A sharp left turn

Tuesday, 20 April 2010 18:45

At the end of the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct the canal takes a sharp left turn

Ruabon Junction is where the feeder canal meets the main line. The turn under the bridge requires skill and many a narrowboat has had trouble here - especially if there is a stiff breeze!

Hire boat negotiates Rhos-y-Coed Bridge (31W)

The Llangollen Canal changes character now. It is generally pretty narrow and clings to the side of the Dee Valley as it makes its way westwards towards Llangollen.

An immediate change after Rhos-y-Coed Bridge

The mountains and hills of North Wales are ever present and it was not long before we encountered the first of the hire boats returning down stream from Llangollen. At one corner before Plas-y-Pentre Bridge (34W) we had some fun!

Ahead we could see some hire boats aground

They were having fun!

We then had to hang back as the corner was narrow and very shallow. We kept to the off side as that was deepest and I jumped off with the mid-rope. In the end we stayed there for about 8 narrowboats as every time we thought about setting off some more appeared around the corner!

And look what awaited us once we eventually rounded the corner!

However we then had a clear run for the rest of the way, only passing one or two more hire boats. Ducks and canoeists were accommodating! The ducks on their "duck ramp" and the canoeists hanging on to the chains provided as we passed.

We were now in the area known as the Vale of Llangollen - and the bridge with the same name (39W) was ahead. What a wonderful Spring sight - flowering bushes and more beginning to come out.

Vale of Llangollen Bridge

To our right the hills rose above us and to our left the valley dipped away. Plas Ifan Bridge (40W) was our last bridge of the day as we moored at the Sun Trevor moorings. These are 48H moorings, but there is room to moor before (14D) and so we did. Ahead were the mountains, below the River Dee and on the off side the noisy Trevor to Llangollen Road and the Sun Trevor pub.

Sun Trevor moorings

Llangollen Canal, Trevor Basin to Sun Trevor Bridge (41W)

2 hours 28 minutes, 2.45 miles, 0 locks