The Llangollen Canal by narrowboat.
Where to hire, how far you'll get in a short break or a week, and what to know before you cross the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. Every figure is linked to its source.
- Hire bases
- 5
- from 3 firms
- On Mooch
- 5
- with a trip page
- Boats sleep
- up to 12
- largest boat listed
- Week, 4-berth
- —
- no firm here publishes one
Closed near Whitchurch since an embankment breach on 22 December 2025. The Canal & River Trust expects to reopen it in March 2027, weather permitting. Until then boats can't pass the breach, so routes that cross it (for example Trevor to Wrenbury or Nantwich) aren't running. Trips that stay on one side, such as Trevor or Chirk to Llangollen and Pontcysyllte, are unaffected. Source
At a glance
- Length
- 46 miles · source
- Locks
- 21 · source
- Lock work
- Light (0.5 locks per mile)
- Hire bases
- 5
- Status
- Partly closed until March 2027 (Whitchurch breach) · source
- Highlight
- Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, 38m above the Dee · source
- World Heritage Site
- 11 miles, Gledrid Bridge to Horseshoe Falls, since 2009 · source
- Busiest spot
- New Marton locks in summer · source
Good for
- Two famous aqueducts, Pontcysyllte and Chirk, within a few hours of each other
- Only two locks between Whitchurch and Llangollen
- An 11-mile UNESCO World Heritage stretch
- Trevor to Llangollen and back is a lock-free half day
Watch out for
- The eastern half is cut off by the Whitchurch breach until March 2027
- Queues at New Marton locks in summer, up to three hours
- The last stretch into Llangollen is one boat wide in places
- Llangollen moorings are limited to 48 hours and charged
Lock work is locks per mile across the whole canal: under 0.6 light, under 1 moderate, 1 or more heavy.
The short answer
Llangollen is a four-hour round trip from Trevor with no locks. Chirk is a few miles south, on the far side of Pontcysyllte.
52 miles and only 4 locks, crossing both aqueducts, with time for a night or two moored in Llangollen.
Once the breach is repaired, start at the eastern end and do the whole canal, Grindley Brook locks included.
The route, east to west
The canal climbs from the Cheshire plain into the Welsh hills. The eleven miles from Gledrid Bridge to Horseshoe Falls, both aqueducts included, have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2009.
- 1
Hurleston Junction
Where the canal leaves the Shropshire Union and starts to climb.
- 2
Wrenbury
Three lift bridges, including the Grade II* church lift bridge. ABC Boat Hire has a base at Wrenbury Mill.
- 3
Grindley Brook
Six locks that raise the canal about 39ft: a staircase of three, then three more.
- 4
Whitchurch
ABC Boat Hire's Whitchurch Marina. The December 2025 breach is near here, at New Mills Lift Bridge.
- 5
Ellesmere
A short tunnel, 87 yards long.
- 6
Frankton Junction
The Montgomery Canal turns off south. Its Frankton Locks need booked passage.
- 7
New Marton
The only two locks between Whitchurch and Llangollen. Queues build here in summer.
- 8
Chirk
Chirk Aqueduct, ten arches 70ft above the River Ceiriog, then Chirk Tunnel. Black Prince's Chirk Marina is here.
- 9
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
307 metres long and about 38 metres above the Dee, the tallest navigable aqueduct in Britain. One boat wide.
- 10
Trevor
Anglo Welsh's base, at the north end of the aqueduct. From here the canal narrows into a feeder.
- 11
Llangollen
The end of the line for hire boats. Moorings in the town are limited to 48 hours and charged.
Sources: Wikipedia, Canal & River Trust, ABC Boat Hire
How far you'll get from Trevor
Anglo Welsh's published round trips from its Trevor base. Hours are cruising time, not counting stops.
| Round trip | Distance | Locks | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trevor to Llangollen and back | 9 miles | 0 | 4 |
| Trevor to Ellesmere and back, over Pontcysyllte and Chirk | 28 miles | 4 | 14 |
| Trevor to Crickheath (Montgomery Canal) and back | 37 miles | 20 | 20 |
| Trevor to Whitchurch and back | 52 miles | 4 | 25 |
| Trevor to Wrenbury and back(not running until the closure lifts) | 66 miles | 24 | 35 |
| Trevor to Nantwich and back(not running until the closure lifts) | 83 miles | 42 | 45 |
Source: Anglo Welsh, Trevor base
When to go
When the hire firms here run, when their prices peak, and when the canal shuts for winter works. Each row is from the firm's or the navigation authority's own page.
Paler blocks cover part of the month.
Black Prince says bank holidays and school holidays are its busiest booking periods and can book up. Source
Llangollen Canal weather by month
At Shawbury, the warmest month is July (average high 21.1°C), the wettest is October (68.8 mm) and the sunniest is May (181 hours). It gets about 682 mm of rain a year.
