Llangollen AND Montgomery in a week?

[Paul C]

Hi

 

I've been a lurker on the forum for a while, and read plenty of posts but not yet posted my own.

 

Last year my girlfriend and I hired a narrowboat for a week in the summer, and did a trip from Preston Brook to Ellesmere Port and return. It was an eventful trip, many exciting things happened! But also there was time to enjoy the rural landscape and relax properly. So now we are hooked on the canals and love to explore them by foot (assisted by car) whenever we get the chance, but of course yearn to be on a boat too.

 

Within a week of completing last year's holiday, we were researching our next trip possibility. We decided to use the flexibility hiring offers you, by choosing a route principally, then finding the hire bases nearby (and not so near) which makes that trip achievable. Also with hindsight (last year we booked at late notice without seeing the physical boat we'd have, but others in their fleet) we spent a good deal of time looking over the boats before deciding and asking targeted questions. After all, these things aren't cheap and we want to get the most out of our limited funds and time off work! Its also worth adding my GF is a teacher, so is limited only to out-of-term times - so we have booked for the 2nd week of Easter holidays.

 

So, we booked a week's hire from Anglo Welsh (Bunbury) with the aim to 'do' the Llangollen canal. We have also spent many days out exploring this beautiful canal, of course looking at the significant landmarks such as the aqueducts, grindley brook staircase, Hurleston junction/locks and Wrenbury. But yesterday we took another trip, this time to Frankton junction/locks and a mile walk along the Montgomery canal.

 

I have used Canalplan extensively to find detailed information on timings and features of the Bunbury-Trevor (we won't go all the way into Llangollen, we'll turn at Trevor) and I'm happy its easily achievable in the week, putting in around 8 hours/day cruising which with the daylight, will be fine. Indeed we might have a day or half a day left over.

 

Last night I also calculated that its JUST possible to do the trip AND combine it with a day spent on the Montgomery (connected navigable section). The location and timing doesn't split it neatly into an even amount of hours cruising per day (to lock through Frankton junction needs to be done in the 12pm-2pm window, and booked in advance). But its possible by putting about 9h 40m into the first few days (and about 4-5h in the first day) to get to Trevor and make a spare day available on the way back. Once we're back on the Llangollen canal, the cruising plan shows a much more leisurely 6h/day to get home in time. I am happy making early starts and 'getting going' (we have no kids to burden ourselves with!) What we'd do if this is achievable, is monitor our progress taking into account we might chance upon delays, or want to stop earlier in the day than originally planned etc. And if we slipped behind, not worry too much about abandoning the plan to do the Montgomery and simply carry on back to Bunbury in good time.

 

Are we being simply too ambitious? Or is it achievable? And if so, only if we 'rush' and this might spoil the holiday a bit. I'd love to return at a later date to do another holiday on the Montgomery but of course, these things cost quite a lot! (and I pay 'twice', because if I take time off work for holidays, I don't get paid, being self-employed). We reckon a short break type holiday in Whit would be around £800 for 5 days. I appreciate its Easter weekend and we'd need to also get through Grindley Brook too, which may delay us greatly, but then we did visit this weekend and the locks are reasonably smooth and speedy to operate - and of course, the lock keeper should be working there too.

 

Any help/experiences/suggestions are appreciated.

[Keeping Up]

If you go down the Monty you HAVE to wait until the following day to come back. It is a short window around lunchtime which as you say must be pre-booked, and then when you go down one day the earliest you can come back is the lunchtime window of the next day. Actually the Monty is so slow that it takes you that long to get to the end and back anyway, so I'd really recommend that you don't try to include it in with a full trip of the Llangollen; you need only to get held up by delays at Grindley Brook (which can be several hours, in each direction) and you're in trouble. The canal is much better enjoyed without rushing.

[Paul C]

To confirm, we'd plan to go down the Frankton locks one day; travel on the Monty that afternoon, turn around at some point (maybe the navigable limit but in any case so that we'd make the next day's booking to go up the locks), moor up overnight on it; and go up the locks the next day - ie spending ~22-26 hours on the canal, not 2 hours.

 

I agree its ambitious, and that the 'pinch point' is likely going to be Grindley Brook - but if we smoothly get up the staircase (on our trip out) and have the time to do the Monty, then our return trip has enough 'slack' to cope with a (for example) 3-6 hours worth of delays. And of course we'd have more of an idea of the delays due to Easter hols, etc. And of course, we'd be going downhill (with the flow) to get us home- which helps a little, but not relying on it!

