Llangollen Canal
Encyclopedia
The Llangollen Canal is a navigable canal
crossing the border between England
and Wales
. The waterway links Llangollen
in Denbighshire
, north Wales, with Hurleston
in south Cheshire
, via the town of Ellesmere, Shropshire
.
Originally the Llangollen line was to be primarily a water source from the River Dee
for the central section of the Ellesmere Canal
. As such it was not built as a broad-gauge waterway
but as a feeder branch. The Ellesmere Canal eventually became part of the Shropshire Union
network in 1846. Despite its inherent narrow nature for cruising, the feeder branch from the Horseshoe Falls was used as a navigable waterway.
In 2009 the eleven-mile section of the canal from Gledrid Bridge near Rhoswiel (half-a-mile inside England) through to the Horseshoe Falls, which includes Chirk Aqueduct
and Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
, was declared by UNESCO to be a World Heritage site.
The grand plan for the Ellesmere Canal was to link the River Mersey
with the River Severn
. The northward section would begin at Netherpool (now Ellesmere Port
) using part of the existing Chester Canal
before reaching the River Dee at Chester
. The southerly section of the waterway would pass through Overton
before heading towards Shrewsbury
.
Although work commenced in 1795, the canal was never finished as intended even though major works included two aqueducts at Pontcysyllte and Chirk
as well a tunnel
.
The northern section beyond Trevor Basin
was never built because of raising costs and resistance from property holders to sell their land to the canal company. Only the southerly section from Lower Frankton
to Weston Lullingfields
was completed. The final 9 miles (14.5 km) to Shrewsbury was never started because of financial problems.
Nevertheless the central section from the Horseshoe Falls through Llangollen was built. The weir, which created the man-made falls on the River Dee, provided water for the network.
Eventually the Ellesmere canal was completed between Frankton Junction
to Ellesmere
and Whitchurch
in Shropshire, eventually reaching the Chester Canal
at Hurleston Junction
near Nantwich
, Cheshire.
The Ellesmere Canal eventually became part of the Shropshire Union Canal
network in 1846.
to Llangollen
had ceased. The canal was formally closed to navigation under the London Midland and Scottish Railway Company Act of 1944. On 6 September 1945, due to inadequate maintenance, the canal breached its banks east of Llangollen
near Sun Bank Halt. The flow of hundreds of tons of water washed away the embankment of the railway further down the hill, tearing a 40 yd crater 50 ft deep. This caused the first traffic of the morning, a mail and goods train composed of 16 carriages and two vans, to crash into the breach, killing one and injuring two engine crew.
However despite its official closure to waterway traffic, the canal was not in-filled or allowed to remain de-watered because it was still required as a water feeder for the Shropshire Union Canal
. It also provided a supply of drinking water to a reservoir at Hurleston. In 1955 the Mid & South East Cheshire Water Board agreed to maintain the canal securing its future.
The canal's most notable features include the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
built by Thomas Telford
. Opened in 1805, the aqueduct is more than 300 metres (984.3 ft) long and 38 metres (124.7 ft) above the valley floor. It has nineteen stone arches, each with a forty-five foot span. Another aqueduct carries the canal over the River Ceiriog
at Chirk
, and there are tunnels nearby at Whitehouses, Chirk, and Ellesmere.
The canal also forms the boundary on two sides of the Fenn's, Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses National Nature Reserve
.
Wrenbury
lift bridge is operated by use of a British Waterways key, and involves closing barriers and stopping traffic on a sometimes-busy road.
At Grindley Brook
the canal passes through three locks and a three-chamber staircase lock, attended during summer months by a lock keeper
.
At Whitchurch
a short arm of the canal remains open. Originally this continued almost to the centre of the town, though sections have since been built over. Whitchurch Waterway Trust
promotes the restoration of this arm.
Between bridges 44 and 47 the canal passes through Whixall Moss.
Adjacent to bridge 46 is Whixall Moss Junction leading to the Prees Branch (see below).
Between bridges 54 and 57 the canal passes the Ellesmere meres.
At Ellesmere there is a short arm towards the town.
The canal also passes though Burland
, Quoisley Bridge, and Bettisfield.
