19th - 21st September 2020 (2 nights)
From: Llangollen Basin (Llangollen
canal)
To: Chirk Bank (Llangollen Canal)
Via Pontcysycllte Aqueduct
HIGHLIGHTS:
Chirk
Chirk Aqueduct,
Chirk Tunnel
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct,
Llangollen,
Horeshoe Falls
Having merged 2 previous trips together to create a 70th Birthday special cruise for a returning guest, we have found ourselves with a few days spare before the next folk join us on 22nd September.
Options were to either just be lazy or be creative and squeeze in a couple of 2 night trips over the World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct … Of course LOVING the area, we chose the latter.
With that in mind, we'll expect our guests to arrive early afternoon on the first day and once introductions are complete, we'll begin our journey from the basin down to Trevor. As the canal is very narrow in places, it makes sense to send someone ahead (with a walkie talkie ) to check the coast is clear and/or ask any opposing traffic to hold water at a wider point where we can pass.
Once safely through the narrows, we'll take a right turn and chug over the World Heritage Site that is the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. After we've gone over the aqueduct, we'll try and tie up for the day at Froncysyllte (another one we can't say) so our travelling companions can take a walk down below the aqueduct for a photo opportunity if they wish... don't worry – the walk ISN'T compulsory.
Next day,we'll continue our journey – first passing through the Whitehouse Tunnel (191 yards) then Chirk Tunnel (459 yards) and Chirk Aqueduct. We'll aim to tie up as soon as we can to facilitate a visit to the beautiful Chirk Castle and once tied up, we'll send a crew member ahead to see if we can get in at Chirk Visitor Bank (Monks Bridge for a more convenient departure the next day) whilst we prepare the evening meal... if not, we'll stay put and then chug on to drop the guests off following breakfast the following morning.
It's a very short cruise … more of an excuse to go over the aqueduct really but as a Taster, it's perfect.