Horseshoe Falls & Llangollen Canal Walk in the Dee Valley

A particularly lovely stretch of the Dee Valley, with a 0.75 miles (0.5 km) walk alongside the feeder into the Llangollen Canal featuring Horseshoe falls.

UNESCO made the eleven miles of canal from Chirk Bank to Horseshoe Falls a World Heritage Site in July 2009.

In 1944 an Act was passed closing the canal to all traffic except for the trip boats from Llangollen. Thanks to lobbying from the Inland Waterways Association and the actions of the local canal management, the canal survived and has become the most popular canal in the country.

Walk Details

Surface

The walk includes a long flight of steps and going up a sloping field. The walk is therefore unsuitable for people with walking difficulties.

Parking

From Llangollen take the A542 (signed to Ruthin), and after about a mile & a quarter turn left on to the B5103. About a quarter of a mile further on, the B road goes downhill left — ignore that and go straight on (an unclassified road). The parking is about 100 yards later, on the left. [SJ197433]

The Dee Valley, Horseshoe Falls & Llangollen Canal Walk Map

Begin The Walk

1. Chainbridge Hotel

Exit the car park in the south-east corner, cross the B road into the smaller car park, then walk down the steps.

The Chain Bridge Hotel has been the site of a hostelry since the 1830s, possibly earlier. It has been extended over the years.

2. Chain Bridge

The access to the Chain Bridge goes past the front of the hotel as it is a right of way. Return to the towpath and pass the back of the hotel.

3. King’s Bridge

Once you’ve walked past the back of the Chain Bridge Hotel you will walk through the five-arched King’s Bridge viaduct, which was built in 1902–6 by Denbighshire County Council.

4. The Meter House

An Act in 1944 introduced the requirement for accurate monitoring of the volume of water taken into the canal. As a result, the meter house was built.

By the time this Act expired, a further Act had been obtained to supply domestic water to south Cheshire, using the Llangollen Canal as a conduit. This helped ensure that the canal survived.

5. Horseshoe Falls

Once you have reached the stunning views of the Horseshoe Falls, take a right turn walking through the fields and returning to the car park.

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Explore Nearby

Branch

IWA Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch

Waterway

Llangollen Canal

Navigable

Waterway

River Dee

Navigable

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