The Prees Arm of the canal was originally intended to reach Prees, it was only constructed as far as Quina Brook
, and today is only open for a short distance, with two lift bridges, to a marina
at the end. The first bridge (Allman's Bridge) being one of the last manual lift bridges to be finally converted to hydraulic in 2010.
, which is partially restored, heads southwards. For historic reasons the bridge numbering continues down the Montgomery Canal and a second bridge numbering series for the Llangollen Canal begins with Rowson's Bridge (which is numbered both 1W and 70). The "W" addition is a recent act by British Waterways, to avoid possible confusion, especially for emergency services, of having different bridges on the same canal with the same number.
The Llangollen Canal passes through Hindford, Saint Martin's
, Preesgweene, Chirk Bank
, Chirk
and Froncysyllte
, and includes the Chirk Aqueduct
, the Chirk Tunnel
and the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
.
File:FranktonJunction-01s.jpg|Frankton Junction
File:NewMartonBottomLock 01s.jpg|New Marton Bottom Lock
File:NewMartonTopLock 01s.jpg|New Marton Top Lock
File:Y Waun AqueductWales.JPG|Chirk Aqueduct
File:Chirk tunnel.jpg|Chirk Tunnel
File:TrevorBasin-01s.jpg|Trevor Basin
Navigation by powered craft is prohibited beyond the entrance to Llangollen Marina and the final section is used only by the horse drawn trip boats. British Waterways
maintains a gravel shoal
immediately upstream of the marina entrance past Llangollen Wharf. This maintains a draft which most narrowboat
s cannot pass, but which is passable by the shallow drafted trip boats.
In 2005, a marina was constructed by British Waterways, just upstream from Llangollen Wharf, to relieve the acute shortage of casual moorings. A charge is made for all moorings over 48 hours at Llangollen.
About 100 yards downstream of the wharf there are about a dozen 'visitor' moorings complete with individual electricity and water at each. There are none at the marina itself.
Canals of the United Kingdom
The canals of the United Kingdom are a major part of the network of inland waterways in the United Kingdom. They have a colourful history, from use for irrigation and transport, through becoming the focus of the Industrial Revolution, to today's role for recreational boating...
crossing the border between England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. The waterway links Llangollen
Llangollen
Llangollen is a small town and community in Denbighshire, north-east Wales, situated on the River Dee and on the edge of the Berwyn mountains. It has a population of 3,412.-History:...
in Denbighshire
Denbighshire
Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
, north Wales, with Hurleston
Hurleston
Hurleston is a civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, which lies to the north west of Nantwich. The parish is predominantly rural with scattered farms and buildings and no settlements...
in south Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, via the town of Ellesmere, Shropshire
Ellesmere, Shropshire
Ellesmere is a small market town near Oswestry in north Shropshire, England, notable for its proximity to a number of prominent lakes, the Meres.-History:...
.
Originally the Llangollen line was to be primarily a water source from the River Dee
River Dee, Wales
The River Dee is a long river in the United Kingdom. It travels through Wales and England and also forms part of the border between the two countries....
for the central section of the Ellesmere Canal
Ellesmere Canal
The Ellesmere Canal was a canal in England and Wales, originally planned to link the Rivers Mersey, Dee, and Severn, by running from Netherpool to Shrewsbury. The canal that was eventually constructed was very different from what was originally envisioned...
. As such it was not built as a broad-gauge waterway
Barge
A barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...
but as a feeder branch. The Ellesmere Canal eventually became part of the Shropshire Union
Shropshire Union Canal
The Shropshire Union Canal is a navigable canal in England; the Llangollen and Montgomery canals are the modern names of branches of the Shropshire Union system and lie partially in Wales....
network in 1846. Despite its inherent narrow nature for cruising, the feeder branch from the Horseshoe Falls was used as a navigable waterway.
In 2009 the eleven-mile section of the canal from Gledrid Bridge near Rhoswiel (half-a-mile inside England) through to the Horseshoe Falls, which includes Chirk Aqueduct
Chirk Aqueduct
Chirk Aqueduct is a high and long navigable aqueduct that carries what is now the Llangollen Canal across the Ceiriog Valley near Chirk, on the England-Wales border....
and Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is a navigable aqueduct that carries the Llangollen Canal over the valley of the River Dee in Wrexham in north east Wales....
