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Llangollen and ... ?


Saskia

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Booked for a two week holiday in autumn, starting in the Nantwich area. We really want to go to Llangollen to have a proper re-do of our first ever narrowboat holiday and do some walking near Llangollen. There is quite some time left as I guess the above takes 7-8 days on a leisurely pace.

 

So, where to go next?

To Ellesmere Port, museum, but... reading some travel reports, the canal from Chester onwards sounds like hard work and a little bit grimy - not sure if this is really the case though.  But after cruising through Manchester, which my husband really disliked, I promised him we'd only do scenic cruises from then on, and I dont want to risk my marriage lol! 

 

Or.. to the Montgomery Canal, which seems really rural. Can you spend a few days cruising back and forth or is most of the canal still unnavigable?

 

We love to walk and take it slow, so we rather have some lazy days in the country than having to cruise(race) 10 hours a day to be back at the base in time :) We have cruised the Four Counties and Cheshire Ring before and dont mind re-visiting some stretches of canal, but want to explore some new areas too. Hope you guys have some advise, thanks in advance!

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Do venture up to Chester. You can ,if you don't fancy the locks into the city, wind at Christlton, moor up and walk into the city. Also, stop at Beeston and walk up to the castle for spectacular views. The Monty is worth a visit. Very rural and tranquil.i have to say, I never tire of the Llangollen. On the castle theme, there is also Chirk to wander to.

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The canal from Chester to Ellesmere Port isn't 'grimy' at all, although as it isn't busy, it can be weedy.  The hardest part is the lock staircase in Chester (which is well worth a visit anyway- lots of good pubs and history), but I've singlehanded it several times, so don't be put off.  The town of Ellesmere Port is pretty uninspiring, but a stay in the bottom basin is well worth the entrance fee which you have to pay.  I've left my boat there twice.  Good moorings and pub at Stoak on the way there.

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To my mind the Montgomery is a must-do add-on to the Llangollen. The accessible section is about 8 miles and 8 locks, so around 5 hours in each direction. Just be aware that passage through Frankton Locks is restricted to 12 boats per day each way and needs to be booked in advance. Trips must include an overnight stay (i.e. you can't go down Frankton Locks and back up on the same day).

 

The CRT webpage is at https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/where-we-work/west-midlands/frankton-locks-opening-times but hasn't yet been updated for 2019.

 

41 minutes ago, johnmck said:

Also, stop at Beeston and walk up to the castle for spectacular views.

 

Yes, I would recommend this. There's also Chester Zoo close to the canal if that is of interest.

Edited by David Mack
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12 hours ago, Arthur Marshall said:

I found the Monty totally uninteresting, few moorings and those in very restricted areas. The Frankton locks are interesting with good moorings below, but the rest of it is just dull. Trip to Chester much more fun. 

The Monty is amazing, but I guess we all look for different things.  So much beauty and solitude and so much wildlife to see.  Loads of places to moor and hardly any boats using them up.

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7 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

The Monty is amazing, but I guess we all look for different things.  So much beauty and solitude and so much wildlife to see.  Loads of places to moor and hardly any boats using them up.

I went down last year, really looking forward to it as I loved it on my first visit twenty odd years ago. It's mostly narrow, which cuts down moorings, long straight stretches, and again, I saw no wildlife of any kind apart from the usual birds. And when I went it was crowded - loads of boats! Was a relief to get back to the peace and quiet of the Llangollen... But maybe I just picked a bad week. 

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4 hours ago, Arthur Marshall said:

I went down last year, really looking forward to it as I loved it on my first visit twenty odd years ago. It's mostly narrow, which cuts down moorings, long straight stretches, and again, I saw no wildlife of any kind apart from the usual birds. And when I went it was crowded - loads of boats! Was a relief to get back to the peace and quiet of the Llangollen... But maybe I just picked a bad week. 

I'm with you on this, Monty is very pleasant but overrated in my view. Deeper draught boats can find some moorings difficult. Still it's worth a visit but I'm in no hurry to return. Prefer the Llangollen main line.

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the reason most if not all boating  people  do llangollen is becuse its there , and like most other canals  they are very nice just too amble along some better then other .i have done the llangollen many many times and i hope  to do it many more times .,when none boaters know  you have a narrowboater .. first thing they ask .oh have you been over that big bridge ...but just to do the pontcysyllte is a must do for all boaters  and none  boaters , just to see all its  spender .as for it being over crowded ,that can be said of most canals today .there are still lots of other nice places to see canal wise .but form me llangollen is such a beautyfull place to cruise and always will be crowded or not 

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I'd also recommend Chester and say do not to be put off from venturing further to the museum at Ellesmere Port.  You can take in Chester Zoo too if you do venture that way, and it really isn't a bad canal at all. It gets a bit 'run down industry' in the last bit towards the terminus, but it's fine and overnighting in the museum basin is worth doing.

