llangollen canal first timer plan

[California_James]

Hello, love the site, but y'all have overloaded my brain... ok not really, it's just that we would have skipped the Monty, and now I feel like we'd be fools for doing so. Anyway our trip is June 6th through the 13th and any hints and tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

I've gone through canalplan AC and have come up with the following itinerary:

 

Sat Day 1, boat pick up at 4pm at Maestermyn, head to mooring near Chirk marina: ~4 hours (probably more with no exp and 1st day)

 

Sun Day 2, Foot trip to Chirk Castle, boat to Llangollen, moor at Ll: ~4 hours of drive time at LL by 7-8 easy I would think.

 

Mon Day 3 Llangolen to mooring near Frankton junction: ~ 7hrs

 

Tue Day 4, Monty up and back mooring near Frankton locks for morning open: ~7 hours

 

Wed Day 5, Frankton Junction to Whitchurch: 7hrs

 

Thu Day 6, Whitchurch to Wrenbury: ~5 hrs

 

Fri Day 7, Wrenbury to Ellesmere: 10 hours... ouch.

 

Sat Day 8, Ellesmere to Maestermyn by 9 am: 2 hours.

 

Day 7 can be modified a bit, those were just the easy points to put into the planner. Is this too ambitious for first timers, albeit ones with quite a bit of water/boat experience? I think the Maestermyn (hire company) plan has us doing this basic route except no Monty and going past Wrenbury to Hurleston locks.

 

With the long summer hours, I feel like we'll have plenty of light for the longer days while still be able to make time without it being too rushed. But I'm also fairly ignorant of the exact context of say 7 hours of wheel time in a day as it relates to traffic, locks, and stopping to sightsee constantly.

 

As to the Monty is it still 48hrs call ahead, or is it open at certain times of day during the summer? The internet is giving me some conflicting info there. If it does require the call, can that be done at anytime prior to the mandated 48 hrs, meaning could I call tomorrow to say I wanted to go through on the morning of the 10th?

 

Thanks in advance, this place is great!

Edited May 10, 2009 by California_James

[Night Hawk]

Call in at the Cotton Arms pub in Wrenbury - delicious home cooked food and great service!

[Keeping Up]

Aren't the Monty opening times around lunchtime? They were last year. If so you haven't got time to reach Whitchurch that afternooon

[cotswoldsman]

My advise is SLOW DOWN I think you are trying to do to much!! Firstly you can not enter and exit the Monty in one day, I would leave the Monty for another trip and give yourself more time on the Llangollen, there will be quite a lot of Q's at the time of year you are planning to go and this will slow you down esp at locks and tunnels.

[casper ghost]

You've chosen alot to do. At Wrenbury you can't always wind around as there are hire boats in the basin so you may have to cruise further down, through Baddiley locks to wind at the next winding hole. If so this will add a couple of hours.

Doing the Monty both ways in 7 hours is rushing, there's a 2mph speed limit on alot of it and it's shallow too, check Frankton lock openning times!

[onthecut]

Hello, love the site, but y'all have overloaded my brain... ok not really, it's just that we would have skipped the Monty, and now I feel like we'd be fools for doing so. Anyway our trip is June 6th through the 13th and any hints and tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

I've gone through canalplan AC and have come up with the following itinerary:

 

Sat Day 1, boat pick up at 4pm at Maestermyn, head to mooring near Chirk marina: ~4 hours (probably more with no exp and 1st day)

 

Sun Day 2, Foot trip to Chirk Castle, boat to Llangollen, moor at Ll: ~4 hours of drive time at LL by 7-8 easy I would think.

 

Mon Day 3 Llangolen to mooring near Frankton junction: ~ 7hrs

 

Tue Day 4, Monty up and back mooring near Frankton locks for morning open: ~7 hours

 

Wed Day 5, Frankton Junction to Whitchurch: 7hrs

 

Thu Day 6, Whitchurch to Wrenbury: ~5 hrs

 

Fri Day 7, Wrenbury to Ellesmere: 10 hours... ouch.

