Crossing the Pontsystllte

[Moley]

We did the Pontythingy in '06, and I have to admit that I was rather impressed that Mrs. Mole (who has absolutely no head for heights) stayed at the tiller all the way across (although I seem to recall she stayed below on the return trip).

 

Our son (who has absolutely no fear of heights) rode on the roof all the way, although at one point he did go to stand up and was told in no uncertain terms to sit down and stay where he was!

 

I have no fear of high heights (where if I fell I would kill myself, as opposed to low heights, where if I fell I would seriously hurt myself), so I was on and off the boat and taking numerous photos.

 

[NBMike]

Apparently not. Whilst abuse directed at certain minorities would not be tolerated on this forum, the Welsh and "Pikeys" are so far not afforded the same level of respect

And don't even mention Chavs

[loner]

Where is it? I want to go there.

[Keeping Up]

Where is it? I want to go there.

Sorry, my mis-typing in the title doesn't help. It's the Pontcysyllte aqueduct, near Trevor on the Llangollen Canal (between Chirk and Llangollen which are both on the A5, if you're lookng at a roadmap instead of a Nicholson)

[Pete of Ebor]

I'm afraid it was tiller strings and hiding in the cabin, when I ventured across.

 

Chirk was okay because you've got the viaduct to look across at.

 

What's all this 'tiller strings' lark ? You don't need them.. it's not as if the boat can actually go anywhere but straight on.. it might bump and rattle along the side of the trough a bit but it's not going anywhere else....

 

..hopefully..

 

Pete.

[carlt]

What's all this 'tiller strings' lark ? You don't need them.. it's not as if the boat can actually go anywhere but straight on.. it might bump and rattle along the side of the trough a bit but it's not going anywhere else....

 

..hopefully..

 

Pete.

When you're in the cabin, hiding under the table, bumps and bangs sound like the boat is heading over the side (yes, I know that can't happen. That's just the nature of irrational fear).

[PeterF]

When you're in the cabin, hiding under the table, bumps and bangs sound like the boat is heading over the side (yes, I know that can't happen. That's just the nature of irrational fear).

Perhaps I should not admit to this, but in 1980 I went up the Llangollen with a bunch of school mates on one of their parents boats (lived in Shropshire then). We were all 17/18 years old and having our last blowout week before the A levels. When we went over the aqueduct I walked down the gunwale on the non towpath side. Some 25 years later when I went over it again with my 16 and 18 year old sons on board I remebered this but did not mention it to them as thinking back it was a little incautious.

[David]

How about this for scary

 

 

THE MILLAU VIADUCT is part of the new E11 expressway connecting Paris and Barcelona and features the highest bridge piers ever constructed. The tallest is 240 meters high and the overall height will be an impressive 336 metres, making this the highest bridge in the world.

 

Been over the Pontcysyllte many times (maybe called the Froncysyllte as that is a local name), scariest thing I ever saw was some years ago standing at the end watching and a hire boat came along from the lift bridge just around the bend with a young lady asleep on a blanket face down on the roof, the steerer waited until he was a couple of boat lengths in then called her, the scream could have been for miles, not very clever in hindsight but must have tested her heart rate.

david

[dave_2A_]

I'd LOVE to do that! Think I'd have to use every mooring rope on the boat to restrain SWMBO though - never get her to do it otherwise.

[Catrin]

Been over the Pontcysyllte many times (maybe called the Froncysyllte as that is a local name),

Froncysyllte: Fron = Hillside (Hillside of the Joining).

Pontcysyllte: Pont = Bridge (yes, same as French - it's from Latin).

ie Bridge at the joining (or bridge at Froncysyllte). Not sure what it's the joining of though. Because of the peculiarities of Celtic languages Pont can appear as Bont, and Fron as Bron - don't ask!!

Cheers

Cath

[hmallett]

Has that given you all vertigo?

I think the pictures do it a disservice - it seems higher when you're up there! And when on the back of the boat with just a sheer drop, you know the risks are tiny, but you still take that little bit of extra care...

[Tillerman]

How about this for scary

 

 

THE MILLAU VIADUCT is part of the new E11 expressway connecting Paris and Barcelona and features the highest bridge piers ever constructed. The tallest is 240 meters high and the overall height will be an impressive 336 metres, making this the highest bridge in the world.

