The Llangollen - When is it quietist?

[pearley]

Cruised the Llangollen in late September a few years ago and was surprised how busy it was. I wouldn't mind going again but when is it at its quietist?

Edited September 19, 2015 by pearley

[Alan de Enfield]

We were on it in July and its the quietest I have ever seen it.

 

It took us 45 minutes (without seeing another boat) to ascend the "6" at Grindley brook, and 30 minutes on the return journey (again not a single boat going up or down)

 

I think the whole system (well the bits we have done this year) has been quiet - why - economy ? weather ? C&RT ? I don't know.

[Sea Dog]

Pearly, the trouble with this question is that, once you have the answer, you'll go, I'll go, loads of others will read it and they'll go - and now it'll be busy!

[cuthound]

Cruised the Llangollen in late September a few years ago and was surprised how busy it was. I wouldn't mind going again but when is it at its quietist?

Anytime of the year, but cruise between midnight and 06:00

 

Seriously, anytime outside of the main hiring season, say mid- September to Easter.

 

I was on it in mid July this year and we struggled to get a mooring Llangollen for a 70 foot boat early on a Monday morning.

 

Edited for spelling.

Edited September 19, 2015 by cuthound

[Paul C]

Its quiet in winter or lousy weather - but do you really want to avoid others that much??? New Marton locks are are suceptible to being busy/having quueus because they have long pounds above or below them, thus boats can catch up. But the others aren't so bad. Obviously in busier times, any of the other locks/lock flights can have queues but they're not that bad. Certainly not worth avoiding for that reason.

[Southern Star]

We were on it in July and its the quietest I have ever seen it.

 

It took us 45 minutes (without seeing another boat) to ascend the "6" at Grindley brook, and 30 minutes on the return journey (again not a single boat going up or down)

 

I think the whole system (well the bits we have done this year) has been quiet - why - economy ? weather ? C&RT ? I don't know.

I was on the Llangollen canal in early August and I was surprised at how quiet it was, compared to what I was expecting. We did time the trip though to be on the "opposite cycle" to the hire boats though, i.e. to get to Llangollen on the Saturday when all of the hire boats were back at the other end, doing the changeover. We didn't have any problem finding a mooring at Llangollen, there were probably a dozen or more spaces right in the centre of town.

 

I think it has been quiet this year (although I only bought my boat a year ago so am not speaking from experience). Down the cut from me, Rose Narrowboats seemed to have plenty of hire boats moored up during the school holidays when they ought to have been out on hire. I suspect the state of the economy has much to do with it, I don't think I know anybody who is not considerably worse off than they were five or ten years ago, and I read recently in my local paper that over 7,350 households are now under bailiff action for unpaid Council Tax in my local council area. Given that the local council area population is 132,000, and reckoning on 2.5 people per household, that equates to 1 in 7 households not just in arrears, but at the bailiff stage. There isn't a lot of money about for holidays.

[valrene9600]

I always find that straight after Easter school break ends is good. Depending on when Easter falls on the calendar you get a few weeks before the next bank holiday starts.

Edited September 19, 2015 by valrene9600

[ditchcrawler]

I was on the Llangollen canal in early August and I was surprised at how quiet it was, compared to what I was expecting.

 

 

Someone told me August is the quietest.

[johnmck]

The locky at Grindley told us a few years ago, that his busiest months were April and September, when all the "Silvertops" come out of the marina's!

 

We went up twice this year, July and August. Never had a problem finding a mooring. In fact after crossing the Pennines, we were glad to see boats moving.

[john6767]

Someone told me August is the quietest.

We did in August a few years ago, and it was not that busy. I also agree with the comment about the "tidal flow" effect. The quietest nights in Llangollen are Sat/Sun/Mon, so plan your trip to be there then.

[johnmck]

Surprised just how many boats turn at Trevor, never getting as far as Llangollen. Met quite a few who did this and not just hirers.

[Tim Lewis]

Cruised the Llangollen in late September a few years ago and was surprised how busy it was. I wouldn't mind going again but when is it at its quietist?

 

 

Did the Llangollen (& Montgomery - don't miss it) in mid/late June last year. With the exception of a bit of a wait at Hurlesdon and Grindley Brook on the way up we had no problems with locks/mooring etc.

 

Tim

[Slim]

Mid December!

 

Seriously though, I was there in early July and it was pleasantly quiet. Yes I saw other boats but I don't recall queueing at any of the locks.(by queueing I mean more than a a boat or two in front)

 

 

 

Frank

[Jim Riley]

Did it in February a 3 years ago, weather was glorious, if a bit nippy at night, hardly any other boats on the move.

[pearley]

We went in September 2009. We are not the quickest of movers, 2 or 3 hours a day is fine, but were hit 3 times by oncoming boats, we always found space to moor and we did spend evenings with some very nice boaters ( And yes, the Montgomery is great) but the queues at the locks were horrendous. Coming back down, at New Martin, the queues was so long that a hireboater was coming down the line of waiting boats trying to find someone that would swop places with them, and generally being a pain in the arse at the lock to speed people on.

 

So just trying to find a quieter period to persuade my wife to go again

[Cheshire cat]

Sunday is good. They're all in chapel.

[Southern Star]

Surprised just how many boats turn at Trevor, never getting as far as Llangollen. Met quite a few who did this and not just hirers.

There seems to be a bit of worry that the Llangollen canal is very shallow after Trevor, although we never even touched the bottom once, and we've had to pole off all over the place.

[archie57]

 

 

Did the Llangollen (& Montgomery - don't miss it) in mid/late June last year. With the exception of a bit of a wait at Hurlesdon and Grindley Brook on the way up we had no problems with locks/mooring etc.

 

Tim

- but did you have any problems with width and depth.......?

[captain birdseye]

We went up there this August and was,surprised how quiet it was. No queues at Grindley Brook in either direction. Always found a mooring where we wanted. Had,a great time.

[GoodGurl]

we did the Llan in august this year all the way down to the basin and yes it was quiet, hardly any boats moving and plenty of moorings.

[Tim Lewis]

- but did you have any problems with width and depth.......?

 

No, but then I wasn't on Fulbourne :-)

 

Tim

Edited September 20, 2015 by Tim Lewis

[Big Bob W]

Suprised how busy it was this afternoon going up Hurleston. Best part of an hour queuing.

[MHS]

October last year was very quiet and we had good weather. I reckon September is always fairly busy as when the schools go back, those without kids come out to play.

[The Toad in the Hole]

October 'till after Christmas the leg beyond New Marton through to Llan can get very leafy. lots of trees makes it very pretty with the Autumn colours, but lots of trees = lots of leaves

[steve hayes]

Grindly Brook today was heaving, about 8 boats in each direction mid morning.

It wasn't private boats out of the marinas the vast majority we've seen today are hire boats.

My main problem of the day was the ridiculous speeds that some boats are travelling at, some needs to understand that the canals are not race tracks.