Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, northeast Wales, United Kingdom

The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is one of the most impressive canal structures in Europe and a landmark of the Industrial Revolution in north-east Wales. Designed by Thomas Telford and William Jessop and opened in 1805, it carries the Llangollen Canal across the valley of the River Dee. Nineteen arches on slender stone piers support a cast-iron trough 307 metres long and 38 metres above the river, which makes it the longest aqueduct in Britain and the highest canal aqueduct in the world.

The aqueduct and 18 kilometres of the canal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009. Its most unusual feature is the narrow iron trough: there is a towpath with railings on one side, but on the other the rim is barely above the water, so boats seem to float high above the valley. It is often called the stream in the sky. Visitors can walk across on the towpath or make the crossing aboard a traditional narrowboat.

Visitor Information

Most visits start at Trevor Basin, at the northern end of the aqueduct, where a free visitor centre explains how the aqueduct was built. Walking across takes about ten minutes each way, and paths lead down into the valley for the classic view of the arches from below. The towpath continues west to Llangollen, about 7 km away, and south to the Chirk Aqueduct, both fine routes for walkers.

Walking across the aqueduct is free and the towpath is open at all times. In 2026 the 45-minute boat trip across the aqueduct from Trevor Basin with Anglo Welsh costs £10 for adults and £6 for children up to 16, with a family ticket at £25; trips run daily from the beginning of April through the summer season. Longer cruises to the aqueduct leave from Llangollen Wharf. Come early in the morning or on a weekday in summer, because the narrow towpath gets crowded at weekends and on holidays.

The aqueduct lies between Llangollen and Wrexham, about 6 km east of Llangollen. Buses between Wrexham and Llangollen stop in Trevor, a few minutes’ walk from the basin. The nearest railway stations are Ruabon and Chirk, on the line between Chester and Shrewsbury, from where you can continue by bus or taxi. Drivers should use the signposted visitor car parks in Trevor, as parking in the village streets is discouraged.