Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
Traphont Ddŵr Pontcysyllte
Thomas Telford's 1805 cast-iron aqueduct soars 38 metres over the Dee Valley and is the centrepiece of a World Heritage Site.
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct stretches 307 metres and rises 38 metres, carrying a cast-iron trough on 19 stone piers. It is the longest navigable aqueduct in Britain and the highest in the world. Together with the 11-mile canal section, it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009. You can walk across the narrow towpath beside the trough, but there are no railings on one side, so take care if you are nervous of heights. You can also cross by narrowboat from Trevor Basin, a one-way trip of about 45 minutes. Paths along the River Dee below offer sweeping views of the aqueduct. The Trevor Basin Visitor Centre is free to enter and is about 7 km from Llangollen, with buses and canal boats running between the two.
Opening hours
All day (towpath walk); visitor center approx. 10:00–16:00
Nearby sights
- Tŷ Mawr Country Park
- Chirk Castle
- Chirk Aqueduct
- Castell Dinas Brân
- World's End
- Plas Newydd, Llangollen
- Llangollen Bridge
- Llangollen Wharf (Horse-drawn Boats)