Pontcysyllte Aqueduct: Walking Across a Cast-Iron Trough 38 Metres in the Air

The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct carries the Llangollen Canal over the River Dee on 19 masonry piers, at a height of 38 metres, for 307 metres. Thomas Telford designed it; it opened in 1805 and still functions. It is the longest and highest navigable aqueduct in Britain and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The narrow path alongside the water trough has no handrail on the outer side. Looking down at the fields and trees nearly 40 metres below is vertiginous in a way that photographs don’t fully convey.

Walking across is free and takes about 10 minutes. Most people underestimate how exposed it feels. If you’re planning to do it, do it first before anyone talks themselves out of it.

Canal boat hire companies offer trips across the aqueduct if you’d prefer to go by water. The boats pass over in the trough, which is only 1.7 metres wide. The boat fills the full width; there’s nothing between the side of the boat and open air.

Getting There

The aqueduct is at Froncysyllte, 5km east of Llangollen on the B5434. There’s a car park at the south end near Trevor Basin. The towpath walk to the northern end of the aqueduct from the Trevor Basin car park is about 15 minutes along a flat canal path. The visitor centre at the basin has toilets and information boards.

By public transport from Wrexham: buses run to Llangollen and onward services pass through Froncysyllte, but the timetable is infrequent. Driving is considerably easier.

Llangollen

The town itself sits in the Dee Valley 5km west of the aqueduct. The Eisteddfod, a Welsh cultural and music festival held every July, draws around 50,000 people to a town of 3,000 in its most-attended years. If your visit coincides with it, book accommodation months ahead. Outside festival season, the town is quiet and pleasant, with good walking access to the Dee Gorge and the ruins of Dinas Bran castle on the hill above.

The Llangollen Wharf is the departure point for horse-drawn narrow-boat trips along the canal. These run April-October, cost around £12 per person for a 45-minute trip, and are entirely sedate. Children and people who don’t want to walk enjoy them; serious canal enthusiasts will find the pace meditative.

Eating

The Corn Mill on Dee Lane, Llangollen, is a converted watermill with a terrace over the Dee and a straightforward menu of pub food at around £12-18 per main. It’s the most atmospheric option near the river. The town has several cafes along Berwyn Street that serve reliable cream teas and sandwiches.

Where to Stay

Gales Wine Bar and Hotel on Bridge Street is the best option in Llangollen: rooms from around £90/night, a proper wine list, and good food. B&Bs in the town centre and surrounding countryside run £60-90/night. The Dee Valley has self-catering cottages at £500-800/week in summer, better value for longer stays.

Pontcysyllte on its own is a half-day at most. Pairing it with the Valle Crucis Abbey ruins (2km north of Llangollen, free, good 13th-century Cistercian stonework) and the canal walk makes a reasonable full day.