You might have seen pictures in books or clips on TikTok of the dramatic bridge which canoe boats travel along but have never actually visited or looked at planning how to get there. If this sounds like you, now is the time to add it to your summer bucket list, because this is the world’s highest aqueduct – and it is well worth the trip to see it in person.
Nestled in the hills of Dee Valley- a designated area of natural beauty – the impressive structure known as Pontcysyllte Aqueduct (which translates to Traphont Ddwr Pontcysyllte in Welsh) might look like it is in the middle of nowhere, but it could be closer than you would think, especially if you live in the north of England where it is easy to forget that you have got stunning Welsh landmarks, villages and landscapes right on your doorstep.
From Liverpool or Crewe, it is just an hour’s drive away, and there is even a car park when you get there, so you don’t have to worry about trying to park your car on a winding country road,. Or you could take a train which is an hour and three quarters, with just the one swap in Chester.
It’s also super reachable from Manchester and Stoke-on-Trent being just an hour and half’s drive away – so you could easily do it in a day, and the surrounding areas like Chester just a half an hour drive. And according to the World Heritage Site, there are mainline train stations at Chirk and Ruabon, where you can catch a bus, and you can use any of the stations along the Llangollen Heritage Railway, which runs between Corwen and Llangollen, to get to different parts of the area.
The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal World Heritage Site also goes far beyond the huge bridge which people paddle across that you might have seen pictures and videos of, and actually encompasses 11 miles of stunning canal and countryside along aqueducts, tunnels and viaducts, so there are bounds of places to explore while you are there.
The aqueduct, which took 10 years to design and build and was finished completed in 1805 is the longest one in Great Britain, as well as being the highest in the world. And UNESCO describes this world heritage site as ‘a masterpiece of creative genius’, with the whole length of the site also being designated a scheduled ancient monument of national importance and an area of outstanding natural beauty.
There are a range of ways you can cross it yourself, from booking with a group experience or in a separate package, or bring your own boat as it is a crossing which allows different boats to travel over the River Dee safely while taking in impressive (or unnerving, if heights aren’t your thing) views. But while travelling over it is probably the best way to take all of the scenery in, simply paying a visit and seeing it from the ground seems to be an experience of its own.
There is a strong sense of Wales and England coming together in this area, as on the site you can also find the Chirk Aqueduct and Tunnel, which straddles the border between Wales and England. So you can have one foot in England and one foot in Wales if you so wish, as it’s just a quick stroll away from the town centre of Chirk, a community in Wrexham county.
One man, Nicky Lincoln, who goes across in his boat every day and also looks after Llangollen Wharf’s horses, told Visit Wales that the whole reason he moved to Wales from his home town of York was because of the feeling he had when he caught sight of the impressive stricture for the first time as a child.
He said: “I’m from York, but from that point on, I knew I wanted to live here. I also loved horses when I was small: I was riding them at seven, and had my first pony at 11. I also loved boats, and I live on one about four miles from Llangollen Wharf, and I get to work on them every day. So, yes, I’ve got one of the best jobs in the world.”
If you’re in the area, it’s also well worth checking out the Old Railway Line Walk, which was established in the 1860s to serve local industries and is now a gentle two mile walk down an old railway line and a charming canal. If you love immersing yourself in everything quaint and traditional, Plas Newydd is a stunning old house full of Gothic detail that used to be a five-room cottage and has a stone circle in the sprawling gardens outside.
Today you can still go and see the stones, and the house which has been described as a “gothic fantasy” by visitors. If you are an avid photo-taker, you’re pretty much guaranteed to fall in love with this place, as well as the rest of the surrounding areas and the huge aqueduct, which have ample opportunity to document the moment.
