The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is a World Heritage Site that is fairly close to Liverpool.
The weather in the UK can be a bit hit and miss, but luckily for us, on this particular day, the sun decided to make an appearance, making our canoeing trip in Wrexham, Wales, all the more enjoyable.
With assistance from a staff member at TNR Outdoors, we steadied ourselves into the boat on Llangollen Canal and were directed to follow the simple route along the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct – a World Heritage Site.
In pairs, we paddled across the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, which stretches 1,007ft in length and towers 126ft above the stunning River Dee. This well-known viewpoint allowed us to marvel at the lush greenery surrounding the flowing river.
Thankfully, this peaceful moment arrived within 15 minutes of setting off, providing a welcome break from the minor squabbles some couples were having over rowing techniques.
As we navigated through the narrow waterway, we spotted a shop and quickly decided to stop for some water and a much-needed rest.
It was at this crucial point that we all decided to switch our canoeing partners, which made the remainder of the journey significantly smoother.
Geared up for the second half, we had just over two hours left to navigate the canal that straddles the border between England and Wales.
We had rented the canoes for three hours (£60 per canoe), from 1.30pm to 4.30pm; the other available slot (which we chose not to take) was 9.30am to 12.30pm.
This should have provided us with ample time to row five miles of waterway but, as a group, we spent most of the time laughing as we tried to master the art of canoeing.
My boat had a knack for colliding with other boats and the canal banks – much to the amusement of everyone on board.
Emerging from the Chirk tunnel, we encountered a group of splendid cows and before long, it was time to hurry back to our starting point.
The only snag was waiting for all the boats to pass through the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct on our return journey, which delayed us somewhat, but we still managed to make it back with just a minute to spare.
