There can be no more pleasurable way to see a beautiful part of Britain than to take a leisurely trip on a narrowboat along the Llangollen Canal. The canals of Britain wind their way through some of Britain's most scenic countryside and you can stop along the way wherever you wish. You might like to visit one of the local villages or tie up at a canal-side pub for a pint and a friendly yarn.
Canals were the major means of transporting goods in England from the sixteenth century to the mid 19th century, when railways started to take over. By the mid 20th century very little cargo was being carried and some of the little used canals started to fall into disrepair. In the latter part of the century, tourists and holidaymakers started to recognise the beauty of the canals and take advantage of the leisurely pace and relaxed style of canal holidays.
In company with two friends we set out from the Swanley Bridge Marina near Nantwich,in Cheshire, and started our journey along the Llangollen canal towards Wales. The narrowboat was very clean and comfortable with it's own shower an toilet, separate accommodation, and everything we needed in the galley. We soon learnt how to operate the locks and gates and to raise bridges. Life on the canal is certainly very relaxing as you travel along so slowly and apart from the occasional lock to negotiate, or bridge to lift, there is little to do except enjoy the scenery as you pass by. The pace is slow, but at no time did we feel bored as there is plenty to see along the way.
The canal locks are designed to raise or lower the level of the water in an enclosed section of the canal, the lock, to allow boats to go to another level of water. Lock gates have to be swung open at one end of the lock to allow the boat to come in. There is just enough room for one narrowboat at a time to enter the locks on this canal. The gates are then closed behind the boat and valves are opened, by manually winding them, at the other end of the lock to allow water to flow in and raise the water in the lock, to the level at the other end. As soon as the water level inside the lock and outside in the canal, are equal, the gates at the forward end can be opened and the boat can proceed on its way.
Apart from the locks, there are some bridges that need to be raised, as well as many overhead bridges and three tunnels on the canal. However the highlight of our journey on the Llangollen Canal was crossing the two aqueducts, near the town of Chirk, that carry the canal high above the surrounding countryside.
The larger of the aqueducts, the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, carries the canal 1007 feet (307 meters) across the River Dee valley. It is 126 feet (38 meters) above the river Dee at it's highest point. A cast iron trough, just wide enough for one boat, holds the water on the aqueduct and there is a narrow walkway beside it. Most amazing is that construction of the aqueduct started in 1795, and completed in 1805. All the work would have to have been carried out by hand - an amazing achievement.
The narrowboats travel at about four miles an hour so there is plenty of time to see and enjoy the passing scenery and wonder about the people who live in the occasional canal-side houses or surrounding farms. If you feel like stretching your legs, you can talk a walk along the path beside the canal, and keep up with the boat.
There is always something to attract your attention in the ever changing scenery. Wildflowers grow profusely along the banks and birds flit by among the trees and hedges. Hungry ducks and graceful swans are always looking for something to eat, and we saw herons, kingfishers, robins, yellow wagtails, and we heard many others about the canal. On one occasion we moored near a graceful steam launch whose passengers were enjoying an outing on the Llangollen Canal.
When it is time for lunch or to stop for the night, there is usually a nearby pub where you can enjoy a drink or a hearty meal, and interesting towns or villages to visit. A favourite memory is of a very pretty village, Wrenbury, where our visit coincided with it's ingenious and amusing scarecrow competition. It was here too that, on our return trip, we enjoyed our last night's dinner at the Cotton Arms Hotel, which combines excellent food with friendly service, in common with the other canal side pubs we visited.
We thoroughly enjoyed our relaxing week on the beautiful Llangollen Canal with good company and in pleasant surroundings. To read more and see photos from our trip visit www.squidoo.com/canal_holiday A canal trip on a narrowboat will certainly be part of the plan for our next visit to Britain.
The interests of Geoff Aslett, the author of this article, include British and Australian History, Family History, Photography and Travel.
I am very fortunate to be able to combine my interests in travel and photography on the beautiful Llangollen Canal.
If you would like to learn more about taking better digital photos and the New Canon PowerShot Camera range, visit our website, http://www.simplybrilliantproducts.com
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