Canoeing the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct: The Stream in the Sky
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 ต.ค. 2024
- Completed in 1805, The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is a most amazing and unique paddle. Mind you can go across on a canal boat or walk the footpath. It is near Llangollen in North Wales. You are not allowed to paddle a sup across it (sups must be towed from the footpath).
The Aqueduct and canal were listed as a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 2009.
Pronunciation: I struggled a bit with this one so I ask my Welsh friends for a degree of understanding and forgiveness. My daughter Maya, a Welsh speaker, did her best with me.
Many thanks to my friend Richard Grieve for the drone footage.
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What a sweetheart, and a brave girl! I know adults that would not be able to handle looking over the edge of that trough.
I will tell her. Thanks for your kind comment
Loved the "We have to wait for a narrow boat."
It still makes me chuckle
They barely scraped by, but I'm glad they made it past.
Definitely on my bucket list
It is a good one to have on the list.
Wonderful watching - simple pleasures, vicariously is nice, but somehow I think doing it for real may be a little different 😉 thanks for another fab video!
Glad you enjoyed it! And no video or photo can really do it justice, it is just amazing to look over that edge.
Thanks Ray and Maya. Must be nice having that on your doorstep
It is! The canal and aqueduct are quite special.
I love everything about this... except leaning over the edge looking down!
Yep it’s a long way. Unique for a canoe paddle. A lot won’t look
Having crossed this today the thumbnail gave me incredible anxiety!! More guts than me!
If you walked across then that feels a lot more exposed than in a canoe. Those railings seem very little protection. In a canoe you are down in a trough and the side is solid. but walk or canoe it is an incredible crossing.
@@RayGoodwinCanoe yes I walked, the most worrying bit was passing people with my camera backpack on!
That is so friggin amazing 👍
It is pretty spectacular
Love that place. Used to abseil off there fairly regularly back in the 90's.
Where did the abseil go over? Must have been a great experience.
Lovely watch during my tea break. Which reminds me….. I need another brew, yes I do, dum dee dum dee doo.
Yes you do.
What a great spot and fun paddle. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching!
What a spot! Your video's inspired me to complete a solo canoe intro to white water course last week.
That is awesome! I hope your course went really well.
Wow! What an adventure!
It is quite special and a little mini adventure. Thank you for commenting
Surely the Nanny State should have made the wearing of helmets for such an elevated crossing compulsory by now! Though of course you would have had to agree in triplicate to make sure to land head first. Good one Ray
At least a helmet would allow them to work out which end was which.
Brilliant I still remember the first time I crossed. Can't help noticing the difference in your paddling style between your earlier trip and this latest one. Just because your bow paddler has improved so much doesn't give you an excuse. Ha Ha
I have got to have some sort of excuse. Time Maya paddled me about.
That is so cool! What an amazing place to paddle!
It really is! Very special indeed.
@@RayGoodwinCanoe I'd love to visit there someday, even just to walk across!
@@adventureswithjosie On that stretch there is a tunnel and another aqueduct so it makes for a good little trip. I think the walk across is even more scary for a lot of folk. Anyway another thing for you to add to a bucket list.
@@RayGoodwinCanoe Yes for sure! Sounds awesome!
To do that is on our bucket list ! We are on the Wirral so not to far away ! Thanks 😊
So not far away at all. Have fun when you do it.
Thanks Ray
You are most welcome
We have gone over the aqueduct a few times now, both in a canoe and by foot and every time we do wept into the Telford Inn for a beer :)
Yep it is a good place for a pint. A good way to finish off a trip.
Impressive foresight of these two engineers to provide such a panoramic, adventurous bridge, rather than conventional locks, in the early 1800's. That would be breathtaking. Now I see why you're such a quiet man; Maya can talk for the both of you. lol. Thanks for sharing, Ray.
The Llangollen Tourist Board were very far sighted back in 1800. Yep I had a drive in the car when Maya wasn't talking... I thought I had gone deaf.
@@RayGoodwinCanoe ha ha ha ha.
Looks absolutely amazing! Great video, Ray
Many thanks!
5:50 the way I just gripped the edge of my chair and leaned counter to her as she looked over...I don't think I could do it. My Pappaw is my favorite kayak partner but I don't think he'd be brave enough either!
