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In a possibly foolhardy move, we have a hire boat booked from Trevor on the Llangollen for 7 nights from next week(!). We've done quite a few canal trips in the past (Warwickshire, Stourport & Worcester rings, plus the odd bit of L&L, Grand Union etc) so we're not completely clueless, but the likely busy-ness and one-way sections are raising lots of questions in our planning. We've read up on the Llangollen narrows, know that Grindley is likely to be busy etc. We've entered various scenarios into the canal planner, but still have some questions, if anyone would be willing to share their real-life wisdom: - We know there's a fee for mooring at Llangollen, but nowhere seems to mention booking in advance? - We were loosely hoping to go down the Montgomery, purely as respite from the predicted busy-ness of the Llangollen, but it seems impossible to do and still travel anywhere! If you were trying to do Trevor - Llangollen - Montgomery - onward to ? - Trevor, where would you plan to turn? Or is the Montgomery out of the question? A bit more info: An evening and following morning in Llangollen is non-negotiable due to partner needing to relive his childhood (;-)) We love locks and are a bit worried about the lack of them on this trip, so squeezing a few more out of a trip is always good... but if there are always queues that might be silly? General tips, best time to cross the aquaducts, good moorings, stuff to watch out for also welcome. Thanks in advance, Ali

Hello from Arizona USA - My group of 4 is planning a Narrowboat trip on the Llangollen Canal in June 2016. We have hired our boat from Anglo-Welsh starting at their Trevor base. This will be our first venture with a narrowboat and we are super excited. I asked my question on TripAdvisor forum and it was suggested that I post it here. We are trying to plan our route and it is getting confusing to say the least. Our mode is to go slow everyday, relax and enjoy the short time we have (7days). We would ideally like to plan stops at great pubs for lunch and/or dinner (sometimes we will cook) and also to visit any interesting towns on our route. Easy and chilled out are our words to live by! Here is our first attempt at an itinerary: Monday 6/13 - arrive at base; learn how to navigate boat; take off and travel for 2-3 hours. We will pick up boat around 14:00 so I imagine we will be ready to leave base by 16:00. We are thinking to cross the aqueduct and keep traveling to Chirk. Stop at a pub (where)? for dinner and moor somewhere? Tuesday 6/14 - Travel to Ellesmere (4.5 hours?) Take in the Tuesday market there. (how to get into town?) Moor ? Pub? Wednesday 6/15 Travel to Whitchurch (5.5 hours) Moor? Pub? Thursday 6/16 Mess around Whitchurch town (how to get into town?) for a bit and then turn around and head back towards Bettisfield. Travel 2-4 hours. Find pub? Moor? Friday 6/17 To Hindsford. Jack Myton Pub? (except I just read on here that it is closed?) Moor? Ideally, we would like to moor close to Llangollen so that the following day we can arrive early enough in Llangollen to enjoy the town. Saturday 6/18 to Llangollen. Enjoy/explore town. Sunday 6/19 Mess around Llangollen? Make our way back to Trevor to be close for returning the boat tomorrow. Moor? Pub? Monday 6/20 Return to Trevor base by 9:00. Return boat Ok. If you have read this far - thank you so much! I would dearly love for someone to help out with our itinerary. We need stopping places/interesting sites/pubs, etc. We also need ideas of where to purchase provisions. Yes, We have the Canal Companion Welsh Waters and it is very helpful. Yes, I have scoured the Canal Planner online. It is still overwhelming to first timers!

Friday 12 Feb on BBC 1 at 1545 10/25. The Strictly Dome Dancing judge takes singer, actress and presenter Toyah Willcox back to the Llangollen Canal in north Wales to reminisce about a narrowboat holiday she enjoyed there in 1968. Toyah reveals how her time on the canal was very different to that spent in her home city of Birmingham, symbolising freedom and fun. She and Len tuck into a vintage picnic and visit an antiques shop like the ones Toyah's father would have taken her to while away from home.

Currently on Llangollen canal, in the week I have been here, have twice been hit by a day boat, First was a side swipe,boat going as fast as it could, whilst I was moored, second was today by an anglowelsh boat again, head on this time, the boat had been going apparently too fast around a corner and went into the port side when it saw me, but then moved off just as I was approaching, and it went to starboard, I adjusted for it, then when about twenty feet off it, went to its left again straight on and hit me hard'',sorry'' the boy said, the boat was packed with lots of people drinking,and lots were laughing after the collision. about half one this afternoon, I wont be back on the Llangollen for a long time, as its used too much by day boats now, so in the summer, will probably get worse. Even the marina advised me not to come back in the summer. wow Day boats should be banned in my opinion as they seem to be used as a booze cruise, with not much penalty.No harm was done to my boat that I can see, Sure people will disagree but that's my opinion, no chance of it happening, but hey ho.

Hi, my husband and I have never narrowboated. We are renting a boat from Black Prince on a Wednesday morning for a week in mid September starting at Chirk Marina. Is it crazy to head straight for Llangollen? Or should we head towards Elsemere first and tackle Llangollen and the Pontcysyllte Aquaduct at the end of our trip when we have more miles under our belts? We know will have the Chirk Tunnel and Aquaduct shortly if we head towards Elsemere.