Narrowboat Tacet

Silent Movement - Our gap year travelling the inland waterways



Monday 10 October 2011

Pontcysyllte

The highlight of the Llangollen canal has got to be the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.
Our first glimpse of the aqueduct as we approach through Frontcysyllte village.


Designed by Thomas Telford with an iron trough set on stone pillars 127' above the River Dee. It took 10 years to build and it's opening completed the Llangollen Canal in 1805.
It is a beautiful and spectacular structure in original condition, only the handrails and towpath having been renewed.
Crossing over is an amazing experience with just the thin side of the steel trough beside you at such a great height. During our first crossing last Thursday the wind was so strong that Tacet was pushed against the edge and came to a stop. Fortunately it was against the towpath side, so I walked across pushing the front of the boat out and very slowly we got to the other side.
coming back across on Saturday was much better and so I was able to get a few photos.

The football teams warming up down below.

The River Dee flowing underneath
Floating above the treetops
The area stretching from Chirk to Horseshoe Falls at Llangollen is now recognised as a World Heritage Site. "Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is the highest navigable aqueduct ever built and is recognised internationally as a masterpiece of civil engineering."

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