Horseshoe Falls from Llangollen.

Start. Royal International Pavilion.

Route. Royal International Pavilion - Llangollen Canal - Llangollen Wharf - Llangollen Bridge - Dee Lane - Victoria Promenade - A5 - unnamed lane - Plas Garaint - woodland path - Pen Llwydr - unnamed lane - Bryniau-bach - Bryniaw-nawr - Bryniau-mawr Bank - unnamed lane - The Piggery - A5 - Berwyn Station - Chainbridge - Chainbridge Hotel - B5103 - Horseshoe Falls car park - Llantysilio Parish Church - Horseshoe Falls - King's Bridge - Llangollen Canal - Royal International Pavilion.

Notes. This is the route we picked to walk to Horseshoe Falls, love it or hate it, I still haven't made my mind up. By narrow tarmac lanes and woodland footpaths we picked our way across sylvan hillsides before a meandering descent deposited us at Berwyn Station. We crossed the restored Chainbridge, visited medieval Llantysilio Church and the falls before wandering back along the scenic Llangollen Canal.

It was a Bank Holiday weekend you couldn’t move in Llangollen so to avoid the crowds we parked in the Royal International Pavilion car park, hopefully the route we’d picked would avoid the hordes. We wandered east along the well used canal tow path, leaving it at Llangollen Wharf, after descending to Llangollen we crossed the four arches of the historic bridge then entered Dee Lane, after passing the Corn Mill we stepped onto the river side walkway, or if you wish to use it’s Sunday name the Victoria Promenade.

Along the prom we paraded, through Riverside Park to access a tree lined path, this we followed away from the river onto the busy A5. Turning left we wandered to the a bus stop, directly across the road a narrow lane ascended into woodland, we carefully crossed the busy road to ascend with it. The tarmac lane climbed, we climbed, after passing Plas Garaint a path emerged from the left, our guide onto the next ribbon of tarmac.

We ascended through woodland with stolen views every now and again over the Vale of Llangollen, after picking our way around and over fallen trees we emerged onto another narrow lane next to Pen Llwybr, a lovely wooden framed thatched roofed house. The lane climbed passed the house, so did we to a left hand bend and footpath sign, here we left the lane soon walking into stunning views. We soon passed some buildings then in-front of the farm house at Bryniau- mawr entering a track lined with ancient trees, this track guided us to a right hand bend near the next farm, here a footpath sign pointed the way through woodland.

With deciduous woodland rising to our left and dark evergreens our right we wandered on to be ejected onto another narrow ribbon of tarmac, we swung right and continued descending, this time to the sound of traffic. Near the junction of the lane and the A5 a footpath cut left, this we followed onto the main road. A short walk followed to Berwyn Station, here a path on the edge of the platform guided us under the railway line then over the River Dee via a restored chain bridge, what awaited us on the other bank was the bar of the Chainbridge Hotel and lunch.

Lunch over we wandered to the rear of the hotel where the Llangollen Canal starts, a metal footbridge carried us over the canal followed by a woodland path which deposited us in the Horseshoe Falls car park. Next to the toilet block a path descended to the falls, another runs along the top of a sloping field, this we followed to a lovely church, Llantisilio Church dates back to the 15th century, features include a fine medieval roof, rare medieval oak eagle lectern and sculpted font. Once acquainted with the place we descended through the cemetery to join a footpath leading to Horseshoe Falls. It doesn't look much but this weir is the start of a masterpiece of engineering, we’ll talk about that later.

From the falls we passed under King’s Bridge then behind the Chainbridge Hotel, with the tow path of the Llangollen Canal now under foot it was level walking all the way back. We'd managed to steer clear of the Bank Holiday crowds for most of this walk but there was no avoiding them now, us and many others all casually wandered in the company of this picturesque waterway. One question on my lips, why was the water running so fast? Aren't canals stagnant, I was still pondering the question when we reached the Royal International Pavilion, the answer will come later.

view route map.

home.

It's official name is the Llangollen Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal.

The River Dee at Llangollen.

Llangollen Bridge, how about a slice of useless information. Built in 1345 a mere eight foot wide, 1861 saw an additional arch added to accommodate the new railway, later in the 19th century it was widened this allowed textile mills to develop along the river, the last on closing in 1967.

The River Dee from Victoria Promenade.

A little height gained and Castell Dinas Bran tilts into view.

Woodland paths guide us across the slopes of Geraint Hill.

Pen Llwybr a gem in a woodland setting.

Across the skyline under a grey cloud the magnificent limestone escarpment of Trevor Rocks.

The part timbered buildings of Berwyn Station.

Chainbridge originally built in 1817 by local entrepreneur Exuperiur Pickering to transport coal and limestone across the River Dee and Upper Dee Valley.

King's Bridge and the Chainbridge Hotel, King's Bridge was intended to be a permanent memorial to King Edward VII in 1902, the bridge carried a new road from Thomas Telford’s London to Holyhead coach road (now the A5) to Llantysilio, south of the bridge. The other bridge is a railway viaduct, the road passes under the arches to access Berwyn Station.

First view of Horseshoe Falls.

15th century Llantisilio Church.

The 260ft weir of Horseshoe Falls creates a pool allowing water to enter the Llangollen Canal, the canal was a navigable feeder supplying water to the whole of the Ellesmere Canal and Chester Canal systems, hence the reason the canal has running water and is so clean.

The canal behind Chainbridge Hotel.

Wandering back we came across a couple of these, horse drawn tourist boats....

....and another.

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