The beautiful steam railway at Llangollen that runs beside the River Dee in this quaint Mid/North Wales town, 14th September 2022 (Author’s Collection).
My one and only previous visit to beautiful Llangollen (which resides on an invisible border between central Wales and the relative handful of miles to it’s northern most coast) was but a few short weeks ago and via a “Stream in the Sky”, the kindness of strangers and hitchhiking aboard a canal boat and experiencing the very same World Heritage Site stream 126 feet high in the sky, and in THE most perfect of ways. After a morning of going wrong serendipity and the kindness of strangers ensured I went right, very right and ironically, right at the canal direction board (rather than left) and eventually, a 9 mile round trip canal walk to Llangollen and “Horseshoe Falls” in addition to the 7 miles already walked, mostly in the wrong direction. It was a hell of a hot and amusingly strange day in July, a story which I’ll dine out on for many years to come (the longer and more detailed version can be found within my archives here) and all because of the kindness of strangers.
I rather wearily “passed through” Llangollen those few short weeks ago but not today as I ambled around a grey and overcast “festival capital of Wales” and a tiny town on the banks of the river Dee with a brilliantly restored and working steam railway. The dozen or so images that follow will represent the walk from the River Dee to the Llangollen Canal via the steam railway and local church before we end at “Horseshoe Falls” a mile or so outside of town and which feeds the river flowing through it.
If your travelling feet head in the direction of central England or more pointedly, central Wales, please follow them in the direction of picturesque Llangollen.
*All images captured by me on Wednesday 14th September 2022*
Welcome to the rushing and crashing waters of the River Dee and the quaint town of Llangollen.
An overcast view of the river as it flows through and away from Llangollen.
Now that’s a welcome to Llangollen!
Taken directly from its dedicated website: “Llangollen Railway is a Heritage Railway Line with traction provided by steam, heritage diesel locos and heritage railcars (DMU’s). It starts at Llangollen Station, located beside the Dee River Bridge, in Llangollen town, the journey continues for 7.5 miles upstream, following the River Dee to Carrog. The Dee is classed as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for its entire length. During 2022 we are hoping to extend the journey to 10 miles when Corwen Station is opened to the public”.
Again taken directly from its dedicated website: “At Llangollen Station it is on the north bank, then crosses to the south bank via the Dee Bridge close to Berwyn station, approximately one mile upstream from Llangollen. Llangollen Railway was started in 1975 by a group of enthusiasts who saw the potential for a scenic heritage line through the Dee Valley. Their original vision grew into what you can see today, 10 miles of track re-laid westwards along the track-bed of the old Ruabon to Barmouth main line, through to Corwen”.
(1) Feel free to hum the theme tune to “Harry Potter” right about now!
(2) Feel free to hum the theme tune to “Harry Potter” right about now!
I adore vintage posters such as these. Not from a bygone age but an age that doesn’t seem to have possibly existed when compared to today’s constant “change”.
I commenced walking the Llangollen canal way back in late June and nearly 40 miles away at “Hurleston Locks” near Nantwich, Cheshire and across the border in nearby England. The canal itself effectively ends here in Llangollen, save a mile and a half stretch of canal reserved for a horse drawn tourist canal boat that leads to “Horseshoe Falls”. A horse drawn canal boat!
Llangollen’s beautiful wharf with a horse drawn canal boat just departing for “Horseshoe Falls”.
St Collen’s Church, Llangollen, with Union Jack flag at half-mast following the death of The Queen.
Three varying and beautiful representations of “Horseshoe Falls” — Part 1.
Three varying and beautiful representations of “Horseshoe Falls” — Part 2.
Three varying and beautiful representations of “Horseshoe Falls” — Part 3.
Your humble narrator larking around with Falstaff in Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon the day after the day before, 15th September 2022 (Author’s Collection).
Thanks for reading. My “Summer Project” has taken me to the waterways as well as many local historical and religious ruins as I’ve crisscrossed the border between England and Wales, and my three most recently published travel articles are linked below:
