Shropshire Union Canal

James Latham
James Latham Posts: 170
edited April 2009 in Routes
I like to avoid roads and fancied doing a bit of distance tomorrow. I live near Nantwich, on the Shropshire union Canal.

Im thinking of going to Llangollen via it, then back to Chester (the mrs lives) and wondered if anyone could tell me what the surface is like and whether there are any nice pubs on route?

Also an idea of distance would be appreciated someone I work with recons 30+

Map here:
www.shropshireunion.org.uk/map/mapindex.html

I've had bad experiences with canal paths, muddy, narrow thorn ridden things....

Comments

  • James Latham
    James Latham Posts: 170
    just noticed the branch i'll take is actually called the llangollen canal
  • tlw1
    tlw1 Posts: 22,164
    From experience - the Shropshire Union is easy to canoe than cycle along the path!

    Many thorns, mud & of swopping sides.

    Better off cycling to Chester on the road via Delemere - much more fun!
  • topsey_turvey
    topsey_turvey Posts: 420
    Have you got a British Waterways cycling permit? I jest not, such things exist.
    Frank Yates
  • James Latham
    James Latham Posts: 170
    I think you can download permits online by the sound of it. Looks like a nice route to Llangollen and I have done a few miles of it, expect it will decend into trying to balance on a 1ft wide muddy bank though...
  • Slow Downcp
    Slow Downcp Posts: 3,041
    Biggest problem with towpaths is anglers who show no regard for the fact that you're allowed to ride along there (providing you've downloaded the permit), and expect you to get off and walk because their pole, nets etc are scattered across the path. Some even pull their poles in to block your path intentionally - in which case the best thing to do is speed up, watch their face drop when they realise you're not slowing down and think their £3,000 carbon pole is about to become multiple pieces and then bunny hop at the last minute :lol: :twisted:
    Carlsberg don't make cycle clothing, but if they did it would probably still not be as good as Assos
  • lesz42
    lesz42 Posts: 690
    done chirk to Llangollen ( and back), about 6 times, few muddy bits, but never had a prob! or punture!
    Giant Trance X0 (08) Reverb, Hope Hoops 5.1D, XT brakes, RQ BC, Works Components headset 1.5
  • James Latham
    James Latham Posts: 170
    Well I got two punctures in the first 5 miles, one of which was irreparable being at the bottom of the valve. Swapped the inner tube which the valve then snapped whilst pumping and had to push/stop and pump 6 miles to Whitchurch to a bike shop.

    Plain sailing from then on, but I wouldn’t recommend this route or do it again. The canal path was less than three feet across at points and very uneven. Chirk to Llangollen was nice but the rest was hell, and 41m!

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