hire

Useful information for your boating holiday, boating holidays on the amazing llangollen canal.

Through rural Cheshire towards Wales

Leaving Middlewich by way of an arm of the Shropshire Union Canal, the route has fine views over the valley of the River Weaver before making its way directly through an area full of Shropshire's 'black and white cows' to the main line of the canal. Here a short deviation would take you to the 'black and white buildings' of Nantwich.

Turning off at Hurleston Junction, the Llangollen Canal itself then ascends a short flight of locks and sets off across open country, winding its way through Wrenbury under quaint old wooden lift bridges. It is worth pausing at Marbury for a short walk up to its remarkable church. As a bonus, several of the locks on this section have good pubs adjacent. At Willeymoor you don't have to walk at all, because there's a delightful pub slap bang alongside the lock.

Gradually you have become used to locks, but at Grindley Brook half a dozen come all at once, the top three being telescoped together as a 'staircase' which can be something of a bottleneck in the summer season, especially on Thursdays when all the boats that have travelled towards Llangollen from the English end of the canal are busily heading back to base. Boaters have been in the habit of taking a taxi or catching the bus from Grindley Brook into nearby Whitchurch, but part of the old arm which once led right into the town has been restored to provide visitor moorings, and it is difficult to resist mooring up here and walking into this interesting old country town, famous as a centre of cheese-making. In the heyday of the canal a special cheese boat left here daily for Manchester, its hold covered with white canvas to keep the cheese as cool as possible. Beyond Whitchurch there are no more locks for many miles, though there are a number of lift bridges to be raised and lowered with the same windlass you use for operating locks. 

Ellesmere on the Llangollen Canal

Passing briefly in and out of Wales, and crossing the mysteriously remote 'mosses' the canal reaches Shropshire's 'Lake District', skirting several of the charming meres which were formed hereabouts the end of the Ice Age.

One of them, Blake Mere, is separated from the canal by the slenderest of margins, and makes a beautiful spot for a picnic.

A short tunnel preceeds Ellesmere, a timeless old town with some particularly good shops specialising in local produce.

The town arm provides pleasant moorings near to the canal company's original workshops, still used by British Waterways as a maintenance base, and the staff here welcome enquiries from passing boaters.

The Montgomery Canal and back into Wales

Popularly known as 'The Monty' the Montgomery Canal is often a forgotten canal as narrow boats on the Llangollen canal rush past the junction at Welsh Frankton in their narrow boats with hardly a second glance at the white signpost and its finger pointing to the top lock. The Montgomery Canal had been abandoned after a breach in 1936 having previously suffered poor ground problems and leaks. It decayed, unnoticed and abandoned, until those who cared, backed by the Inland Waterways Association, persuaded British Waterways that The Montgomery Canal could be saved for future generations and Frankton Locks were restored in 1987 but stood idle for almost 10 years. It has been a long journey with several setbacks along the way and every inch has been a struggle and a triumph. The Montgomery Canal now has a relatively short stretch of 7 miles navigable by canal boat with several formidable obstacles still to overcome. Hope continues that one day The Montgomery Canal will become one again and the whole length to Welshpool, and perhaps Newtown beyond, will be available for canal boats to cruise. This really is a totally different canal from the Llangollen Canal and, to cruise its length whilst on your canal narrow boat holiday is akin to turning off the motorway and taking to the country lanes instead.

Amazing Sights

At New Marton you pass through the last pair of locks on your way to Wales. Soon the canal is running parallel to the London-Holyhead road. Then it turns a wooded corner and you are confronted with two huge stone bridges, an aqueduct and a viaduct, carrying the canal and a railway respectively, across the valley of the River Ceiriog, from UK into Wales.

Border crossings don't come much more dramatic than this, especially as, on reaching the far side of the aqueduct, the canal plunges almost immediately into a long tunnel. From moorings at either end of this tunnel it's a short walk into the little town of Chirk, useful for shopping and with a 14th century castle to visit as well. The mountains, which have been simply pale outlines on the horizon, become more tangible as the canal slips into Offa's Dyke country.

World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

Winding through woodlands you come to the River Dee and Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, the most astonishing feat of waterway engineering anywhere in the world. The 18 kilometres of canal from Chirk to Llangollen was awarded World Heritage site status by Unesco in 2009. A hundred and twenty feet above the river, in an iron trough no wider than the width of you boat, crossing the aqueduct is tantamount to flying through mid air!

You could be forgiven for thinking that the last lap into Llangollen would be an anti-climax. It is nothing of the sort, as on a high shelf above the Vale of Llangollen and surrounded by high limestone ridges, the canal makes for its terminal wharf.

Exploring Llangollen

Twenty six hours cruising away from Middlewich, should leave you with plenty of time to explore some of Llangollen's well known attractions. Take a ride further on along the Dee Valley by steam train; visit Plas Newydd, where the Ladies of Llangollen were the centre of gossip in the 18th century; climb up to the ruins of Castell Dinas Bran, over a thousand feet above sea level; visit the Canal Exhibition Centre; stroll along the last two unnavigable miles of the canal to the famous Horseshoe Falls; or just wander about the charming streets of the town, grateful that you haven't got to find a parking space!

One week average cruising time per day: Llangollen canal 8.5 hours

This guide covers the following routes:

City of Chester

Ellesmere Port & The National Waterways Museum

Town of Nantwich

The Llangollen Canal

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Llangollen Wharf Boat Trips

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LLANGOLLEN WHARF BOAT TRIPS: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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Llangollen Wharf Boat Trips

Horse Drawn Boat Trips and Motorised Aqueduct Trips

Experience Tranquil voyages along the beautiful Llangollen Canal and famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.

A major tourist attraction and part of a World Heritage Site, Llangollen Wharf in the North Wales town of Llangollen presents beautiful scenery and the perfect day out for all the family.

Visitors have enjoyed trips around the area since 1884 and we’re proud to continue the tradition with our relaxing horse drawn boat trips and motorised aqueduct trips.Experience a unique trip in this beautiful location to treat your loved ones, employees or school pupils to an unforgettable tour of this picturesque region.

Bookings on the day can not be made online, please call the Wharf on 01978  860702 for availability.

• Tickets: £29.95

• Tickets: £13.50 To £17.50

• Tickets: £11 To £48

• Tickets: £5.25 To £28.50

• Tickets: £200

• Tickets: £150

• Tickets: £32.95