Llangollen in July

[Lancshoppy]

OK we may be mad doing this in July,  but we've never been to Llangollen so it's on the itinerary with a 69ft boat in the middle of next month.

We expect to get to the basin on Thursday, spending the previous night somewhere around Chirk. I've read that the basin tends to be busier early in the week, so what do the experts think are the chances of mooring on a Thursday?  Is there anyone you can call to find out before committing to the narrows, and if there's nowhere to moor, what are the options heading back towards Trevor.

Any advice based on experience welcome.

Thanks

[john6767]

I would say you would be better arriving in the basin on a Sat if you can, but if you can’t then try and get there midday on arrival day and you will probably be fine.  It’s just first come.

[Rob-M]

There are a number of towpath moorings as well as the basin.  We went last August and arrived on a Friday lunchtime, I think there was only two or three boats in the basin and nothing on the towpath.

[IanD]

Thursday should be OK, Tues/Weds are the busiest days when the weekly hire boat numbers peak. When we were there in July there was space in both basin and on the towpath, though be warned about the towpath if you want a quiet lie-in, the trip boats don't exactly pass at tickover. DAMHIK...

Edited June 7, 2023 by IanD

[Hudds Lad]

2 hours ago, IanD said:

Thursday should be OK, Tues/Weds are the busiest days when the weekly hire boat numbers peak. When we were there in July there was space in both basin and on the towpath, though be warned about the towpath if you want a quiet lie-in, the trip boats don't exactly pass at tickover. DAMHIK...

It’s always better to follow the trip boat than to meet it coming the other way. DAMHIK  

 

Never known the basin not have space. Was always surprised how many boats arrived, turned, and then moored on the towpath when basin spaces were plentiful. Who doesn’t love a short and bouncy floating finger pontoon? Perhaps the reverse parking puts them off?

[Lady M]

We chose the towpath moorings because they were more suitable for our onboard cat.  

[tree monkey]

57 minutes ago, Hudds Lad said:

It’s always better to follow the trip boat than to meet it coming the other way. DAMHIK  

 

Never known the basin not have space. Was always surprised how many boats arrived, turned, and then moored on the towpath when basin spaces were plentiful. Who doesn’t love a short and bouncy floating finger pontoon? Perhaps the reverse parking puts them off?

Don't forget the duck poo, the bouncy pontoons aren't bouncy enough to avoid a bruised arse

 

[IanD]

52 minutes ago, Lady C said:

We chose the towpath moorings because they were more suitable for our onboard cat.  

We chose them because we had to do a crew swap including luggage/doggy gear transfer to/from car, and this was easier on the towpath (car in cafe entrance).

[MrsM]

We recently spent 5 days in the basin. There were loads of spaces and even more on the tow path (although not yet school holidays). As you enter the basin the 4 furthest moorings on the left are for 5 day moorings only. You pay for your stay - £12/night - at the trip boat and tea room building on the left just through the final bridge. You will need to moor up and walk back to pay as there isn't space to pull over. For the narrows it is advisable to send someone ahead to check the passage is clear. We had no problem with phone signals doing this. Tons of room to wind a boat in the basin. Mooring at Trevor was quite limited due to the popularity of the Sun pub. A bit more space at Chirk and lots at Froncysyllte (sp?). Enjoy your trip, we had an absolutely delightful time there. 

[booke23]

I was there in August 2020 and arrived at the Basin on a Monday at about 6pm. Still spaces but we also chose to moor on the towpath as I prefer it to marina type environments. 

[john6767]

44 minutes ago, MrsM said:

We recently spent 5 days in the basin. There were loads of spaces and even more on the tow path (although not yet school holidays). As you enter the basin the 4 furthest moorings on the left are for 5 day moorings only. You pay for your stay - £12/night - at the trip boat and tea room building on the left just through the final bridge. You will need to moor up and walk back to pay as there isn't space to pull over. For the narrows it is advisable to send someone ahead to check the passage is clear. We had no problem with phone signals doing this. Tons of room to wind a boat in the basin. Mooring at Trevor was quite limited due to the popularity of the Sun pub. A bit more space at Chirk and lots at Froncysyllte (sp?). Enjoy your trip, we had an absolutely delightful time there. 

I did not know that they had introduced some 5 day moorings, that is new, it was all max of 2 days previously.  Do you have to stay/pay for the full 5 days, or can you stay/pay for say 3 days?

[MrsM]

22 minutes ago, john6767 said:

I did not know that they had introduced some 5 day moorings, that is new, it was all max of 2 days previously.  Do you have to stay/pay for the full 5 days, or can you stay/pay for say 3 days?

You have to pay for the 5 days up front (£60). I wasn't asked where I was moored so guess you don't necessarily have to be in one of the designated bays, but I'm not sure. Perhaps it will be monitored more closely when it gets busier. 

[gatekrash]

The guy who was moored next to us (he was a local) said he regularly stays 3 nights on the 'normal' fingers, he just goes into the office and asks for an extra night and they didn't mind, as long as he paid. Possibly it was because it was earlier in the season and not busy.

 

A few of the hire boats we saw come in, turn and leave again we overheard saying 'we can't stay here, this is the private end'  or similar. But I suspect quite a few were put off by the reversing back onto the fingers.

[doratheexplorer]

£12 a night?  I was planning to go there this summer.  Maybe not now.  Do they provide a welcome hamper and a personal assistant for that price?

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

Do the bookings include electricity?

 

I’ve only been up there once ( 2017 I think) and over the winter folk were accessing the electricity for free. Towpath side that was. 

 

 

[doratheexplorer]

4 minutes ago, Goliath said:

Do the bookings include electricity?

 

I’ve only been up there once ( 2017 I think) and over the winter folk were accessing the electricity for free. Towpath side that was. 

 

 

Looks like it

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/where-we-work/west-midlands/llangollen-moorings-trial-2023

[Hudds Lad]

8 minutes ago, Goliath said:

Do the bookings include electricity?

 

I’ve only been up there once ( 2017 I think) and over the winter folk were accessing the electricity for free. Towpath side that was. 

 

 

From what i recall, admittedly been a couple of years since we were last there, the bollards were live all the time. So even those who stopped a few hours could hook up without paying. Perhaps one of the reasons it's gone up from £6 to £12 a night.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

4 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

Looks like it

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/where-we-work/west-midlands/llangollen-moorings-trial-2023

“This charge has for many years remained at £6 a night, collected on site between March and October.  Outside of this period the electric supply has been switched off to manage costs. “

maybe it was a fluke the year I were up there. The electricity had been left on. 
Didn’t benefit me because I didn’t need it. 
 

 

[MrsM]

26 minutes ago, Goliath said:

Do the bookings include electricity?

 

I’ve only been up there once ( 2017 I think) and over the winter folk were accessing the electricity for free. Towpath side that was. 

 

 

Yes electric hookup and water is included. I was personally happy to pay to be in such a prime location in a gorgeous town. It still represents great value compared to camping or staying in a hotel. There's free towpath mooring near the lift bridge before the narrows for those that would rather not pay (forgot to mention that in my original reply).