Looking Back on Canal Cruise to Llangollen June 2021 with 14 members aboard 3 narrow boats

The cruise started on Friday afternoon from Blackwater Meadow Marina, Ellesmere, after a detailed hand-over, supplies stored and berths allocated, it was full ‘steam ahead’ to start our adventure.  

The afternoon was quite miserable and wet! fortunately the on-board heating was very efficient. Some 3-4 hours later and passing through 2 locks we arrived at our first evenings mooring, quite close to the St Martin, Shropshire.  After our onboard evening meal, drinks and chats we settled down and had a very comfortable and quiet night.

We awoke to clear blue sky’s and were quickly ready to depart to Llangollen, we breakfasted on route. The countryside was spectacular, with lush green fields and overhanging trees. Then came the Chirk Aqueduct 220m long with fantastic views all around, followed shortly by the Chirk Tunnel some 421m in length opened 1802. This single file tunnel was surprisingly dry, a little scary and quite a challenge if you are claustrophobic, however you could escape via the walkway alongside.

Note of interest The town of Chirk is also well know for a Cadbury’s factory, steam from the factory could be seen clearly some distance away, there was definite sweet smell of chocolate in the air.

After Chirk Marina another tunnel came into view this was shorter and again single file. Along the route we encountered numerous joggers, cyclists and some walkers in fact going faster than us! Just before the ‘big one’ Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, we rafted up with the other boats for a ‘photo call’ and ice cream, the weather had improved considerably, in fact shorts were the order of the day.

Heading towards the Aqueduct, this was a busy stretch of canal with numerous boats moored and sightseers all along the towpath.  As the Aqueduct is single file, we waited our turn, then all three boats crossed together, it was a great photo opportunity, the scenery is fantastic, I would certainly recommend a visit. Once across the Aqueduct, we arrived at the canal basin at Trevor another very busy place, with plenty of canal boat moorings. We took a sharp left, under a bridge to start the next leg to Llangollen, this section was very narrow and difficult to manoeuvre with single file only at times.

Unbelievably, as the canal is fed from the Horseshoe Falls some two miles past Llangollen, there is a noticeable tide running, and at this stage it was against us! It almost seemed an uphill battle to make way, particularly in the numerous narrows.

Just before arriving in the Llangollen Basin Marina we passed a sightseeing narrow boat, which was towed by shire horses, a view into days gone by.  At the basin all three boat crews settled down with drinks and shared experiences. Our Saturday evening meal in the town was not perfect, but that’s another story, best forgotten!

As we needed to be back in Blackwater Meadow Marina early on Monday to hand the boats over we decided on an early start Sunday morning, so as to spend our last night in Blackwater. Our return trip was equally pleasant and quicker this time due to the ‘favourable tide’ but we all had a fairly long delay at the Chirk tunnel and the two locks afterwards as they were busy.

Again, I have to say the countryside was really spectacular.

I believe we all had a good time, a relaxing experience and fortunately mainly fine weather, although Friday afternoon rain we could have done without, having a large umbrella was a bonus.

Would we do it again? I think so, why not. 

PS Interesting points 

The berths have a full depth mattress like home, very comfortable but very narrow, the boats are called narrow boats for one reason, they are narrow, and very long!  Even with all the handling skills you have developed, you will hit the bank and mark the boat.  The fenders are only 2’’ in diameter and solid, we found that amusing