°C, average daily low to high; the number is the high
mm a month
hours a month
Show the numbers
| Month | High °C | Low °C | Frost days | Rain mm | Sun hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7.5 | 1.2 | 11.7 | 57.4 | 50.2 |
| Feb | 8.1 | 1.2 | 10.8 | 43.3 | 71.2 |
| Mar | 10.3 | 2.3 | 8.2 | 43.4 | 108.6 |
| Apr | 13.2 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 47.1 | 148.3 |
| May | 16.3 | 6.7 | 0.9 | 53.5 | 180.8 |
| Jun | 19.1 | 9.6 | 0.0 | 59.0 | 172.7 |
| Jul | 21.1 | 11.5 | 0.0 | 57.5 | 178.5 |
| Aug | 20.7 | 11.4 | 0.0 | 64.2 | 156.3 |
| Sep | 18.1 | 9.3 | 0.0 | 61.1 | 127.1 |
| Oct | 14.2 | 6.6 | 1.8 | 68.8 | 92.0 |
| Nov | 10.3 | 3.5 | 6.7 | 60.8 | 58.8 |
| Dec | 7.7 | 1.3 | 11.2 | 66.3 | 47.7 |
Station: Shawbury, Shropshire: about 20 km from Ellesmere and Whitchurch, 39 km from Llangollen. Averages of the monthly figures for 1991–2020, worked out by Mooch from the Met Office historic station data, Shawbury (Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0). They are not the Met Office's official climate averages.
Where to hire
5 hire bases from 3 firms, side by side. Filter by what matters to you; each row comes from the firm's own pages, read 4–7 November 2026. For fleet sizes and first-timer help, see each firm in narrowboat hire, compared.
Showing 5 of 5 bases
| Firm and base | Sleeps | Dogs | Fuel included | Short breaks | Week, 4-berth | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Black Prince Holidays Chirk Marina West of the breach: Pontcysyllte and Llangollen are open from here. | 2–10 | First pet free, second £30, maximum two. Some boats are pet-free. | No | Yes | Not published | See it on Mooch Compare |
ABC Boat Hire Whitchurch Marina Right by the breach: ask ABC which routes are running before you book. | 2–12 | Pets go free, normally up to three per boat. Cleaning or damage may be charged. | Not stated | Yes | Not published | See it on Mooch Compare |
ABC Boat Hire Wrenbury Mill East of the breach: until it reopens, boats from here can't reach Llangollen. | 2–12 | Pets go free, normally up to three per boat. Cleaning or damage may be charged. | Not stated | Yes | Not published | See it on Mooch Compare |
Anglo Welsh Trevor West of the breach: Pontcysyllte and Llangollen are open from here. | 2–12 | Its FAQ says up to three well-behaved dogs travel free. | Not stated | Yes | Not published | See it on Mooch Compare |
Anglo Welsh Whixall | 2–12 | Its FAQ says up to three well-behaved dogs travel free. | Not stated | Yes | Not published | See it on Mooch Compare |
Worth knowing before you go
Locks take 15 to 20 minutes each
Anglo Welsh's planning figure. With only four locks between Trevor and Whitchurch, most of a week here is steering, not locking. Source
The speed limit is 4 mph
On most canals, including this one, and slower past moored boats. Source
New Marton can queue in summer
ABC Boat Hire's route notes describe an 11-boat queue and about three hours' wait at the two New Marton locks. Go early or late in the day. Source
The last stretch into Llangollen is one boat wide in places
Send someone ahead on foot to check nothing is coming before you enter the narrow sections. Source
You can't go past Llangollen
The feeder above the town has nowhere to turn a hire boat, so Llangollen is where you wind (turn) and head back. Source
Book the Montgomery Canal in advance
Frankton Locks open for booked passages only. In summer 2025 they ran 9am to 1pm daily. Source
Pontcysyllte closes now and then
The aqueduct is drained for maintenance every few years; it was closed in mid-2024 and from January to mid-March 2025. Check Canal & River Trust stoppages before you book a winter trip. Source
Questions
Is the Llangollen Canal open?
Partly. An embankment near Whitchurch gave way on 22 December 2025, and the Canal & River Trust expects to reopen that stretch in March 2027, weather permitting. West of the breach (Ellesmere, Chirk, Pontcysyllte, Llangollen) boats still run, so hire from Trevor or Chirk for now.
Where should I hire a boat for the Llangollen Canal?
While the breach is closed, start at Trevor (Anglo Welsh) or Chirk Marina (Black Prince). Both are within a few hours of Pontcysyllte and Llangollen. Once the canal reopens, ABC Boat Hire's bases at Whitchurch and Wrenbury give you the whole canal, with Grindley Brook's locks on the way.
How long does it take to cruise to Llangollen and back?
From Trevor it's 9 miles with no locks, about four hours there and back. From Whitchurch it's a week's trip: Anglo Welsh puts Trevor to Whitchurch and back at 52 miles, 4 locks and about 25 hours of cruising.
How many locks are on the Llangollen Canal?
21 along its 46 miles, according to the Canal & River Trust. Most are at the eastern end. Between Whitchurch and Llangollen there are only two, at New Marton.
Do you have to cross the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct?
Only if you're heading past Trevor towards Chirk and Ellesmere. A short break from Trevor to Llangollen and back doesn't cross it, but most people want to.
More canal guides
How this was put together
Figures come from the Canal & River Trust, the hire firms' own pages and Wikipedia, read on 4 November 2026, and each is linked where it's used. Lock hours and closures change, so check the Trust's Llangollen page before you travel. Spotted something wrong? Email hello@moochtravel.com.