, was declared by UNESCO to be a World Heritage site.
History
River Mersey
The River Mersey is a river in North West England. It is around long, stretching from Stockport, Greater Manchester, and ending at Liverpool Bay, Merseyside. For centuries, it formed part of the ancient county divide between Lancashire and Cheshire....
with the River Severn
River Severn
The River Severn is the longest river in Great Britain, at about , but the second longest on the British Isles, behind the River Shannon. It rises at an altitude of on Plynlimon, Ceredigion near Llanidloes, Powys, in the Cambrian Mountains of mid Wales...
. The northward section would begin at Netherpool (now Ellesmere Port
Ellesmere Port
Ellesmere Port is a large industrial town and port in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It is situated on the south border of the Wirral Peninsula on the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal, which in turn gives access to the River...
) using part of the existing Chester Canal
Chester Canal
The Chester Canal was a canal linking the south Cheshire town of Nantwich with the River Dee at Chester, providing a route for produce from Nantwich to reach Chester and, beyond it, the sea via the Dee estuary.-History:...
before reaching the River Dee at Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
. The southerly section of the waterway would pass through Overton
Overton-on-Dee
Overton-on-Dee is a small rural town and a local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales....
before heading towards Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
.
Although work commenced in 1795, the canal was never finished as intended even though major works included two aqueducts at Pontcysyllte and Chirk
Chirk
Chirk is a small town and local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It has a population of over 4,000....
as well a tunnel
Chirk Tunnel
Chirk Tunnel is a canal tunnel near Chirk, Wales.It lies on the Llangollen Canal, immediately northwards of the Chirk Aqueduct. It is long and has a complete towpath inside. The tunnel is designed for a single standard narrowboat, so passing is not possible...
.
The northern section beyond Trevor Basin
Trevor Basin
Trevor Basin is a Canal basin on the Llangollen Canal, situated near Trevor, in Clwyd, between Llangollen and Ruabon.The basin was originally built at the northern end of the central section of the Ellesmere Canal, just 150yds north of the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.With the abandonment of the planned...
was never built because of raising costs and resistance from property holders to sell their land to the canal company. Only the southerly section from Lower Frankton
Frankton Junction
Frankton Junction is the name of the canal junction where the Montgomery Canal terminates and meets the Llangollen Canal at Lower Frankton, Shropshire, England.-Bridge numbering:...
to Weston Lullingfields
Weston Lullingfields
Weston Lullingfields is a village in Shropshire, England. It is located about 15km north west of Shrewsbury.The village name 'Weston' is a common one in England. It is Anglo Saxon in origin and means 'west farm'....
was completed. The final 9 miles (14.5 km) to Shrewsbury was never started because of financial problems.
Nevertheless the central section from the Horseshoe Falls through Llangollen was built. The weir, which created the man-made falls on the River Dee, provided water for the network.
Eventually the Ellesmere canal was completed between Frankton Junction
Frankton Junction
Frankton Junction is the name of the canal junction where the Montgomery Canal terminates and meets the Llangollen Canal at Lower Frankton, Shropshire, England.-Bridge numbering:...
to Ellesmere
Ellesmere, Shropshire
Ellesmere is a small market town near Oswestry in north Shropshire, England, notable for its proximity to a number of prominent lakes, the Meres.-History:...
and Whitchurch
Whitchurch, Shropshire
Whitchurch is a market town in Shropshire, England on the border between England and Wales. It is the oldest continuously inhabited town in Shropshire. According to the 2001 Census, the population of the town is 8,673, with a more recent estimate putting the population of the town at 8,934...
in Shropshire, eventually reaching the Chester Canal
Chester Canal
The Chester Canal was a canal linking the south Cheshire town of Nantwich with the River Dee at Chester, providing a route for produce from Nantwich to reach Chester and, beyond it, the sea via the Dee estuary.-History:...
at Hurleston Junction
Hurleston Junction
Hurleston Junction is the name of the canal junction where the Llangollen Canal terminates and meets the Shropshire Union Canal main line at Hurleston, Cheshire, England....
near Nantwich
Nantwich
Nantwich is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The town gives its name to the parliamentary constituency of Crewe and Nantwich...
