How busy is the Llangollen at the moment?

[Leemc]

Leaving Middlewich tomorrow and thinking of going to Llangollen. Is this madness in August? Never done it before and in no rush to get there, so don't mind a bit of waiting about. Anybody up there at the moment? Cheers

[Rob-M]

We found it ok last August, timing is key to traveling through the hot spots like Grindley Brook, Chirk and  Pontcysyllte Aqueducts and the narrows in to Llangollen.

[Leemc]

Cheers. Would you arrive at those in the mornings? Suppose hire boat can clog those points on certain days depending on location of hire bases 

[IanD]

Llangollen itself is much quieter at the weekend then midweek.

[Rob-M]

7 hours ago, Leemc said:

Cheers. Would you arrive at those in the mornings? Suppose hire boat can clog those points on certain days depending on location of hire bases 

Grindley Brook we went up around 6pm and down 8am using the moorings above the staircase.  We went across the aqueducts around lunchtime, arriving in Llangollen on Friday and left on Saturday.

[Jen-in-Wellies]

A good place to be with the water shortages elsewhere. At least there is a reasonable chance of still being able to move the boat. Assuming there isn't an infrastructure failure.

[Rob-M]

13 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

A good place to be with the water shortages elsewhere. At least there is a reasonable chance of still being able to move the boat. Assuming there isn't an infrastructure failure.

Wrenbury lift bridge was repaired quickly this week.

[Tim Lewis]

With the Cheshire Ring closed I reckon that there will be a lot more pressure from hire boaters, it’s what friends o f mine are having to do this week

[booke23]

I've been up and back a few times in August in the last few years and it was fine. Who knows this year though. 

[johnmck]

We have been on the Golly since late June. Combination of my partner Ali, working off the boat four days a week, then both of us getting covid in early July, we think at the Eistedfodd. 

As has been said, aim to hit Llangollen basin for the weekend. This avoids most of the hire boat schedules. We have found evening cruises work to avoid queues at pinch points such as New Marton locks and the aqueducts.

It is at times busy, but not overly so and there is water a plenty. It has rained heavily at times and the Dee is full of fresh at the mo.

Edited August 4 by johnmck

[Leemc]

Thanks all 👍

[tree monkey]

10 minutes ago, Leemc said:

Thanks all 👍

If you ever get the chance, do the top section on a winters day, it's magical over the aqueduct and boating along the valley with a proper frost and mist following along the river and its quiet 

[Leemc]

In answer to my own question- not too bad at all. One in front of us at Hurlstone, then an easy cruise to Wrenbury with plenty of moorings. Glad we came.

[fretman]

Walk down the Ellesmere arm most day's this summer , very quite this year.

[Leemc]

Going to loiter here for a bit. So will do 👍

[Leemc]

Just cruised from Wrenbury to Whitchurch with not a single holdup. There were no boats before us on any lock, boat coming down final lock of staircase at Grindley Brook. Very weird, but very lovely 😎💪

[booke23]

August is quite a good time to do the Llangollen as most private boaters avoid it thinking it's going to be manic....The Grindley Brook lock keeper I was chatting to confirmed this and said September is busier. I went up it in September once and it was definitely worse than August! 

[Leemc]

12 hours ago, fretman said:

Walk down the Ellesmere arm most day's this summer , very quite this year.

Such a lovely canal

[Leemc]

Bloody lovely canal. Loads of water( hurray) plentiful great moorings with loads to see and do. Ace cruising. No jams at all. Almost at Chirk now. So a complete thumbs up from us😎

[tree monkey]

15 minutes ago, Leemc said:

Bloody lovely canal. Loads of water( hurray) plentiful great moorings with loads to see and do. Ace cruising. No jams at all. Almost at Chirk now. So a complete thumbs up from us😎

If you have the time Chirk Castle is worth the wander, the castle itself but if you're into trees the grounds have some fantastic ancients

[IanD]

And make sure you walk down the path at the side of the aqueduct (Llangollen end) down to the river, the views are fabulous and really make you respect the engineering involved...

 

Edited August 8 by IanD

[tree monkey]

3 minutes ago, IanD said:

And make sure you walk down the path at the side of the aqueduct (Llangollen end) down to the river, the views are fabulous and really make you respect the engineering involved...

 

I have an original nut and bolt that was useto hold the sections together,the nut still spins on the thread

 

[booke23]

26 minutes ago, Leemc said:

Bloody lovely canal. Loads of water( hurray) plentiful great moorings with loads to see and do. Ace cruising. No jams at all. Almost at Chirk now. So a complete thumbs up from us😎

 

I agree, and you've got the best bit to come, the aqueduct and the last few miles to Llangollen.....a truly spectacular few miles of canal. 

[Leemc]

18 minutes ago, tree monkey said:

If you have the time Chirk Castle is worth the wander, the castle itself but if you're into trees the grounds have some fantastic ancients

Will do on way back 👍

[Neil TNC]

Just come off, as long as you are an early boater, quieter than 2 years ago. We never queued anywhere. Even if you endue the basin, never full, over 2 days. Mont had average of 4 boats down there. Nav Inn, Maesbury open for food Thur, Fri, Sat eve and Sun lunch.....magic!