Llangollen Canal in summer

[Philip]

I've never been on the Llangollen Canal in the summer holidays, (we go in April and October) but I've heard it can be quite a bottleneck to say the least, especially at Grindley Brook. I ask if its a bit over exaggerating, because we went right down the Shroppie last week and then up to Ellesmere on the Llangollen and the Shroppie had more boat traffic, Llangollen was actually pretty quiet for Easter, which surprised me due to the 'bottleneck' reports in summer.

 

Is it so busy it can be unpleasant, or are people over exaggerating?

[John Orentas]

Philip.

 

People love to tell you about bottlenecks, queueing, riots and general mayhem. (perhaps not riots).

 

Canal people are the worst prophets of doom I have ever known, out of a fortnights idyllic holiday they will come back and tell you all about a 2 hour wait on the first Wednesday.

 

Most of these reports are gross exaggerations. I am a member of the Rochdale Canal Society, the canals' image is suffering quite badly from adverse publicity and general malicious gossip a lot of it from people who have never been near the canal.

Edited April 9, 2005 by John Orentas

[DHutch]

Yeah, i agree that at lot of it over exgerrated rather a lot.

 

- We go on the Llangollen quite a lot and i dont thing we've ever been in a queue of more than two boats ever.

 

 

Daniel

[Yamanx]

We went to Llangollen and back last summer, right in the middle of the school holidays peak time. There was no queuing or any major traffic. It was perfect. Even had time to stop on the aquaduct get off and take a few pictures.

 

The only time we saw anything resembling busy was the moorings at Llangollen, but even that was ok and this year they've built a blimin' great marina and visitor moorings so I would say there shouldnt be any problems at all.

[Richard Bustens]

Dont forget it is the special year for them this year everyone and his dog will be there.

[dor]

Don't want to be a merchant of doom & gloom, but this is a post from another thread:

 

Returned from Llangollen last August, arrived at New Marton locks, it was a Sunday afternoon, I was the 14th (yes, fourteenth!!) boat in line to go down. It was certainly a personal best (I can't remember more than 4 or 5 in the past). Anyway, it was a stark reminder about what you can expect here during the summer.

 

We quite often go to Trevor or Llangollen on the bike for a ride out, and I have witnessed some amazing mayhem - boats all over the place and real canal rage. Grindley Brook isn't so bad now it usually has a keeper, but there used to be some fierce arguments in the past- quite entertaining sometimes when one boat in the top lock going down, another in the bottom lock going up, both convinced they had right of way as the lock was set in their favour!

[Philip]

Don't want to be a merchant of doom & gloom, but this is a post from another thread:

We quite often go to Trevor or Llangollen on the bike for a ride out, and I have witnessed some amazing mayhem - boats all over the place and real canal rage.  Grindley Brook isn't so bad now it usually has a keeper, but there used to be some fierce arguments in the past- quite entertaining sometimes when one boat in the top lock going down, another in the bottom lock going up, both convinced they had right of way as the lock was set in their favour!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

We had Grindley Brook staircase all to ourselves over Easter - going up no queue, no one waiting to go down either, there were a couple of boats coming up when we went back down, but generally very quiet. I'm surprised about the New Marton debacle, when we've gone through them, they tend not to be that busy.

 

We did have a very short queue when going up Poveys Lock, over Easter.

[dor]

We went up as far as Wrenbury last weekend, and I was suprised how quiet the canal was in terms of boat movements. WE hardly saw a boat moving from Hurleston to Wrenbury on the saturday afternoon. Surprising for an Easter week. Maybe the breach had reduced the number of advanced bookings.

[DHutch]

Dont forget it is the special year for them.

 

In what way?

[Philip]

We went up as far as Wrenbury last weekend, and I was suprised how quiet the canal was in terms of boat movements. WE hardly saw a boat moving from Hurleston to Wrenbury on the saturday afternoon. Surprising for an Easter week.  Maybe the breach had reduced the number of advanced bookings.

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We were going up between Hurleston and Grindley Brook on Friday, apart from Hurleston, of which there were a few boats coming down, it was quiet along the stretch to Wrenbury, as usual, we had Swanley and Baddiley to ourselves, Marbury, Quoisley, Willeymoor and Poveys were a little busier - as usual, Grindley Brook Locks were pretty quiet, the Staircase was deserted apart from us!

 

What a contrast the Shroppie was! Audlem were busy, considering we went up st about 8:00am, Adderley were busy, there was a queue going up at Tyrley in the cutting below the bottom lock and, despite the wet weather on Wednesday, there were a fair few boats at Wheaton Aston. Only locks we got to ourselves on the B&LJ were Hack Green and the stop lock.

 

Staffs and Wocester was quiet last Wednesday, no boats (bar us) going either way at Compton and Wightwick Mill Locks.

[Graham Blott]

In what way?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

It.s the bi-centenial aniversary of the Llangollen Canal this year

[Richard Bustens]

Yes that is it

And i thought you were moored up the Llangollen Dan?

Edited April 9, 2005 by Richard Bustens

[The Major]

We set off from Chirk on the Saturday of May Bank Holiday 2005...not the most brilliant idea! It was manic on the first day, busy on Sunday but come Monday afternoon calm descended and the traffic had either disappeared off the canal ...or sunk to the bottom!

[bottle]

We set off from Chirk on the Saturday of May Bank Holiday 2005...not the most brilliant idea! It was manic on the first day, busy on Sunday but come Monday afternoon calm descended and the traffic had either disappeared off the canal ...or sunk to the bottom!

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Bit ahead on your schedule then, Major.

Edited April 12, 2005 by bottle

[The Major]

..I'm sorry! Did I mention I was paddling my Tardis?

[bottle]

..I'm sorry! Did I mention I was paddling my Tardis?

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Ah Major Who I presume.

[The Major]

Actually, considering my last effort in a winding hole, I think that should read Major Disappointment...

[jmj]

When we did the Llan. in August (abuot 20 yrs ago) there were queues at Grindley Brook - I think we were 7th in the queue. As there are more boats about now than there were then I guess it might have got worse.

 

Apart from that it was busier than I would like (but then we usually go in October!) but never so busy that it was a nuisance, so I would say, don't be put off!