 

Sat Day 8, Ellesmere to Maestermyn by 9 am: 2 hours.

 

Day 7 can be modified a bit, those were just the easy points to put into the planner. Is this too ambitious for first timers, albeit ones with quite a bit of water/boat experience? I think the Maestermyn (hire company) plan has us doing this basic route except no Monty and going past Wrenbury to Hurleston locks.

 

With the long summer hours, I feel like we'll have plenty of light for the longer days while still be able to make time without it being too rushed. But I'm also fairly ignorant of the exact context of say 7 hours of wheel time in a day as it relates to traffic, locks, and stopping to sightsee constantly.

 

As to the Monty is it still 48hrs call ahead, or is it open at certain times of day during the summer? The internet is giving me some conflicting info there. If it does require the call, can that be done at anytime prior to the mandated 48 hrs, meaning could I call tomorrow to say I wanted to go through on the morning of the 10th?

 

Thanks in advance, this place is great!

 

Always the rush !!

 

Forget the planner, pick up the boat, set off, do what you want to do each day, wherever you are. Wherever you've got to halfway through your time, turn and potter back. You simply can't tell on the Llangollen at busy times what sort of progress you'll make -- can be half an hour or more queueing at each lock. Relax and enjoy the scene wherever it is -- it's not a distance thing.

 

Mike.

[Jim Lae]

Doing the Monty both ways in 7 hours is rushing, there's a 2mph speed limit on alot of it and it's shallow too, check Frankton lock openning times!

 

 

Monty opening Times .

 

http://www.waterscape.com/things-to-do/boa...Find+Stoppages+

[Naughty Cal]

I think you are trying to fit in too much. Throw away the plan, slow down a little and relax. Go where your mood takes you and if you decide to go a little further so be it. But just remember you will have a lot to learn in a short period of time. Take it easy it is a holiday.

[pwl]

I would also do less. On the Llangollen moore at the meers mid day and enjoy the chill out. To get into Llangollen moore by the pub Sun Trevor, dont remember the bridge number, the the next morning when boats start to move out you know there are places to tie up. The run into Llangollen is a long, one way working so moving early is a good idea and send someone ahead. Llangollen iteself is a fantastic place with a visit to Valle Crucis Abbey and Dinas Bran Castle well worth it (if it is not raining ). If you like books there is a fantastic second hand bookshop above the cafe on the main street. Enjoy the vacation.

 

Paul

[bottle]

Hi James

 

As others have said, forget that itinerary it is just toooooooo much.

 

If you want to have a guide as to where you need to be each day plan on five hours travel per day but do not forget that the first day will be short, not able to have boat till afternoon maybe later if it needs service or is returned late by previous hirer.

 

The last day is not existent as the boat will have to be back early morning but you have planned for that.

[Night Hawk]

You've chosen alot to do. At Wrenbury you can't always wind around as there are hire boats in the basin so you may have to cruise further down, through Baddiley locks to wind at the next winding hole. If so this will add a couple of hours.

Doing the Monty both ways in 7 hours is rushing, there's a 2mph speed limit on alot of it and it's shallow too, check Frankton lock openning times!

 

You can wind just upstream of Wrenbury and enjoy the 10 minute saunter downstream to the pub.

[California_James]

Perfect. That route in my head didn't seem nearly as gnarly as it looked once I ran it through the planner. I wanted to do it, but it wasn't striking me as relaxing lol.

 

Sat: Get boat, settle into boat, head toward chirk.

 

Sun: Chirk Castle, overnight in/near LLangollen

 

Mon: spend most of day in LL maybe another night, head toward Wrenbury

 

Tue: toward Wrenbury, stop somewhere before dark.

 

Wed: toward Wrenbury, stop somewhere before dark.

 

Thur: Hmm how far am I from boat turn in? If past whitchurch head toward boat turn in.

 

Fri: definitely headed toward boat turn in.

 

Sat: turn in boat.

