“A Stream in the Sky” in the sunshine

2nd June 2023.

2nd June 2023.

World Heritage Site Pontcysyllte Aqueduct or, “A Stream in the Sky”, 2nd June 2023 (Author’s Collection).

A Stream in the Sky almost became a scream into a clear blue Welsh sky as the aqueduct at Pontcysyllte had the effect I imagined it would have on my beautiful son. Abject terror!

Pronounced “Pont-ker-sulth-tay”, the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct spans over 1,000 feet in length and resides 126 feet high above the River Dee below, and quite frankly it’s faintly ridiculous to see canal boats let alone canoeists traversing the “stream in the sky”, but they do, and it’s a rather lovely thing to see.

What wasn’t was my son’s response to our crossing of this World Heritage site steeped in the engineering feats of Thomas Telford. We inched our way to my son’s first sighting of the river far, far below us, and after turning a pale shade of white, we simply had to return! My son doesn’t have a head for heights to say the least! So after some fatherly reassurance (“Look at the view mate!” “Don’t look down!” and “It’s been here for over two centuries, I think we’ll be ok” is what he really said, Travel Editor) we slowly crossed as I marvelled at the canal boats passing us in the opposite direction before we too returned, but not before I marvelled at the canoeists travelling across a stream in the bloody sky!

My fifth visit in just over a year and I’ll be returning, especially on a day filled with sunshine such as the glorious afternoon of Friday 2nd June 2023.

I hope you enjoy this pictorial stroll across a stream in the sky.

Welcome to “A Stream in the Sky”.

View from “Scotch Hall Bridge” onto the canal basin in the village of “Trevor”. Straight ahead is “Trevor Basin Footbridge” and beyond a turning to the right and all the way to Llangollen in 5 miles. Or straight ahead, the aqueduct, and onward to its “sister” aqueduct at nearby Chirk.

“Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal was designated a site of outstanding Universal Value and placed on the World Heritage List on 27th June 2009. The 11 mile World Heritage Site starts at Gledrid Bridge near Chirk and extends to the Horseshoe Falls above Llangollen, where water is taken from the River Dee to feed the canal system. It is the first World Heritage Site in the United Kingdom to straddle two countries, Wales and England”.

“A Stream in the Sky”.

Commemoration Stone at the beginning to the aqueduct.

“Built by Thomas Telford, 1795–1805. There are 18 piers made of local stone. The central ones over the Dee being 126 feet high up to the ironworks”.

“The canal runs through an iron trough 1007 foot long, 11 feet 10 inches wide and 5 feet 3 inches deep”

Just a canal boat. 126 feet in the sky!

A busy day in the sunshine. Our canoeist friend has a little while longer to wait yet.

A gaggle of canoeists crossing a stream in the sky to brighten your day — Part 1.

A gaggle of canoeists crossing a stream in the sky to brighten your day — Part 2.

Traffic jam in Wales!

The “Crafty Witch” is open for business!

Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this pictorial stroll, tell your friends! If you really enjoyed it, tell your enemies too! Anyway, here are my three most recently published articles that can be found within my “UK Travel” library:

A sunshine return to Chirk Castle
2nd June 2023.medium.com

Fish and Chips in Ironbridge
31st May 2023.medium.com

Beautiful Nantwich
A sunny Sunday in Cheshire, 28th May 2023.medium.com