, Cheshire.
The Ellesmere Canal eventually became part of the Shropshire Union Canal
Shropshire Union Canal
The Shropshire Union Canal is a navigable canal in England; the Llangollen and Montgomery canals are the modern names of branches of the Shropshire Union system and lie partially in Wales....
network in 1846.
Decline
Commercial traffic on the canal greatly declined after a waterway breach near Newtown, Powys (now part of the Montgomery Canal) in 1936. By 1939 boat movements on the canal between HurlestonHurleston
Hurleston is a civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, which lies to the north west of Nantwich. The parish is predominantly rural with scattered farms and buildings and no settlements...
to Llangollen
Llangollen
Llangollen is a small town and community in Denbighshire, north-east Wales, situated on the River Dee and on the edge of the Berwyn mountains. It has a population of 3,412.-History:...
had ceased. The canal was formally closed to navigation under the London Midland and Scottish Railway Company Act of 1944. On 6 September 1945, due to inadequate maintenance, the canal breached its banks east of Llangollen
Llangollen
Llangollen is a small town and community in Denbighshire, north-east Wales, situated on the River Dee and on the edge of the Berwyn mountains. It has a population of 3,412.-History:...
near Sun Bank Halt. The flow of hundreds of tons of water washed away the embankment of the railway further down the hill, tearing a 40 yd crater 50 ft deep. This caused the first traffic of the morning, a mail and goods train composed of 16 carriages and two vans, to crash into the breach, killing one and injuring two engine crew.
However despite its official closure to waterway traffic, the canal was not in-filled or allowed to remain de-watered because it was still required as a water feeder for the Shropshire Union Canal
Shropshire Union Canal
The Shropshire Union Canal is a navigable canal in England; the Llangollen and Montgomery canals are the modern names of branches of the Shropshire Union system and lie partially in Wales....
. It also provided a supply of drinking water to a reservoir at Hurleston. In 1955 the Mid & South East Cheshire Water Board agreed to maintain the canal securing its future.
Restoration
In the latter half of the 20th century canal usage for leisure boating grew in popularity. The "Llangollen Branch of the Shropshire Union" became popular due to its aqueducts and scenery. The canal was later renamed the Llangollen Canal becoming one of the most popular canals for holidaymakers in Britain.The canal's most notable features include the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is a navigable aqueduct that carries the Llangollen Canal over the valley of the River Dee in Wrexham in north east Wales....
built by Thomas Telford
Thomas Telford
Thomas Telford FRS, FRSE was a Scottish civil engineer, architect and stonemason, and a noted road, bridge and canal builder.-Early career:...
. Opened in 1805, the aqueduct is more than 300 metres (984.3 ft) long and 38 metres (124.7 ft) above the valley floor. It has nineteen stone arches, each with a forty-five foot span. Another aqueduct carries the canal over the River Ceiriog
Ceiriog Valley
The Ceiriog Valley or Dyffryn Ceiriog is the valley of the River Ceiriog in north-east Wales. It is also the name of a ward of the County Borough of Wrexham Until 1974 the valley was part of the traditional county of Denbighshire; then it became part of the short-lived county of Clwyd, which was...
at Chirk
Chirk
Chirk is a small town and local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It has a population of over 4,000....
, and there are tunnels nearby at Whitehouses, Chirk, and Ellesmere.
The canal also forms the boundary on two sides of the Fenn's, Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses National Nature Reserve
Fenn's, Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses NNR
Fenn's, Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses National Nature Reserve is a National Nature Reserve which straddles the border between England and Wales, near Whixall and Ellesmere in Shropshire, England....
.
Hurleston to Frankton Junction
The canal at Hurleston Junction rises from the Shropshire Union Canal main line, through four adjacent locks.Wrenbury
Wrenbury
Wrenbury is a village in the civil parish of Wrenbury cum Frith, the unitary authority of Cheshire East, and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England...
lift bridge is operated by use of a British Waterways key, and involves closing barriers and stopping traffic on a sometimes-busy road.
