Anderton Boat Lift

[bry]

So i have booked a weekend break for The S.W.B wife and myself.It consists of a canal cruise along Llangollen Canal,and a ride on a steam choo choo.The S.W.B wife thinks i am mad after spending many years unloading barges(I did explain the difference between a barge and a narrow boat) I explained that i enjoy mechanical things .All i need to do now is convince the liitle lady.That she will not need her entire wardobe and shoes.As anyone here been on the boat lift?

[solarman216]

Yes many times, fantastic bit of engineering, also crossed and seen the swing bridge on the Manchester ship canal operate, lived 6 years on a narrow boat, cruised about 90% of the system including the Thames from Limehouse, (where my dad was born, his farther was a Bargee) to brentford, Rick

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

the llangollen train and boat trip is good, think horse drawn (boat) not done
it but coach firm used to work for did trips, my dad enjoyed it. possible destination
while were in wales in few weeks.

seen boat lift but before was restored, would also like to do manchester ship
canal, believe mersey ferries are used.

[solarman216]

Originally Posted by Thomas-the-Terrano2

the llangollen train and boat trip is good, think horse drawn (boat) not done
it but coach firm used to work for did trips, my dad enjoyed it. possible destination
while were in wales in few weeks.

seen boat lift but before was restored, would also like to do manchester ship
canal, believe mersey ferries are used.

the horse drawn boat trip is only a few hundred yards, but the aqueduct was fantastic (not part of the horse drawn trip) but you do get to see the diversion of the river to feed the canal which forms the water supply to towns below I think it is 12 million gallons a day, Rick

[rustic]

We have done the Anterton Lift many times down into the Weaver.
The first time it broke down, and we were stuck down there an extra day.
This was 2 weeks before Prince Charles officially opened it.
All locks on the Weaver are manned, so follow instructions carefully. It is possible to cruise up to Winsford flash, but there was a low bridge in the town, last time we went.

We have cruised to Langollen a dozen or more times from our base at the time in Nantwich.

The last section of the canal from Trevor to Llangolen is very shallow and narrow, with some places not wide enough to pass another boat.
By this time you would have cruised over the longest and highest aqueduct in the country, the Pontcysyllte aqueduct, one side is unfenced and quite scary the first time.
My favourite section is the Montgomery canal, which turns off left just after Ellesmere, however you need to ring up at least the day before, and there is a narrow 2 hour window to aim for. The Queens Head is a great place to eat on that section.
At the end of the Ellesmere arm is a Tesco, top up the beer and barbeque nosh.

Llangollen has quite a few linear moorings, but there is also a newish, Marina with electric with pontoons to moor against. A bit further to walk into the town.

If you have time, you can continue the walk up the feeder part of the canal, to the horseshoe falls, infact the horse drawn boats run this section, on the way to the falls there is a pub, called the chain bridge, and across the river Dee, there is Berwyn station, where steam trains run too and from Llangollen train station.

Catch the train, walk back, or what ever.

You should have a great holiday, great scenery, good pubs, nice quiet moorings in most places.


Edit:
having re read your original post, it seems you are only visiting and not hiring a boat, oops...
Anyway it makes interesting reading around the area of your visit.


best regards,

Rustic

[solarman216]

Like minds Rustic, first time we went down the lift was to get into deep water in order to change my prop, pulled the prop and shaft out swapped the prop and re installed it cannot remember the details, may be it was cos the water was clearer so I could see what I was doing, Rick