Day Trip on the Llangollen Railway and Visit to the Horseshoe Falls

Friday 28^th June

Llangollen Station

Engine in the Station

At the Station

Today we are off on the Llangollen Railway on the steam train.  It runs for 10 miles following the river Dee to the town of Corwen although today it was only running to Carrog a few miles before Corwen.  We boarded the train and off we went.  The first station was Berwyn Station which is near to the horseshoe falls and we are going to get off here on the way back.

Smoky Carriage!

Carrog Station

We then went through a tunnel and for some reason the carriages filled up with smoke, we have been on many steam trains and that has never happened before, it was quite funny seeing it come down the carriage and everyone start coughing, good job the tunnel wasn't too long otherwise it might have been murder on the Llangollen Railway!!

Chain Bridge and Hotel

Llantysilio Church

Inside the Church

We travelled on down the line following the River Dee and there was amazing views of the hills and valleys.  We stopped at Glyndyfrdwy Station then chugged on to Carrog.  We had a 40 minute lay over here so we had a wander around and bought an ice cream which was local and was called Chilly Cow and was delicious.  We then got back on the train and got off at Berwyn.

Memorial Plaque

Right opposite the station is the Chain Bridge Hotel with a chain bridge going across the River Dee from the Station to the hotel although we didn’t realise that at first and so walked the long way around down the road over the bridge, up the road and down the steps, we always go the long way first!.

Me at Horseshoe Falls

Cheeky Robin

Glistening Horseshoe Falls

We walked along the towpath and soon came to the Horseshoe Falls, it is so lovely there, a beautiful and tranquil place.  The horseshoe falls is where the Llangollen canal begins.  Thomas Telford designed this weir to draw water from the River Dee into the canal.  Today, around 12 million gallons of water are drawn into the canal each day from the River Dee to supply water to the canals, and to help supply South Cheshire with drinking water.  Originally, wooden planks would have been inserted to raise or lower the levels, but in 1947 the Meter House was built to measure how much water was taken.  The use of the canal as a water feeder ensured that it survived when other canals fell into disrepair.

Here comes the train

We walked up the path to Llantysilio Parish Church.  It is a lovely small church and is dedicated to St Tysilio who lived about 500-580 A.D.  He was the son of Ysgythrog, a local Prince, and founded 8 other churches, mostly in N. Wales.  Most Welsh place names beginning with “Llan,” meaning Church or Parish, have the name of the Saint to which they are dedicated as the second part of the name e.g. Llan-tysilio the Church of St Tysilio.

J R Hartley Fly Fishing

The present building was erected in 1180.  It was open and we went inside.  It was small but lovely.  There is a memorial plaque to English poet Robert Browning.  He worshipped regularly in the church in 1886.

Sat at the Chain Bridge Hotel

We then walked back to the falls and sat on the rocks by the water and had our picnic lunch, it was a great lunch spot.  After lunch we walked up to the Chain Bridge Hotel.  It is a lovely hotel right by the River Dee and there is a chain bridge going across the river.

Chain Bridge

Info Board at Chain Bridge

Lovely Views

The chain Bridge is a footbridge over the River Dee at Berwyn, Llangollen. A pathway from Berwyn railway station, now part of the Llangollen Railway, leads under a subway and down to the bridge and then across to the Chain Bridge Hotel on the other side. It was one of the first chain bridges in the world.

Lovely views at Berwyn Station

It was originally built in 1813 by local coal merchant, Exuperius Pickering to open up a transport route for coal, lime and stone from the Shropshire Union Canal across the River Dee, to Telford's recently completed London to Holyhead road ( A5.) The bridge allowed Pickering to bypass the Llangollen toll bridge further downstream and transfer coal from his mines near Acrefair up the canal towards Corwen

Train coming into Berwyn Station

Here comes the train

It was later rebuilt using the existing chains by Henry Robertson a railway engineer and industrialist in 1876 and later by his son Sir Henry Beyer Robertson who was the head of Brymbo Steelworks in 1929, who rebuilt the suspension bridge we see today, reusing the old chain links as suspension cables. It has recently been completely restored after years of closure using HLF funding and is now a popular link for tourist who can travel by train from Llangollen to Berwyn station, hop off and cross this marvelous suspension bridge, meet the canal at the other side and take a stroll to Horseshoe Falls, where the World Heritage Site begins.

We sat on the terrace at the hotel and had coffee and scones then I had a gin and Kev had a beer.  We then walked across the chain bridge, it was a bit wobbly so I walked very quickly and we went back up to the station and got the train back to Carrog and then back to Llangollen. 

We then walked back to the boat.  It was a great day out on the train and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

Horseshoe Falls

Froncysyllte to Llangollen - Llangollen Canal

Thursday 27^th June

This morning we are going over the mighty Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, 126ft high and 1007ft long and built by Thomas Telford and opened in 1805, it is a magnificent feat of engineering and is one of the must do things on the canals, although I am sure it’s going to be terrifying!

Lovely Sunny Day

Going through Lift Bridge

The Ponty Awaits

Off onto the Ponty we go!

