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Pontcysyllte Aqueduct – Llangollen Canal Lift Bridge loop from Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

Routes

Hiking trails & Routes

United Kingdom

Wales

North Wales

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct – Llangollen Canal Lift Bridge loop from Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

Moderate

4.6

(33)

152

hikers

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct – Llangollen Canal Lift Bridge loop from Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

02:07

7.85km

100m

Hiking

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: June 10, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through protected areas

Please check local regulations for:

Clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscape

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

274 m

Whixall Marina, Llangollen Canal

Highlight • Settlement

Surrounded by uninterrupted ﬁelds and framed by mighty oak trees, Whixall Marina is situated on the Prees Branch of the Llangollen Canal, and a gateway to some of the ﬁnest canal cruises, including access to Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, one of the most amazing feats of waterway engineering, perched 126 feet high above the Dee Valley. Just a couple of hours’ gentle cruise away is the market town of Ellesmere, Shropshire’s ‘Lake District’ with its series of impressive meres, created by the retreating ice age some 10,000 years ago, and historic Whitchurch is also close by.

Next to us is Whixall Moss, part of the world-renowned Fenn's, Whixall and Bettisﬁeld Mosses National Nature Reserve and the habitat of a number of rare species.

Tip by

385 m

Trevor Basin Visitor Centre

Highlight • Historical Site

This famed 'stream in the sky' eighteen arched engineering marvel designed by Thomas Telford and the lesser known William Jessop is simply fantastic. I was lucky enough to have visited this along with the equally impressive Aqueduct of Segovia in Spain in the same month. Both of these sites being UNESCO World Heritage Sites but Pontcysyllte is unique as you can traverse the entire length on foot and by boat. It's very impressive to watch kayakers and boat users bob across this aerial waterway against a beautiful lofty backdrop.
Fair play the setting is stunning; the aqueduct is truly breathtakingly impressive and foot access via nearby car parks is easy. There is an all day £3 parking charge for the car parks and there are toilets in the smaller car park at Trevor Basin. There is also a small cafe on one side of the canal and a cute little visitor centre on the other side. The visitor centre is has friendly staff and a small one room display that contains a tv display, historic information boards and some interesting engineering artefacts along with some other odds and sods.
All in all a top attraction well worth visiting!

Tip by

421 m

Hand Sculpture, Clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscape

Highlight • Monument

Cool little piece of artwork to stumble upon

Tip by

608 m

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

Highlight • Historical Site

NOTE: Cyclists will have to dismount and walk their bikes over Pontcysyllte & Chirk aqueducts. It would be also prudent to walk the longer tunnels.

The aqueduct itself is a pioneering masterpiece of engineering conceived by Thomas Telford. It is the highest canal aqueduct in the world and as such has magnificent views. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Tip by

614 m

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

Highlight • Historical Site

This famed 'stream in the sky' 18-arched engineering marvel designed by Thomas Telford and the lesser known William Jessop is simply fantastic. I was lucky enough to have visited this along with the equally impressive Aqueduct of Segovia in Spain in the same month. Both are UNESCO World Heritage Sites but Pontcysyllte is unique because you can traverse the entire length on foot and by boat. It's amazing to watch kayakers and boaters bob across this aerial waterway against a beautiful lofty backdrop.

The setting is stunning; the aqueduct is breathtakingly impressive and foot access via nearby car parks is easy. There is an all-day £3 parking charge and there are toilets in the smaller car park at Trevor Basin. There is also a small cafe on one side of the canal and a cute little visitor centre on the other side. The visitor centre has friendly staff and a small one-room display that contains a TV display, information boards and some interesting engineering artefacts.

Overall, it's a top attraction that's well worth visiting. I recommend seeing it as part of an 11-mile (18 km) out-and-back hike along the canal to Llangollen.

Tip by

1.35 km

Llangollen Canal Lift Bridge

Highlight • Monument

Was a great walk and the canal bridge was just one of many features along the route.

Tip by

3.54 km

Gelli Wood

Forest

5.10 km

Cefn Mawr Viaduct

Highlight • Viewpoint

Car Park (£1 all day) shop, food & seating, farm animals and country walks through woodland and alongside the River Dee. Great views of the Cefn Mawr Viaduct (Railway) and access to the Canal and the famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, which you can walk across

Tip by

7.20 km

View of Chirk Aqueduct from Photograph Station

Highlight • Viewpoint

Photograph station to help record the seasons in this “Area of outstanding natural beauty. Tag #CRDV_AONB on Instagram.

Tip by

7.85 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

5.16 km

2.18 km

437 m

< 100 m

Surfaces

4.29 km

2.68 km

715 m

116 m

< 100 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Wednesday 24 June

32°C

17°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 19.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

August 23, 2022,Ty Mawr Country Park - Pontcysyllte Aqueduct - Walk

A good head for heights required for a walk over the famous Aqueduct carrying the Llangollen Canal across the Dee Valley. Just a narrow canal (the width of a barge) and a footpath, there's a fence/handrail alongside the footpath and nothing alongside the canal!

August 23, 2022,Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

This is amazing of a suitable height for walking on sewers The famous Llangollen Canal crosses the Dee Valley, just a narrow canal (boat width) and sidewalks. And there is nothing beside the canal! Write a comment ... starting with a country garden. It offers beautiful views of the Cefn Bridge (railway) and beautiful gravel paths along the River Dee …

Showing Translation

February 3, 2024,Pontcysyllte Aqueduct – Tŷ Mawr Country Park loop from Trefor

Yes, we love exploring and seeing new places. The Aqueduct and loop through the Park was great!!

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Pontcysyllte Aqueduct – Llangollen Canal Lift Bridge loop from Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

Whixall Marina, Llangollen Canal

Trevor Basin Visitor Centre

Hand Sculpture, Clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscape

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

Llangollen Canal Lift Bridge

Cefn Mawr Viaduct

View of Chirk Aqueduct from Photograph Station

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