Llangollen canal depth

[Railay]

Hi all.

 

We are planning a trip up the Llangollen canal later this year. Our boat is a 70ft, 2ft 4ins draught and wanted to check whether we would run aground.

 

Has anyone been this way with a similar draught boat recently. The old Nicholson guide I have suggests there maybe a problem if you are deeper than 2ft. Any advice would be very helpful.

 

Thanks, Norman

[Liam]

Stork, the old Cowburn & Cowpar boat drawns 3ft and that's been upto Llangollen. You shouldn't have any problems.

Edited June 18, 2007 by Liam

[John Orentas]

We are planning a trip up the Llangollen canal later this year. Our boat is a 70ft, 2ft 4ins draught and wanted to check whether we would run aground.

 

 

Hi Norman

 

I don't think you will have a problem, a lot of loaded working boats make the trip and as the canal acts as a water supply BW keep it well dredged. The latest Nicholsons quotes 2' 3" to Ponty. and 2' 0" on to Llangollen but I would not worry too much, they are always prophets of doom.

[Machpoint005]

The July Waterways World has an article about the Llangollen: to summarise (1) seems to be plenty of depth, and (2) don't go in August!

[WJM]

Because of the flow you can get shallow bits in the lee (downstream) of the bridge holes so keep centre on approach when going up.

[John Orentas]

"Don't go in August!"

 

 

 

I seem to have been reading that daft advice every month for the last 30 years. One of those things that seems to have gone into our collective culture. Everybody knows somebody who knows somebody who got stuck on the Llangollen for a week. I have done the canal many times and at all times of the year, it's no better or worse than any other popular canal.

[Djuwenda]

I seem to have been reading that daft advice every month for the last 30 years. One of those things that seems to have gone into our collective culture. Everybody knows somebody who knows somebody who got stuck on the Llangollen for a week. I have done the canal many times and at all times of the year, it's no better or worse than any other popular canal.

 

Machpoint said there was plenty of depth, so presumably the "dont go in August" bit relates to some other issue, presumably the fact the place gets more crowded than a supermarket on a sunday morning?

 

Daft advice? I think not....

[AMModels]

I think width is more important than depth when trying to get up the llangollen, we tried two years ago to take Sagitta up tp Trevor but she wouldnt even go through the first lock at Hurleston, unconverted ex working boats shouldnt have too much of a problem s they can be chained in a bit but with a steel cabin on it wasnt an option for us.

 

[WJM]

"dont go in August"

 

Reversing back up to Llangollen on that narrow section leaving town is worse than reversing the 49.5% of the Saltersford Tunnel when you loose the stand-off! It is even more painful when you loose the stand-off on your second attempt too!

[Adam]

I think width is more important than depth when trying to get up the llangollen, we tried two years ago to take Sagitta up tp Trevor but she wouldnt even go through the first lock at Hurleston, unconverted ex working boats shouldnt have too much of a problem s they can be chained in a bit but with a steel cabin on it wasnt an option for us.

 

 

Do you mean pull the hull sides in? What about the boatmans cabin?

[Machpoint005]

Sorry - my offhand remark about not going in August was entirely to do with crowd avoidance. If you like an aquatic version of the M6 on a Friday evening, go ahead...

[Railay]

Thanks all for the advice. I feel a lot more confident now in navigating this much loved waterway. I know a few that have been along the Llangollen and they all loved it. Can't wait now.

 

We shall probably go some time in Sept when all the little brats are back at school! We may be going with our neighbours and they are drawing about 2 or 3" less than us. so if we do grind to a halt I'll ask for a tow!

 

Just a quick note, its a new build not an old working boat so width shouldn't be a problem (6'10")

 

Thanks all, I'll post an update as to how it went.

 

Cheers, Norman

[AMModels]

Do you mean pull the hull sides in? What about the boatmans cabin?

 

most broadening takes place where the loads were/are carried and results in the hold being the area most affected hence most boats having chains fitted to bring them in. On some of the gravel traffic carried on brighton and her motor in the 70's you can see an exaggerated example of this in the photos that record the trade.

[valrene9600]

Just done the Lanny. I draw 2`3" and had no problem. Go and enjoy it.

[Moley]

Reversing back up to Llangollen on that narrow section leaving town is worse than reversing the 49.5% of the Saltersford Tunnel when you lose the stand-off! It is even more painful when you lose the stand-off on your second attempt too!

 

So send someone (with our boat that's usually me) ahead on a bike to scout it out, and once you've entered the narrows to stop anyone else the other end.

 

As for not going in August, everyone else must have heeded that advice because it wasn't too bad at all for us last year.

[WJM]

"So send someone (with our boat that's usually me) ahead on a bike to scout it out, and once you've entered the narrows to stop anyone else the other end."

 

Tried that - they just ignored them! - it does imply you have a spare person, and a bike too.

[KenK]

"So send someone (with our boat that's usually me) ahead on a bike to scout it out, and once you've entered the narrows to stop anyone else the other end."

 

Not sure if it's still there but there used to be a notice telling people to do just that. When we did it the two boats coming the other way ignored my wife's efforts to stop them. Fortunately I was more than three quarters through the narrow bit so they backed up not me. On the K&A through Reading they have a traffic light system which seems to work well, might solve the problem at Llangollen as well.

 

Ken

[rojomo]

We solved the problem of Llangollen one way working by using a two mobile phones, one on the boat and one with the person that went ahead (have also seen cheap 2 way radios used).

When the person on foot (yes we walked, it's not all that far, no need for a bike!!) reached the other end they just stopped any boat proceeding by telling them our boat was already on en route through the narrows, with the prospect of them having to reverse it had the desired effect. We then phoned back to the boat (out of earshot), and told them to proceed, bit naughty but it worked.

 

We did have some issues with grounding but mainly on the main line stretch between Ellesmere and Chirk but only where there was bank erosion and the true edge of the canal was unclear. Did not cause great concern though.

 

John and Anne