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Llangollen trip


Hudds Lad

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Its only couple of weeks until we plan to do the Llangollen, and i'm basically looking for some real-world advice.
I ask for real-world as on our last cruise Nicholson's recommended a pub that is now no more than a weed-infested rubble pile with a pub sign the only evidence it was ever there.

We'll be out for about 9 days in total, and hope to get from Overwater Marina to Llangollen basin winding hole and back.

Are there any places en route that you would personally recommended to stop/visit/eat/drink?
Only stipulation is it needs to be Tweenager & dog friendly :D

Edited by Hudds Lad
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We recently 'did' the Llangollen. Lovely canal enjoyed it. A bit frustrating once you get towards Llangollen from Trevor. No room for two boats to pass. Crew member ahead with phone to let you know all clear.

We ate at the Jack Mytton. Birthday treat booked in advance via an exchange of emails. Awful experience regardless of the good reviews on trip advisor. Owner very rude and sort of strange.

However we stopped at the Poachers Pocket on the Sunday. Couldn't have been better. Very busy and nice quality of food and service.

We visited thepub adjacent to the basin at Trevor. The Telford Inn. Old style of pub but efficient. We didn't eat but the food looked good.

 

Theres a Tesco about fifteen minutes walk from the basin,uphill sadly,but downhill upon your return. There's a couple of pubs near the Tescos.

Hope you enjoy your trip,we did.

martyn

5 minutes ago, Pie Eater said:

Cotton Arms, Wrenbury

I can endorse the Cotton Arms. For beer not the food as we didn't eat. We live aboard and can't justify holiday expenditure. My boss tells me so!!

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The aqueduct inn on the Chirk side of the aqueduct has gone through a bit of a revival recently and i am hearing good things about it, new landlord, new menu, well kept real ales.

Its about time because its been through a series of time wasting landlords of late and had gone right down hill

Edited by tree monkey
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11 minutes ago, tree monkey said:

The aqueduct inn on the Chirk side of the aqueduct has gone through a bit of a revival recently and i am hearing good things about it, new landlord, new menu, well kept real ales.

Its about time because its been through a series of time wasting landlords of late and had gone right down hill

Let's hope so, I wanted to visit this venue but my tether wasn't long enough.

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We stopped at the Willeymoor lock tavern thus time. It gets mixed reviews regarding friendliness but we had no problems and value steak pie with a LOT of tasty and tender meat. Several real ales - I had Ruddles County which I haven't had for years. Certainly a great location right beside the lock.

My other tip is that the moorings along the Ellesmere arm are fairly grim (and busy) especially at the far end, so I regard that as a shopping stop and would nightstop either at the junction or beside the superb Cole Mere, just a mile or so towards Hurlston. Unless you are desperate to eat off the boat of course.

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Cotton Arms Wrenbury, try to get there for Weds or Sat lunch club, still 6.00 for two courses obviously not huge portions but still excellent value. If you are prepared to walk or bus into Whitchurch Etzio Italian restaurant top of the high street is superb, lunch menu at two courses for 9.95 is amazing but you will need to book. Boathouse at Chirk marina, phone up before they usually allow you to moor (but watch the bouncy pontoons !), Aqueduct in Fron for good beer and food (by the way Al tree monkey, the previous landlords were excellent despite the gross colour scheme !). New landlord is an excellent chef. Sun Trevor on the approach to Llan very good, in Llan itself try the gallery for food, Sun and Ponsonby for ales.

 

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1 minute ago, Exturnaroundman said:

Cotton Arms Wrenbury, try to get there for Weds or Sat lunch club, still 6.00 for two courses obviously not huge portions but still excellent value. If you are prepared to walk or bus into Whitchurch Etzio Italian restaurant top of the high street is superb, lunch menu at two courses for 9.95 is amazing but you will need to book. Boathouse at Chirk marina, phone up before they usually allow you to moor (but watch the bouncy pontoons !), Aqueduct in Fron for good beer and food (by the way Al tree monkey, the previous landlords were excellent despite the gross colour scheme !). New landlord is an excellent chef. Sun Trevor on the approach to Llan very good, in Llan itself try the gallery for food, Sun and Ponsonby for ales.