 

I like that much better. If we want to spend 6 hours taking pictures of an aqueduct, so be it.

[Night Hawk]

Perfect. That route in my head didn't seem nearly as gnarly as it looked once I ran it through the planner. I wanted to do it, but it wasn't striking me as relaxing lol.

 

Sat: Get boat, settle into boat, head toward chirk.

 

Sun: Chirk Castle, overnight in/near LLangollen

 

Mon: spend most of day in LL maybe another night, head toward Wrenbury

 

Tue: toward Wrenbury, stop somewhere before dark.

 

Wed: toward Wrenbury, stop somewhere before dark.

 

Thur: Hmm how far am I from boat turn in? If past whitchurch head toward boat turn in.

 

Fri: definitely headed toward boat turn in.

 

Sat: turn in boat.

 

I like that much better. If we want to spend 6 hours taking pictures of an aqueduct, so be it.

 

Now that sounds more like a holiday!

 

Perfect. That route in my head didn't seem nearly as gnarly as it looked once I ran it through the planner. I wanted to do it, but it wasn't striking me as relaxing lol.

 

Sat: Get boat, settle into boat, head toward chirk.

 

Sun: Chirk Castle, overnight in/near LLangollen

 

Mon: spend most of day in LL maybe another night, head toward Wrenbury

 

Tue: toward Wrenbury, stop somewhere before dark.

 

Wed: toward Wrenbury, stop somewhere before dark.

 

Thur: Hmm how far am I from boat turn in? If past whitchurch head toward boat turn in.

 

Fri: definitely headed toward boat turn in.

 

Sat: turn in boat.

 

I like that much better. If we want to spend 6 hours taking pictures of an aqueduct, so be it.

 

Now that sounds more like a holiday!

[Hairy-Neil]

Hi James

 

As others have said, forget that itinerary it is just toooooooo much.

 

Rubbish, Last I visited I did all of that and the Prees Branch, plus started out from Middlewich Narrowboats. Had some time to kill on the return too so we took a detour up the shroppie to Beeston and back....

[casper ghost]

You can wind just upstream of Wrenbury and enjoy the 10 minute saunter downstream to the pub.

 

And a long stagger back to the boat in the dark after the pub...

[bottle]

Rubbish, Last I visited I did all of that and the Prees Branch, plus started out from Middlewich Narrowboats. Had some time to kill on the return too so we took a detour up the shroppie to Beeston and back....

 

Have a look at the thread title.

 

It may give you a clue why some of us are advising against the itinerary first posted.

[Hairy-Neil]

The last day is not existent as the boat will have to be back early morning but you have planned for that.

 

We always make an effort to do some boating on the last day when we hire. We overnighted near Cholmondeston and ran in from there on the saturday morning, 8 miles and 2 locks.

 

It's an out and back trip after all, it's not like they won't have an inkling how long the return trip will take.

 

 

..... and there's a good 17 hours of daylight at the moment. I did it in November when the days were short.

[Bob the welder]

I would also do less. On the Llangollen moore at the meers mid day and enjoy the chill out. To get into Llangollen moore by the pub Sun Trevor, dont remember the bridge number, the the next morning when boats start to move out you know there are places to tie up. The run into Llangollen is a long, one way working so moving early is a good idea and send someone ahead. Llangollen iteself is a fantastic place with a visit to Valle Crucis Abbey and Dinas Bran Castle well worth it (if it is not raining ). If you like books there is a fantastic second hand bookshop above the cafe on the main street. Enjoy the vacation.

 

Paul

bridge 42. bob

[California_James]

Honestly, I think we could pull off the original itinerary. I caved so quickly though largely based on the midday Frankton Lock openings. Given the middle point of our route boat pick up, that just becomes something to schedule around even more. It's a holiday, I don't want to schedule around anything. That first itinerary in it's goal to see as much as possible overlooked that I've never been anywhere near any of this, and I might just decide to stop and take 30 pictures at every bend in the canal.

