Locks: Llangollen Canal

The Llangollen canal starts at Hurleston junction where it leaves the Shropshire Union main line and finishes at Llangollen, overlooking the town centre. It has a branch to Whitchurch and another to Prees and a final one to Ellesmere. At Frankton junction the partially restored Montgomery canal heads further into mid Wales.

There are 21 narrow gauge locks on the 44 ½ mile length of the Llangollen canal which starts in England at Hurleston junction and ends in Wales at Llangollen. The locks are all single width locks.

The River Dee at Llangollen provides the water for the canal and as you cruise or walk along it you will see a slight flow as the water travels all the way to the reservoir at Hurleston. When there has been a lot of rain this can make cruising somewhat difficult as the overspill weirs at each lock can be quite strong and make it difficult to steer into the lock when going up.

The canal opened over its entire length in 1806. It was originally built and owned by the Ellesmere canal company as its terminus was at Ellesmere Port with its links to Liverpool. In 1813 it became part of the Ellesmere and Chester canal and when the Shropshire Union was formed it was then (and still is) known as the Llangollen Canal or, occasionally, the Llangollen branch of the Shropshire Union.

The Llangollen canal is extremely popular with tourists and gets very busy in the summer months. It also boasts the longest and highest canal aqueduct in the UK at Pontycysyllte. It is 1,007 feet long and crosses the River Dee at 126 feet.

Locks 1 - 4 Hurleston locks (34' 3")

Lock 1

Lock 2

Lock 2

Lock 3

Lock 4

Lock 4

Lock 5 - Swanley No. 2 lock (6' 3")

Lock 6 - Swanley No. 1 lock (6' 7")

Lock 7 - Baddiley No. 3 lock (6' 1")

Lock 8 - Baddiley No. 2 lock (6' 10")

Lock 9 - Baddiley No. 1 lock (6' 9")

Lock 10 - Marbury lock (6' 0")

Lock 11 - Quoiseley lock (6' 0")

Lock 12 - Willeymoor lock (6' 0")

Lock 13 - Povey's lock (6' 7")

Locks 14 - 19 Grindley Brook locks (19' 0")

Lock 14 - Grindley Brook lock 6

Lock 15 - Grindley Brook lock 5

Lock 15 - Grindley Brook lock 5

Lock 16 - Grindley Brook lock 4

Lock 16 - Grindley Brook lock 4

Lock 17 - Grindley Brook lock 3

Lock 17 - Grindley Brook lock 3

Lock 17 - Grindley Brook lock 3

Lock 18 - Grindley Brook lock 2

Lock 19 - Grindley Brook lock 1

Lock 19 - Grindley Brook lock 1

Locks 20 & 21 - New Marton locks (12' 4")

Lock 20 New Marton lock 2

Lock 21 New Marton lock 1