Shropshire Tourism : The Official Tourism Website for Shropshire
Your source of information for Accommodation, Attractions and Events in Shropshire
North Shropshire Canals
For those who wish to take to the water rather than just look at it, you can hire a narrowboat for a day or the week. Even Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart have recently cruised our canals. If its good enough for them, why not dip your toe in the water?
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Whether you take the Shropshire Union Canal through picturesque Tyrley Locks and on to Market Drayton, or the Llangollen Canal with its lift bridges and staircase locks to Whitchurch and Ellesmere, there can be no better way to discover the countryside than to gently cruise along 46 miles of canals in North Shropshire. Alternatively you could book a short break at one of our many accommodation's where you will enjoy a warm friendly welcome before setting off on the waterways of North Shropshire.
Through sandstone cuttings and wooded embankments, through sites of special scientific interest and little villages, pubs and places to visit on the way, take time out to moor up and explore our towns.
North Shropshire's canal's go through Ellesmere, Market Drayton and Whitchurch, so you can stock up essential supplies, or even dine in style at one of our restaurants, pubs or inns.
The Lockside Stores at Grindley Brook, near Whitchurch is an excellent place to visit for those canalside pilgrims who want to ensure they have all the best canal memorabilia and goodies, be it a full stock up on food and drink, to a simple ice cream by the lockside. Bliss.
The 35 mile long Montgomery Canal joins the Llangollen canal at Lower Frankton, near Ellesmere, with 11 miles of the canal being in Shropshire.
Access for narrowboats is through Frankton Locks (pre-booking essential with the lock keeper). The canal, in water, continues past Queens Head and through Aston Locks and on to past Maesbury Marsh, where the new Canal Junction Post Office is situated alongside the canal.
Restoration work continues on the dry section between Redwith Bridge and Crickheath.
A short part of the canal is in water on the Shropshire side of the border village of Llanymynech and public narrowboat trips are operated here by the Duchess Countess Trust.
British Waterways have recently installed many new seats and information boards along the total length of the Montgomery Canal. The towpath has been upgraded in several locations. Lots of wildlife can be found at the new nature reserve near Aston Locks as well as on the canal itself.
The canal is very popular for walkers, canoeists, fishermen and photographers.
You can find a map of the Llangollen Canal through Shropshire by clicking here
To request your copy of British Waterways leaflets covering the Llangollen Canal and Shropshire Union Canal, or for more general information canals in Shropshire, please contact British Waterways Tel: 01606 723800 email: enquiries.wbc@britishwaterways.co.uk