Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct carries the Llangollen Canal across the valley of the River Dee near Trevor in north east Wales. Designed by Thomas Telford and William Jessop and opened in 1805, it is the longest and highest navigable aqueduct in Great Britain, with a cast iron trough supported by nineteen tall stone piers, soaring some 38 metres above the river below.

The structure was awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 2009 along with an 11-mile stretch of the surrounding canal, recognised as a masterpiece of the Industrial Revolution and a pioneering feat of engineering. Visitors can walk the towpath that runs along one side of the trough, with only a slim railing between them and the drop, while narrowboats glide past on the open water. The crossing takes about ten minutes on foot and offers extraordinary views over the Dee valley and the wooded Welsh hills.

The aqueduct sits within easy reach of Llangollen, with the Trevor Basin visitor centre, canalside cafes and boat trip operators clustered at the northern end. Walkers, cyclists and boaters all use the route, which forms part of a longer World Heritage trail through the surrounding landscape.