Edited March 25, 2012 by Paul C

[dor]

Think about what sort of holiday you want, and why you are going onto the canals. Do you want to chill out, relax, enjoy the scenery and the whole canal experience? Or do you want to "get the miles under your belt", spend 12 hours a day on the tiller, get frustrated at the lock queues and generaly feel under pressure to get on?

 

If the former, then don't do Llangollen & the Monty from Bunbury in 6 and a (small) bit that a week's hire allows.

[johnmck]

Think about what sort of holiday you want, and why you are going onto the canals. Do you want to chill out, relax, enjoy the scenery and the whole canal experience? Or do you want to "get the miles under your belt", spend 12 hours a day on the tiller, get frustrated at the lock queues and generaly feel under pressure to get on?

 

If the former, then don't do Llangollen & the Monty from Bunbury in 6 and a (small) bit that a week's hire allows.

 

 

Completeley agree. This is a canal to savour. We even enjoyed the queues as a time to interact! Saying that though, in our hiring days we went from Bunbury to Llangollen easily in a week, with long days though. Depends what you want, but I would forget the Monty this time, a lock(s) too far.

[Paul C]

Thanks for the replies, I think I'm coming round to the idea that its just that little bit too ambitious. I did try to see if our particular boat was hired out the week before too, and if not, extending our week to 10/11 days to make it easier - alas its booked the week before by someone else. My frustration would be if we end up with a day or more to spare, having driven past Frankton junction and not done it, knowing we could have.....

 

I think we'll just mark it down as a long term aim to one day return to the Llangollen and do the navigable section of the Montgomery too - and plan it properly to allow a bit of flexibility, etc.

 

We are on the beginning of hopefully a long and happy acquaintance with the canals, seeing more and more of the network, both local to us and further beyond - and acknowledge that while we have already gained a bit of experience (a very varied week's holiday last year and 3 day trips, including a RYA Inland Helmsman course), we have much to learn and discover too. I have already looked at a summer break too, and we've scoped out hirers etc - we're looking at cheshire ring or something similar.

[TimD]

also if you spot a nice pub at 5pm and fancy a couple of hours there, you don't have the option to take advantage of it if you've already scheduled full days cruising

[mayalld]

To confirm, we'd plan to go down the Frankton locks one day; travel on the Monty that afternoon, turn around at some point (maybe the navigable limit but in any case so that we'd make the next day's booking to go up the locks), moor up overnight on it; and go up the locks the next day - ie spending ~22-26 hours on the canal, not 2 hours.

 

There is ample time, even at the leisurely pace on the Monty, to go from Frankton to Gronwen Bridge on the afternoon of your downward passage, and to set off from Maesbury on the morning of your return passage and still be there in plenty of time.

[adam1uk]

There is ample time, even at the leisurely pace on the Monty, to go from Frankton to Gronwen Bridge on the afternoon of your downward passage, and to set off from Maesbury on the morning of your return passage and still be there in plenty of time.

 

This is true, it's what we did a couple of years ago (and the Navigation at Maesbury Marsh does excellent food). The Monty is a great contrast to the Llangollen, partly because not many boats per day are allowed down there (you have to book in advance).

 

However, I'm nor sure I'd sacrifice the top part of the Llangollen to do the Monty. In my view, parts of the Llangollen are a bit boring (the long straight sections over bogs) but the bit from Trevor to Llangollen is one of the best bits. The narrows are a challenge (in a good way), and the entry into the town is worth the effort. There are good moorings in the basin, and you can walk up to the pump house and the horseshoe falls where the water is diverted from the river to the canal (just don't envisage huge waterfalls, or you'll be disappointed!)

[Timx]

The llangollen gets better and better,to turn at Trevor would be missing the best bit..in my humble opinion.

[johnmck]

The llangollen gets better and better,to turn at Trevor would be missing the best bit..in my humble opinion.

 

Seconded.

[mayalld]

The llangollen gets better and better,to turn at Trevor would be missing the best bit..in my humble opinion.

 

I would certainly advocate that, like visiting Rome, everybody should make at least one trip up to Llangollen.

 

Both are an experience not to be missed, but equally both are not necessarily an experience that needs to be repeated.

 

The final section beyond Trevor is hard work, with the narrows and the concrete profile, mitigated by the sense of achievement when you reach Lllangollen itself. Unfortunately, on subsequent visits, that achievement diminishes.