 

I also agree that the Monty is over rated.  Its nice, yes, but it doesn't live up to the hype for me.  It may be better when it's finished, they dredge the locks, the much vaunted wildlife turns up and the pub doesn't close on the very evenings you need it.  I'd only take the 2 days out of your trip if it doesn't interfere with adding Chester and beyond.

 

I'll definitely be revisiting Llangollen and Chester, possibly the Zoo (and I'm not really a zoo fan) and very probably Ellesmere Port, but I've think I've probably done the Monty, thanks.

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Somebody mentioned mooring just short of Chester at Christleton and walking into Chester (there is also a bus service), but it would be a shame to miss out on the experience of boating right into Chester. As for continuing past Chester I think the scenery between Chester and Ellesmere Port is dull and uninspiring but a visit to the marvellous boat museum makes it just about worthwhile.

 

I too think the Montgomery is a bit overrated, very pleasant and rural but not worth the hassle of locking through Frankton IMO.

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Thanks! I think we'll definitely be mooring in Chester itself as well.

So, simple itinerary: Nantwich - Chester - Ellesmere Port - Llangollen - (if time permits - Montgomery) - Nantwich

 

Dull and uninspiring is fine, even some industry isnt bad. Weird me was all exited last holiday when we moored for the night near Anderton, having the spot where we had a view right through the trees at the TATA Chemical Works - oh the pretty lights :) 

It was just the grimy bits of Manchester - i guess we had an unlucky day with waterless locks, lots of rubbish in the weed hatch, reality checks of big city life and mooring overnight halfway at the Ashton where we really didnt want to - which now make me a little bit reluctant to go to parts which other people described as 'rather not go there'. But reading your replies it's not as bad (or you lot are a brave bunch of people ?).

 

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33 minutes ago, Saskia said:

Thanks! I think we'll definitely be mooring in Chester itself as well.

So, simple itinerary: Nantwich - Chester - Ellesmere Port - Llangollen - (if time permits - Montgomery) - Nantwich

 

Dull and uninspiring is fine, even some industry isnt bad. Weird me was all exited last holiday when we moored for the night near Anderton, having the spot where we had a view right through the trees at the TATA Chemical Works - oh the pretty lights :) 

It was just the grimy bits of Manchester - i guess we had an unlucky day with waterless locks, lots of rubbish in the weed hatch, reality checks of big city life and mooring overnight halfway at the Ashton where we really didnt want to - which now make me a little bit reluctant to go to parts which other people described as 'rather not go there'. But reading your replies it's not as bad (or you lot are a brave bunch of people ?).

 

I think that when passing through some of the lesser desirable stretches of canal it's a case of knowing where to moor and where not to, and that's where other boater's opinions are so useful. Also getting through those areas (such as the Ashton Canal) fairly early in the day when the low-lives are still indoors and probably still in their beds.

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4 minutes ago, Grassman said:

I think that when passing through some of the lesser desirable stretches of canal it's a case of knowing where to moor and where not to, and that's where other boater's opinions are so useful. Also getting through those areas (such as the Ashton Canal) fairly early in the day when the low-lives are still indoors and probably still in their beds.

We tried that last year, early morning in hammering rain.  Got to the top of the Ashton flight and there is a bloke there messing about with the top lock and chucking bits of weeping willow and purple flowers everywhere.

 

We did the only thing we could - said "Good morning @Sea Dog!"

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7 hours ago, Grassman said:

I think that when passing through some of the lesser desirable stretches of canal it's a case of knowing where to moor and where not to, and that's where other boater's opinions are so useful. Also getting through those areas (such as the Ashton Canal) fairly early in the day when the low-lives are still indoors and probably still in their beds.

We started before 7 am, you'd say that would be early enough ? it learned me you can plan a canal trip on paper very well,  but once reality kicks in, you just have to accept and adjust. I'm glad we didn't hire the boat for just 1 week to cruise the Cheshire Ring, or it would have been a race instead of a holiday to get back to base ?

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17 minutes ago, Saskia said:

We started before 7 am, you'd say that would be early enough ? it learned me you can plan a canal trip on paper very well,  but once reality kicks in, you just have to accept and adjust. I'm glad we didn't hire the boat for just 1 week to cruise the Cheshire Ring, or it would have been a race instead of a holiday to get back to base ?

You have the secret to leisure boating, never try to do too much too far, too fast.

Seen so many new boaters overdo it and then the misses says"sell it".

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11 hours ago, TheBiscuits said:

We tried that last year, early morning in hammering rain.  Got to the top of the Ashton flight and there is a bloke there messing about with the top lock and chucking bits of weeping willow and purple flowers everywhere.

 

We did the only thing we could - said "Good morning @Sea Dog!"

Oi! I never did not chuck nuffin' at you, innit!

3 hours ago, Saskia said:

We started before 7 am, you'd say that would be early enough ? it learned me you can plan a canal trip on paper very well,  but once reality kicks in, you just have to accept and adjust. ?

 

Every military commander knows that plans only survive as far as first contact with the enemy! (Some canals are blessed with more enemies than others) ;)

 

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