The Great Outdoors – July 2019

Always take a map and compass with you. ©Crown copyright 2019 Ordnance Survey. Media 051/19

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Start/Finish

Llangollen

International Pavilion

car park

GR: SJ210426

Join canal towpath at NW end

of car park. Turn R towards

Llangollen. At wharf leave canal

and cross bridge over it to a

T-junction. Continue ahead up

steps following path signed for

Castell Dinas Bran.

(^2)
At far end of hill descend
steps and open slopes to
gate and down more steps. Turn L
at lane to T-junction and route of
Offa’s Dyke Path (ODP).
(^3)
Turn R along lane, keeping
ahead along ODP (where
Llangollen & Pontcysyllte
Denbighshire WALE S
16km/10 miles/5 hours
Ascent 540m/1765ft^8
PONTCYSYLLTE. Say it out
loud (no, Welsh speakers,
not you). ‘Pontsisilt?’ Yes,
thought so. Now try ‘Pont-
kuh-suth-tay’, pronouncing
each ‘u’ as in look, not luck,
and you’re getting there.
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct: a
masterpiece of engineering,
and the pronunciation of its
name requires mastering,
too. Pont, of course, means
bridge, while Cysyllte was
one of the old townships
of the parish of Llangollen.
The aqueduct, which is
over 300m long, carries the
Llangollen Canal high across
the River Dee in north-east
Wales. It was made a World
Heritage Site in 2009.
Designed by Thomas
Telford and completed in
1805, it is the longest
another road forks R) for about
1km.
(^4)
Turn R down a track, still
following ODP. Path leads
through woodland and down to
track where you turn L to road.
Keep ahead down to A539 and
turn L along pavement. Soon cross
road and follow ODP to bridge
over Llangollen Canal and
towpath. Turn L along towpath
(signed ODP Alternative Route via
Aqueduct), soon crossing back
over canal. Turn R down road a
short distance, then L on path
signed for Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.
This takes you underneath the
aqueduct (affording a view of the
piers and arches) and up to the
other side where you join the
towpath again, turning L.
(^5)
Cross aqueduct
(NB: children must
be supervised at all times).
Those who would rather not
cross can simply retrace steps
to the towpath to return to
Llangollen. At far end of aqueduct
cross underneath to path on
opposite side.
(^6)
Turn R along road (ODP)

• good views of the
  aqueduct – re-crossing Dee at a
  much lower level. Then turn L up a
  path back to canal and follow
  towpath back to Llangollen.

Gradient profile Metres above sea level

Fiona Barltrop

crosses the

famous

aqueduct

The Great Outdoors July 2019 99