Sorry David, but the highest bridge in the world is the one being built over the Chenab River in Kashmir. It will be 359m high (35m higher than the top of the Eiffel Tower) and 1,315m long. I wouldn't want to look down from that one!

[Southdowner]

THE MILLAU VIADUCT

 

This is the best picture I've seen of this hugely impressive bridge, designed so that drivers and passengers cannot see down during their crossing. Recall a good TV Discovery series filming its construction, with many spectacular, and hairy, shots. Look forward to seeing it from below from the Beziers - Neussarges - Clermont Ferrand train sometime, which takes the impressive Eiffel designed metal viaduc du Garabit of 1884 further north (near St Flour if you want to look it up) link below.

 

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viaduc_de_Garabit

 

the Pontcysyllte

 

When driving hireboat in 1980's across one of our young group insisted on standing on the edge of the roof throughout looking down over the non-towpath side, without incident but spoiled my enjoyment at the time - just second nature to him to take a considered risk.

 

Neil

[saltyseadog]

Is this a racist remark I wonder?

 

( :lol: )

England are absolutely s#*t% at Rugby. Is this a racist remark I wonder?

[stewey]

England are absolutely s#*t% at Rugby. Is this a racist remark I wonder?

No, a fair and reasoned criticism!

 

Stewey

[roggie]

Hiring out of Swanley next Saturday (BBC Club boat Savoy Hill) and had thought of seeing if we could do both Anderton lift and Llan canal - looks like it will just be the Llan canal judging from posts I have looked at.

 

Thanks for all the advice on this board (this is only my 2nd posting - both tonight) and I have printed all the advice on offer - Say hi if you see us next week - Brompton bike ready to go to make advance warning of oncoming boats much easier.

[Grace and Favour]

England are absolutely s#*t% at Rugby. Is this a racist remark I wonder?

 

 

Racist - not at all

 

Accurate?? - - only by about 99% - (but could be construed as 'accurate' to the general understanding of the word!)

[Dominic M]

England are absolutely s#*t% at Rugby. Is this a racist remark I wonder?

You fail to understand what a generous and magnanimous race the English are.

 

We gave the world football, rugby, cricket & tennis, and then, because it would most ungentlemanly to do otherwise, let everyone else beat us at all four sports on a regular basis.

 

Indeed, the only game we remain supreme in is Northamptonshire skittles, and that's because no-one else plays it, or has even heard of it.

 

The next time I'm in Brazil...................................

[welshmike]

Hiring out of Swanley next Saturday (BBC Club boat Savoy Hill) and had thought of seeing if we could do both Anderton lift and Llan canal - looks like it will just be the Llan canal judging from posts I have looked at.

 

Thanks for all the advice on this board (this is only my 2nd posting - both tonight) and I have printed all the advice on offer - Say hi if you see us next week - Brompton bike ready to go to make advance warning of oncoming boats much easier.

 

Hi Roggie,

 

I took out Savoy Hill last week. Great boat and holiday. This was our trip:

 

Saturday - Swanley to bottom of Grindley Brook 6 locks. Moorings before bridge 27.

 

Sunday - Up early (0630) and through locks before breakfast. Water point at top of locks. No more locks now til tomorrow pm. Lovely day to Blakemere. Spider craft are moored up near Ellesmere (see further down) Best moorings are as soon as you see Blakemere on your right. There's a picnic table but also fishing jettys to watch the sun go down over the mere. There's a Kingfisher's nest in the bank opposite this point. Spent Sunday pm watching them at work/play between the lake at the nest :-)

 

Monday - Go down the Ellesmere arm to visit the town. Lovely Deli, butchers and old-fashioned sweet shop. Only town we visited on the way to Llangollen.

More water at Ellesmere dock. Could have a lunchstop at Jack Mytton's in Hindford :-) Carry on through New Marton locks to Fron. (Chirk tunnel is one-way-If not in a convoy send someone ahead.) Moor up on rhs in Fron before lift bridge 28. After this you might end up in Trevor basin for the night. Might have a chance of seeing Pontcysyllte from the bottom this eve.

 

Tuesday - Up early and cross the aqueduct. Its about 3 hours to Llangollen from Fron. We took a Brompton and used it to scout ahead on the 3 narrow sections. In Llangollen get your cyclist to pay the £6 for the boat staying overnight and go past the wharf and horse-drawn dayboats to the marina. Moor stern in for best views. Great place to eat is the Cornmill (last orders 9.30pm) - we also went on the Steam railway. There's a depature at 1300 and Carrog, the end stop, is worth staying at for a few hours, catching the last train back at 1550.