It was a lovely sunny morning and no wind as we set off, we decided to go early so hopefully there wouldn’t be any boats coming the other way and we could go straight over.  We left our mooring just after 7.30am and soon came to the lift bridge.  I got off and opened it and Kev came through then I closed it and on we went around the corner and the mighty Ponty was in front of us.

That's our Shadow

Lovely Views from up here

It was all clear so off we went.  I was a chicken and stayed inside although I did look out the window and take some photos.  Poor Kev was outside but he said he was sat so far on the towpath side, he was almost on it!!  Neither of us are great with heights.  It was terrifying but exhilarating at the same time and after about 15 minutes we were at the other side breathing a sigh of relief but pleased we had done it, trouble is in a few days we have to come back across it as the canal ends at Llangollen, but at least we know what to expect now!

Going over the River Dee

Scary!

When you come off the Ponty, Trevor Basin is straight ahead but to go on to Llangollen there is a sharp left turn under a bridge.  Luckily no one was coming so on we went.  The scenery is now spectacular with views of the Welsh mountains and valleys.

Over we go

The canal was really quiet and we only met one boat, unfortunately where we met the canal was shallow and we both got stuck.  Kev got us off though and on we went.

Steep Bridge

In the narrow section

There are two very narrow sections leading go Llangollen only wide enough for one boat so at these points, I got off and walked ahead to check it was clear and it was.  Also at the first section, two cyclists came along and said no boats were coming.  Just as you come to the end of the first narrow, the views over the valley are spectacular.

Stunning Views

In the next narrow section

We carried on and through the second narrow bit without meeting anyone and then we were at Llangollen and was surprised that there was another narrow bit and we had to wait and let the hotel boats through.  On we went past the Wharf café and shop and on abit further and then we were at the Basin and the end of the canal.

More lovely views

It is quite a bit Basin with pontoons and mooring for about 30 boats.  There was only a handful of boats there so we picked our spot and Kev reversed in.

At Llangollen

There is a charge to moor here at £6 a night and you can have a maximum of two nights.  You do get electricity and water on each pontoon included in the price.  It was good leaving early as we were all moored up by 10.30am which gives us the day to look around.

Llangollen Town

We went up into the town, it is lovely with beautiful views and the River Dee running through the town.  There are quite a few shops and as this is a tourist area, there were also a few gift shops.  On the river there was a nice bar/restaurant called The Corn Mill so we went in there for a drink and sat by the river, it was a glorious sunny afternoon.

Horse Drawn Boat Trip

We then walked back up to the boat to take our shopping back.  On the way back to the town we stopped at the Wharf where there is a café and had a coffee sitting on the terrace with views of the town.  We then wandered back into the town and stopped off for a drink at No. 29 a bar and hotel also on the river.  I had a local gin called Aberfalls Orange Marmalade and lovely it was too.

Our view while eating our chips

We then went to the chip shop and bought sausage and chips and walked along by the river, found a bench and sat and ate our tea.

It is so lovely by the river and as it was a hot sunny evening there was lots of families sat on the rocks playing in the rock pools.  As we were sat on our bench, we spotted an Aldi a short walk away so we strolled up there as we needed a few things.  It was then time to head back to the boat as we had been up since dawn or it felt like it and although this is probably normal for most people, not for us as a rule, and we won’t be making a habit of it!

It was a great day today and well worth the effort of getting here.  We are staying until Saturday then will start our journey back.

Moored in Llangollen Basin

Chirk to Froncysyllte - Llangollen Canal

Whitehouse Tunnel

Going through the tunnel

We are on the move today just a couple of miles to Froncysyllte.  It was quite overcast as we set off along the canal.  We soon came to Whitehouse tunnel and in we went.  It is 191yds long and has a towpath running through it where we walked yesterday.

Nearly Out

Going under a bridge

We went on under a few bridges and then moored up in the visitor moorings a short way from the lift bridge.  These moorings are a bit under trees but it is only for one night so will be fine and also there is no sun today.

That will be us tomorrow!!

Train on the Viaduct

Me on the Ponty!

Monument to the Miners at Froncysyllte

We had lunch then went out for a walk along the towpath to the mighty Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.  It is a magnificent structure and stands 126ft above the River Dee and it is 1007ft long.  It has a towpath and railings one side and the other is unprotected from about 12inches above the water level.  Kev walked along it for a bit but I didn’t.  We are going over this tomorrow, oh what fun that will be!!

Small Church at Froncysyllte

Stone marker at the Aqueduct

We then walked up the hill into Froncysyllte.  There was a post office which was shut and a run down café which was also shut.  There was a pub called The Aqueduct Inn so we went in for a drink.  It was nice and they had a terrace overlooking the canal with nice views of the surrounding countryside although the Pontcysyllte aqueduct was hidden by trees.

We made our way back to the boat.  We are staying here tonight then setting off early tomorrow morning to go over the aqueduct before it gets too busy and make our way to Llangollen, the end of the canal.

Moored at Froncysyllte