[muddywaters]

Personally if I intended doing the monty I would go from Trevor.

Would imagine you will get hold ups at grindly brook during the easter holidays.

Plenty to see and enjoy just going to Trevor and back.

And I don't just mean the aqueducts.

Although if you have seen the ponty you've not lived till you do it in a boat, standing on that off side steering is interesting to say the least lol

[Bimbly1]

Are we being simply too ambitious? Or is it achievable? And if so, only if we 'rush' and this might spoil the holiday a bit. I'd love to return at a later date to do another holiday on the Montgomery but of course, these things cost quite a lot! (and I pay 'twice', because if I take time off work for holidays, I don't get paid, being self-employed).

Any help/experiences/suggestions are appreciated.

Whatever you do, please rush at it slowly. Believe me, you'll feel better and enjoy it more.

[Hairy-Neil]

Have done exactly what you plan on a week's hire from Middlewich Narrowboats. We went late october so the days were short and were moving pretty much daylight hours, except for the two days when on the Monty. I've a feeling we had some time to spare (this was about 10 years ago and the memory's not what it was) and took a detour to Beeston and back too....

 

Whatever you do, please rush at it slowly. Believe me, you'll feel better and enjoy it more.

 

How do you know what someone else will enjoy?. We get a lot of pleasure form 'getting 'em ahead'....

[Paul C]

Well, we're back from holiday today, and already miss the canal a lot!

 

We planned it meticulously on Canalplan but were a little short of the first part day's stop, due to the boat facing the wrong way to start with (they have a winding hole only just large enough for our 57' boat) and a queue at Hurleston locks. So we got up early the next.....and passed that nights stopping point at about 2pm.....so carried on. And made it to Trevor a whole day ahead of schedule. Maybe we were lucky in that we didn't get significantly held up at any of the 'hot spots' (ie Grindley Brook, the aqueducts, the Chirk tunnel). We heard tales of horror from other boaters who were, for example, stuck behind a dreadfully slow boat over an aqueduct, or were waiting for an hour for a tunnel to be clear. We even got a 'free' service at Trevor, and did a trip down the Llangollen arm, albeit to the first winding point, not all the way into town.

 

Our speculative booking the morning of the passage down Frankton locks was successful (phoned at office opening hours of 8:30am but needed a call back for the relevant person to get in!) and the Montgomery is truly beautiful, possibly helped by its being a 'bonus' for our trip and definitely helped by the limited boats on it. Needless to say, we took it easy on this canal and had a wonderful time (the highlight of the holiday for my GF).

 

We even had time to spare at the end, so were able to have a lie in, make several long stops and go 3 locks beyond the hire base, turn, come back up the locks and moor just before it round the corner. (Could have gone to Middlewich!)

 

Definitely a case of "the early bird catches the worm".

[johnmck]

Well, we're back from holiday today, and already miss the canal a lot!

 

We planned it meticulously on Canalplan but were a little short of the first part day's stop, due to the boat facing the wrong way to start with (they have a winding hole only just large enough for our 57' boat) and a queue at Hurleston locks. So we got up early the next.....and passed that nights stopping point at about 2pm.....so carried on. And made it to Trevor a whole day ahead of schedule. Maybe we were lucky in that we didn't get significantly held up at any of the 'hot spots' (ie Grindley Brook, the aqueducts, the Chirk tunnel). We heard tales of horror from other boaters who were, for example, stuck behind a dreadfully slow boat over an aqueduct, or were waiting for an hour for a tunnel to be clear. We even got a 'free' service at Trevor, and did a trip down the Llangollen arm, albeit to the first winding point, not all the way into town.

 

Our speculative booking the morning of the passage down Frankton locks was successful (phoned at office opening hours of 8:30am but needed a call back for the relevant person to get in!) and the Montgomery is truly beautiful, possibly helped by its being a 'bonus' for our trip and definitely helped by the limited boats on it. Needless to say, we took it easy on this canal and had a wonderful time (the highlight of the holiday for my GF).

 

We even had time to spare at the end, so were able to have a lie in, make several long stops and go 3 locks beyond the hire base, turn, come back up the locks and moor just before it round the corner. (Could have gone to Middlewich!)

 

Definitely a case of "the early bird catches the worm".

 

Well done. So glad that you enjoyed your holiday. Sounds like you are now truly hooked.

[Ange]

Watch out - next thing you know you'll be on Apollo Duck drooling over the boats for sale

 

Glad you had a good holiday