 

Fair enough, I stopped going because of previous landlords but I had heard the last landlord was better, so sorry about that.

Hmmmm I suspect I should know who you are in the real world

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Go on the steam railway at Llangollen. At the other end you can walk to a pub, can't remember its name but there must only be one as you are in the middle of nowhere, had a very nice lunch there.  If you can time the trip to be in Llangollen either Sat/Sun or Sun/Mon nights it will be a lot quieter.

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2 minutes ago, john6767 said:

Go on the steam railway at Llangollen. At the other end you can walk to a pub, can't remember its name but there must only be one as you are in the middle of nowhere, had a very nice lunch there.  If you can time the trip to be in Llangollen either Sat/Sun or Sun/Mon nights it will be a lot quieter.

Agree hop off the train at Carrog the Grouse Inn is a short walk, obviously check timings for the return !

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Assuming you might want one mooring without a pub, there are some very remote and pleasant moorings on Whixhall Moss.

If you want, you can have one end of the boat in England and the other in Wales, loosely around the junction with the Prees Branch.

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14 minutes ago, Exturnaroundman said:

Agree hop off the train at Carrog the Grouse Inn is a short walk, obviously check timings for the return !

Grouse Inn, that's the one, over looking the river.

10 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

Assuming you might want one mooring without a pub, there are some very remote and pleasant moorings on Whixhall Moss.

If you want, you can have one end of the boat in England and the other in Wales, loosely around the junction with the Prees Branch.

That junction is a lovely tranquil place, I can remember sitting in the bench there early one morning when taking the dog for a walk, and all was well with the world.

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No-one seems to have mentioned the Bridge Inn below the moorings on the English side of Chirk aqueduct, which came out top of all the pubs in my 2015 Pub Cruise.http://canalworld.net/forums/index.php?/topic/79754-2015-pub-cruise/#comment-1666400  Lots of other Llangollen pubs there also.

I would take issue with Nick's assessment of the Ellesmere Arm moorings as 'grim' - I spent a very enjoyable afternoon watching a cricket match from the roof of my boat, and Ellesmere is an attractive wee town with a couple of good pubs.

Edited by Mac of Cygnet
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Ellesmere itself is fine, but the arm is at the back end of it. The concreted area at the end by the supermarket tends to accumulate gangs of feral kids and dodgy people. I think it is just the contrast between there and all the other possible superb rural moorings that made me make my comment.

Edited by nicknorman
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If you fancy something a little different, I remember an excellent meal at the Swan, Marbury.  It in the village centre about ten minutes walk from Marbury Lock but well worth it.  IMO the pubs right on the canal often take their customers from granted and don't work as hard at pleasing them.   Having said that, sitting in the garden at the Cornmill, overlooking the raging Dee in Llangollen is a lovely thing - just expect to pay for it.

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6 hours ago, Dave_P said:

If you fancy something a little different, I remember an excellent meal at the Swan, Marbury.  It in the village centre about ten minutes walk from Marbury Lock but well worth it.  IMO the pubs right on the canal often take their customers from granted and don't work as hard at pleasing them.   Having said that, sitting in the garden at the Cornmill, overlooking the raging Dee in Llangollen is a lovely thing - just expect to pay for it.

According to their website the Swan Marbury is currently closed for refurb and reopening late autumn. One other that is worth a walk is the Keys at St Martin's. Moor by bridge 13w, walk up the steps, left up to the village, take a right at the roundabout, continue past the Texaco garage a short while. Good value pub grub, real ales.

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Hi

Another vote for the Cornmill in Llangollen really nice food and not to expensive and the view etc are to die for ! Also a vote for The Horse and Jockey at Grindley Brook , moor at the bottom of the locks and walk up to the main road it's over the road opposite the garage. Really nice food and friendly

Tizzy

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