At Grindley Brook
Grindley Brook
Grindley Brook is a small village in Shropshire, England, on the A41 trunk road around 1.5 miles north west of the market town of Whitchurch. It is the most northerly settlement in Shropshire and borders directly onto Cheshire, and is within the civil parish of Whitchurch Rural.It is also the name...
the canal passes through three locks and a three-chamber staircase lock, attended during summer months by a lock keeper
Lock keeper
A Lock keeper, or lock operator looks after a canal or river lock, operating it and if necessary maintaining it or organizing its maintenance. Traditionally, the lock keeper lived on-site, often in a small purpose-built cottage. The occupation is dying out...
.
At Whitchurch
Whitchurch, Shropshire
Whitchurch is a market town in Shropshire, England on the border between England and Wales. It is the oldest continuously inhabited town in Shropshire. According to the 2001 Census, the population of the town is 8,673, with a more recent estimate putting the population of the town at 8,934...
a short arm of the canal remains open. Originally this continued almost to the centre of the town, though sections have since been built over. Whitchurch Waterway Trust
Whitchurch Waterway Trust
The Whitchurch Waterway Trust is a registered charity that exists to promote the management and restoration of the Whitchurch Arm of the Llangollen Canal...
promotes the restoration of this arm.
Between bridges 44 and 47 the canal passes through Whixall Moss.
Adjacent to bridge 46 is Whixall Moss Junction leading to the Prees Branch (see below).
Between bridges 54 and 57 the canal passes the Ellesmere meres.
At Ellesmere there is a short arm towards the town.
The canal also passes though Burland
Burland
Burland is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, about 2½ miles west of Nantwich. The civil parish also includes the small settlements of Burland Lower Green, Burland Upper Green, Hollin Green and Stoneley Green, as well...
, Quoisley Bridge, and Bettisfield.
Prees Branch
The Prees Arm of the canal was originally intended to reach Prees, it was only constructed as far as Quina Brook
Quina Brook
Quina Brook is a hamlet in north Shropshire, near the border between England and Wales.Quina Brook was the final destination of an arm of the Ellesmere Canal. This arm was originally going to terminate at Prees...
, and today is only open for a short distance, with two lift bridges, to a marina
Marina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
at the end. The first bridge (Allman's Bridge) being one of the last manual lift bridges to be finally converted to hydraulic in 2010.
Frankton Junction to Trevor Basin
At Frankton Junction the Montgomery CanalMontgomery Canal
The Montgomery Canal , known colloquially as "The Monty", is a partially restored canal in Powys, in eastern Wales, and in northwest Shropshire, in western England...
, which is partially restored, heads southwards. For historic reasons the bridge numbering continues down the Montgomery Canal and a second bridge numbering series for the Llangollen Canal begins with Rowson's Bridge (which is numbered both 1W and 70). The "W" addition is a recent act by British Waterways, to avoid possible confusion, especially for emergency services, of having different bridges on the same canal with the same number.
The Llangollen Canal passes through Hindford, Saint Martin's
St Martin's, Shropshire
The border village and civil parish of St Martin's is in Shropshire, England, just north of Oswestry and east of Chirk.-History:The ancient Parish of St Martin's was made up of the townships of Ifton, Wiggington, Bronygarth and Weston Rhyn. Each of these townships bordered Wales, with the River...
, Preesgweene, Chirk Bank
Chirk Bank
Chirk Bank is a small village in Shropshire, England.The small town of Chirk is to the north, over the border in Wales, with the B5070 road connecting the two settlements via a bridge over the River Ceiriog. The larger village of Weston Rhyn is to the southwest and Chirk Bank is part of its civil...
, Chirk
Chirk
Chirk is a small town and local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It has a population of over 4,000....
and Froncysyllte
Froncysyllte
Froncysyllte , commonly colloquially known as Fron, is a village in Wrexham county borough, Wales and stands on the banks of the River Dee and the Llangollen Canal...