 

Plus, this narrowboat trip is the third week of 3 week holiday. There might be a spot so nice that I just sit on the boat, drink beer, and watch the world go buy. Hell, there might be 2 spots that nice.

 

Any additional tips, hints, or tricks greatly appreciated.

Edited May 12, 2009 by California_James

[WJM]

I suggest you be very careful when hiring a narrowboat on the Llangollen. That is exactly what I did a few years back (same hire company and same itinerary btw). Problem was; when it was over I was so hooked I had to buy my own narrowboat! Enjoy!

[mikevye]

I think you are trying to fit in too much. Throw away the plan, slow down a little and relax. Go where your mood takes you and if you decide to go a little further so be it. But just remember you will have a lot to learn in a short period of time. Take it easy it is a holiday.

 

If you followed advice like this you might as well stay at home in bed and save yourself the money. This Llan is one of the most requested holiday information topics and from the responses that I read I wonder how many of the respondents have been on it and therefore qualified to comment! Bottle has got the right idea just go for it and enjoy the CANAL why you'd want to climb up a bloody steep hill look at a load of brick rubble then climb down again is beyond me. You can do all of that touristy thing from a car in minutes and whats more loads of it if that floats your boat. Sorry to be contentious (not really) but your not going in the right direction in the first place and nobodies told you. Don't ® don't go to Llan at the weekend. Your original plan would leave you stuck in Chirk within a couple of hours and a fight to the death to get to Llan on Sunday. Go towards Prees junction getting as far as you possibly can on that the first day the rest will fall into place for the remainder of the holiday. One trick is to wind at Wrenbury before the hire basin opens up failure to do so will result in quite a long haul to Burland. Do the Monty, weds down thurs up and you'll make Llan late thurs night. PM with your address as I have a spare map or two from our ten+ visits to the Llan, enjoy.

[Hairy-Neil]

Do the Monty, weds down thurs up and you'll make Llan late thurs night.

 

This is what we did. Down the Frankton locks when they opened at Lunchtime, through to the end, winded and returned to Maesbury for overnight mooring. Gentle cruise back to Frankton for lunchtime the next day. Excellent meal at the pub in Maesbury

Edited May 12, 2009 by Hairy-Neil

[Split Pin]

Hi have just returned from the Llangollen so have some current navigation times to hand, they certainly disagree with canal planner

 

Hurleston to Wrenbury 3.5 hrs

Wrenbury to Top Grindley Brook 4 Hrs 20min Delay at the Staircase

Grindley to Ellesmere 6 hrs

Ellesmere to Frankton 1.3 hrs

Frankton to Trevor 5.5 hrs

Trevor to Llangollen 2.75 hrs

 

Frankton Top to Queens Head 2 hrs

Queens Head to Winding Point at Maesbury 2.3hrs

 

You can book passage on the Montgomery up until 10am on the day of passage. Locks open 12-2pm

 

Enjoy your holiday however you plan it, you can always go back again and do the bits that you miss

 

Steve

Edited May 12, 2009 by Split Pin

[pwl]

It all depends what you want. We did the dawn to dusk when we started with hire boats on the cut - and yes, we have done the Lang several times. If you want to run thats fine, it is a personal choice but having been there (especially as a holiday boater) it is simply a great place to take it easy and chill. Each to their own.

 

P

[mikevye]

This is what we did. Down the Frankton locks when they opened at Lunchtime, through to the end, winded and returned to Maesbury for overnight mooring. Gentle cruise back to Frankton for lunchtime the next day. Excellent meal at the pub in Maesbury

 

Spot on H-N we had moorings on the monty for 18 months and the Navii was our local. Every contributee whinges about it being expensive but its not if you like fresh local produced cooked food but if you like frozen zapped food then it definately is expensive-to you! Equally the beer is spot on everytime because its looked after, well worth a visit. Warning closed Sun evening re-opens tues lunch time. Cruise you recommended easily done, don't even have to rush in the morning but if you want to get to Llan that day best to be first in the queue at Frankton.