I think if feels better in a canoe or kayak than it does walking across. You feel quite secure down in the trough and the cast iron side is quite encouraging. Mind when she was younger I had Maya sitting between my knees to make sure she did nothing stupid.
chonky and lovely
Not sure I want to be chunky. Maya will settle with lovely🤣
Wonderful video Ray! How is the traffic controlled entering from either end?
You have a clear view from one end to the other so only go when the whole thing is clear from at the other end. No different to a narrow bit of road. At a busy time that can be quite a wait as a line of narrow boats clear it, but once clear it is you turn.
Looks fantastic. I have walked across it, but yet to paddle across.
Oddly enough it feels less exposed in a canoe than on the walkway.
@@RayGoodwinCanoe will definitely give it a go
Wow this looks amazing. It’s on my bucket list to cruise the canals of wales. How does an American navigate this?
Are you intending to hire a narrow boat for a cruise? Easy to find rentals on line: Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart cruised the Llangollen Canal some years ago having hired a cruiser. You can jump on a half day cruise by hire boat or hire a canoe or join a half day canoe trip with one of the local companies. You can just walk across. Lots of options. It is just 4 miles from the lovely town of Llangollen. The aqueduct is a tremendous highlight of the Llangollen Canal. I live just 12 miles from it and cross it with friends or customers a few times a year, it never disappoints.
@@RayGoodwinCanoe which contry
I think there should be a fence, the same as for the foot path.
It is actually safer than the footpath. The railings are a little far apart and a small child could easily squeeze through. In the trough the side is high enough to make it safe when seated in a canoe. However they have banned sup being paddled across it: stood up on a board would have serious risk attached. Sups must be towed across from the footpath. Don't worry the authorities are really on the ball with the risk.
Nice one fella
Much appreciated
I couldn't even walk across - I did try - knowing there was no railing on the channel side. Was fine on the tourist barge from Llangollen though.
I think it feels safer padding across in a canoe. The barrier between you and the drop is solid rather railing. Mind a lot of folk don’t like walking across: you are not alone
Stone masonry and bolted cast iron. That's some "pucker up" construction!!
It is particularly staggering when you think the first ever iron bridge was only built in 1779. The construction of this started in 1795 just 16 years later. Also only one life was lost in the building of it. These workers and the engineers were amazing. Not short of the ability to pucker up.
@@RayGoodwinCanoe I was a commercial/industrial carpenter when a young man. I've gotten to work on a couple of bridges and a dam. We had lots of heavy equipment to help us. I'm impressed they did this with steam and manpower.
I don't think they had steam! I think it was just too early. But I can find no confirmation. But construction was used to cranes without steam.
@@RayGoodwinCanoe you're right about steam not in use yet. This animation popped up on my suggestions, and I thought you'd find it interesting. th-cam.com/video/nqeCu6jd9W0/w-d-xo.html
I'm putting this on the bucket list! Is the rest of the canal worth the paddle?
Very much so. Bring a very strong torch for the Chirk Tunnel (shows other craft you are already in the tunnel and not to enter). Chirk Aqueduct as well. And I really enjoy the paddle down from Llangollen. So much great scenery.
the dog just drinking off the aqueduct.
Well it is good water from the river and other than sea water he drinks from most sources. He fares better than me if I did it. Keep well. Thanks
When it was built the joints were made watertight with hemp rope soaked in treacle.
Don’t forget the ox blood in the mortar
is it still possible to drive it with a Kajak?
yes. Kayaks or canoes are fine. Sups are not.
not only was it a narrowboat it was short too
your daughter is looking more like you as she gets older @Ray Goodwin
Not too much I hope. Yep you can certainly see the resemblance. I did love the little narrow boat.
Where is This?
in the country of Wales which is part of the United Kingdom. I live about 16 km from it. More specifically it is about 5km from the town of LLangollen.
@@RayGoodwinCanoe thank you 🇹🇷🇵🇸
its looks good but not feel safe my self for some reassons :)
A lot of people are nervous around big drops 😳 so that is understandable. But sat down in that trough it feels better
Obviously a Tartarian structure from the previous civilization of giants.
😅 Not sure about Tartarian but Telford was a giant amongst engineers. Some of the grandest engineering projects in the Uk were undertaken by him: Caladonian Canal, Menai Bridge and countless others. He is was known as the Colossus of Roads. A true giant.