, and includes the Chirk Aqueduct
Chirk Aqueduct
Chirk Aqueduct is a high and long navigable aqueduct that carries what is now the Llangollen Canal across the Ceiriog Valley near Chirk, on the England-Wales border....
, the Chirk Tunnel
Chirk Tunnel
Chirk Tunnel is a canal tunnel near Chirk, Wales.It lies on the Llangollen Canal, immediately northwards of the Chirk Aqueduct. It is long and has a complete towpath inside. The tunnel is designed for a single standard narrowboat, so passing is not possible...
and the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is a navigable aqueduct that carries the Llangollen Canal over the valley of the River Dee in Wrexham in north east Wales....
.
File:FranktonJunction-01s.jpg|Frankton Junction
Frankton Junction
Frankton Junction is the name of the canal junction where the Montgomery Canal terminates and meets the Llangollen Canal at Lower Frankton, Shropshire, England.-Bridge numbering:...
File:NewMartonBottomLock 01s.jpg|New Marton Bottom Lock
File:NewMartonTopLock 01s.jpg|New Marton Top Lock
File:Y Waun AqueductWales.JPG|Chirk Aqueduct
Chirk Aqueduct
Chirk Aqueduct is a high and long navigable aqueduct that carries what is now the Llangollen Canal across the Ceiriog Valley near Chirk, on the England-Wales border....
File:Chirk tunnel.jpg|Chirk Tunnel
Chirk Tunnel
Chirk Tunnel is a canal tunnel near Chirk, Wales.It lies on the Llangollen Canal, immediately northwards of the Chirk Aqueduct. It is long and has a complete towpath inside. The tunnel is designed for a single standard narrowboat, so passing is not possible...
File:TrevorBasin-01s.jpg|Trevor Basin
Trevor Basin
Trevor Basin is a Canal basin on the Llangollen Canal, situated near Trevor, in Clwyd, between Llangollen and Ruabon.The basin was originally built at the northern end of the central section of the Ellesmere Canal, just 150yds north of the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.With the abandonment of the planned...
Trevor Basin to Horseshoe Falls
This section was built as a navigable feeder and is both shallow and narrow. Some sections near Llangollen are too narrow for boats to pass each other and it is necessary to scout ahead to check for oncoming boats.Navigation by powered craft is prohibited beyond the entrance to Llangollen Marina and the final section is used only by the horse drawn trip boats. British Waterways
British Waterways
British Waterways is a statutory corporation wholly owned by the government of the United Kingdom, serving as the navigation authority in England, Scotland and Wales for the vast majority of the canals as well as a number of rivers and docks...
maintains a gravel shoal
Shoal
Shoal, shoals or shoaling may mean:* Shoal, a sandbank or reef creating shallow water, especially where it forms a hazard to shipping* Shoal draught , of a boat with shallow draught which can pass over some shoals: see Draft...
immediately upstream of the marina entrance past Llangollen Wharf. This maintains a draft which most narrowboat
Narrowboat
A narrowboat or narrow boat is a boat of a distinctive design, made to fit the narrow canals of Great Britain.In the context of British Inland Waterways, "narrow boat" refers to the original working boats built in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries for carrying goods on the narrow canals...
s cannot pass, but which is passable by the shallow drafted trip boats.
In 2005, a marina was constructed by British Waterways, just upstream from Llangollen Wharf, to relieve the acute shortage of casual moorings. A charge is made for all moorings over 48 hours at Llangollen.
About 100 yards downstream of the wharf there are about a dozen 'visitor' moorings complete with individual electricity and water at each. There are none at the marina itself.
See also
- Canals of the United KingdomCanals of the United KingdomThe canals of the United Kingdom are a major part of the network of inland waterways in the United Kingdom. They have a colourful history, from use for irrigation and transport, through becoming the focus of the Industrial Revolution, to today's role for recreational boating...
- History of the British canal systemHistory of the British canal systemThe British canal system of water transport played a vital role in the United Kingdom's Industrial Revolution at a time when roads were only just emerging from the medieval mud and long trains of pack horses were the only means of "mass" transit by road of raw materials and finished products The...
External links
- Llangollen Canal - North Wales Borderlands website