 

Wednesday - up early and get into the inevitable convoy of boats leaving Llan. It rained for us in the am so didn't stop for lunch and made it back to Ellesmere by mid pm for food shopping. Moor at Ellesmere or Blakmere (which is what we did but it did mean walking through the tunnel in the dark coming back from town!) The half shoulder of lamb at the Black Lion in Ellesmere is to die for!!!! Bit of a queue at New Marton locks.

 

Thursday - aiming for Grindley Brook. Spider Crafts are moored up between bridges 49 and 50. Well worth a look-in. We ordered some stuff of Phil on the way up and he made it for us by the time we returned! Had heard from other boats coming up that there was a long wait at the staircase. Got there by 5pm and were 4th in line so OK for us. Get water here as well as Alvechurch at Wrenbury don't allow any services on a Friday (their changeover day). Moored up having gone down the 6 locks.

 

Friday - its 6 hours back to Swanley so up to you what to do. If you don't leave too early you'll get to the Wrenbury pubs for lunch. Then its another 2 1/2 hours back. We got back by 3.30pm for pump-out, diesel etc as the office shuts at 4.30 but they have a 4pm cut-off for services. They re-open at 0900 on Sat am. Didn't try the nearest pub at Ravensmoor as we ate on board.

 

Enjoy your trip,

 

Mike

[Keeping Up]

As a follow-up to this thread from last year, here's a picture I took as we crossed the aqueduct one fine morning this summer:

 

[casper ghost]

I've done it quite a few times. Each time I look over I get this weird feeling I should leap off... Me and me brother always used to say that when we are really old and about to die we'll make a parrachute and jump..

 

A scary moment was, when going over Chirk on a "booze cruise", my brother got off the wrong side and leaned over the edge for a look and thzt was after too much beer...

[Night Hawk]

Hiring out of Swanley next Saturday (BBC Club boat Savoy Hill) and had thought of seeing if we could do both Anderton lift and Llan canal - looks like it will just be the Llan canal judging from posts I have looked at.

 

Thanks for all the advice on this board (this is only my 2nd posting - both tonight) and I have printed all the advice on offer - Say hi if you see us next week - Brompton bike ready to go to make advance warning of oncoming boats much easier.

 

Hi there Roggie - Saw your boat..or was it one of your skippers - supping gin on Canal Street in Manchester when we were doing the ring (so to speak) last summer.....We're moored in Swanley over by the toilet block! A x

[Madmark62]

How about this for scary

 

 

THE MILLAU VIADUCT is part of the new E11 expressway connecting Paris and Barcelona and features the highest bridge piers ever constructed. The tallest is 240 meters high and the overall height will be an impressive 336 metres, making this the highest bridge in the world.

 

Been over the Pontcysyllte many times (maybe called the Froncysyllte as that is a local name), scariest thing I ever saw was some years ago standing at the end watching and a hire boat came along from the lift bridge just around the bend with a young lady asleep on a blanket face down on the roof, the steerer waited until he was a couple of boat lengths in then called her, the scream could have been for miles, not very clever in hindsight but must have tested her heart rate.

david

 

Been over that bridge on a motorbike, absolutely fantastic feeling.

[Pete of Ebor]

As a follow-up to this thread from last year, here's a picture I took as we crossed the aqueduct one fine morning this summer:

 

 

I had considered taking SWMBO and her Jack Russell, Toby for a long weekend on a boat as she's never been boating before. I thought about hiring from Trevor so we could go up to Llangollen and nip back just to cross the Aquaduct twice before leaving the boat. Plans were coming together until I had a nightmare and woke up sweating and panicing .. I'd dreamt that Toby had run through the boat, out on to the front deck and jumped off the boat.. Unfortunately, it was as we were crossing the aquaduct, and he'd jumped off on the wrong side ! Plans are currently on hold !

[n.b.Goldie]

The Memsahib & I 'did' the pontycillite in 2003 and we were most impressed.

 

 

Nigel Carter(dec'd) used to reckon that on one occasion when he took his Royalty class motor George across, the vibration of the Bolinder struck up a sympathetic vibration in the iron trunking. He could, he said, see the side of the trunk move in and out which worried him a bit until he changed the engine revs and the vibration stopped. No damage done though, its still there.