Trailable and Portable boat launching locations North Wales & Borders Montgomery Canal Author: Derek Smith We would like to thank Derek for kindly putting this information together for waterway visitors As the information was provided by a third party we cannot guarantee or warrant its completeness or accuracy and accordingly the Trust does not accept any liability for any inaccuracy or omission in the information provided Launching Place Grades Slipways & Access (Blue numbers: - For large boats on trailers that need slipways) 1. Excellent. For 2.3 Mts and wider trailers. Slipways1.2+ Mts deep at the wet end. 2. Good. For 2.3 Mts wide trailers. Slipways 60 cm to 1 Mtr deep at the wet end. 3. Adequate. For 2.3 Mts wide trailers. The slipway has features requiring very skilful reverse driving, or could have severe launching or retrieving difficulties. 4. Poor. Narrow slipway or shallow at the end. For trailers less than 2.3 Mts wide; or less than 60 cm deep at the wet end. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Landing Places & Access (Green numbers: - For boats on roof-racks or trailers that don’t need slipways) 1. Excellent. For launching all types of portable boats from Kayaks to RIB’s with strong crews. 2. Good. For launching kayaks, canoes, small inflatables and sometimes very small dinghies. 3. Adequate. For launching kayaks and canoes. 4. Poor. For launching kayaks only. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Parking (Blue or green letters: - For cars, minibuses & trailers) a. Excellent. Mainly long term booked car parking for vehicles & trailers. Normally has good supervision and spare space. Enclosed and has gates or a barrier and is very secure. Kept locked or locked overnight by staff or users. Pedestrian & vehicle access restricted or monitored. b. Good. Mainly long or week-end parking for vehicles & trailers. Normally with spare space and sometimes supervised. Mainly enclosed but with no or low gates and not normally locked. Pedestrian & vehicle access at all times. c. Adequate. Mainly for day or week-end public parking. Long lay-bys/wide verges or small car parks. Sometimes partly enclosed but no supervision. Kerb parking in quiet roads. Sometimes space for trailer parking. d. Poor. Time limited parking; one day, or 24 hours, or less. Urban street parking. Very small rural lay- bys. Good car parks, but often full in summer. Places with no parking. Slipways & Landing Places Montgomery Canal Starting from the Llangollen canal at Frankton Junction Index Google maps Location Grade No. reference 52.88027, 002.93653 Frankton Junction car park. (Landing) 01 Small C&RT picnic place & canoe launching. (Page 73 Guide 4) 3c 52.87312, 002.93959 Lockgate picnic site. (Landing) 02 Large public picnic site car park by bridge 71. At old canal junction. Probably C&RT? 2b 52.84204, 002.96420 Heath House Bridge. (Landing) 03 Small public car park for walkers – partly re-surfaced. Launch down changeover bridge 74 towpath. 3b 52.83824, 002.97355 Old small wharf. (Landing) 04 Double 5 barred unlocked gates by towpath. Casual lay-bys on both sides of the road. 1c Long section of wide heathland verge/canal bank. 52.83500, 002.98081 Shropshire Paddlesport Canoe Club. (Landing) 05 Double 5 barred unlocked gates and new lay-by on Holyhead Road. Also a long casual lay-by. Excellent 1b bank access. 52.83469, 002.98278 C&RT Queens Head picnic site. (Landing) 06 C&RT Queens Head car park by old bridge 76. Slide canoe under the fence on the picnic area. (Avoid 3b marked out pub overflow car park). Following are several partly restored sections. Section 1 used by a normal variety of boats. 52.81747, 003.02536 Spiggots Bridge. (Landing) 07 Wide grass verge & small lay-by at bridge 80. 3d Also the Canal Central tea shop car park. 52.81732, 003.02567 Canal Central. (Landing) 08 Tea shop & canoe center at the same location – has a 2b soft launch for canoes. 52.81016, 003.03846 Redwith Bridge. (Landing) 09 Lots of parking on the wide grass verge on the B4396 by bridge 83. Unlocked 5 barred double gate to the 1b towpath. Section 2 is for portable boats 52.78215, 003.08893 Llanymynech Wharf. (Landing) 10 Limeworks Heritage Area public car park by bridge 92. Soft launch point on the wharf by Visitor’s Centre. 1c 52.77748, 003.10248 Hen Bwthyn. (Landing) 11 Gap in the roadside/towpath hedge by bridge 94 on the B4398, Wide grass verge parking for two cars. 2d Mainly for local residents. 52.77104, 003.10771 Lowered Williams Bridge North. (Landing) 12 Laybys of both sides of the road. New canoes soft launch point North of bridge 96 blockage – with new 2c chippings & grit towpath and access gate. 52.77104, 003.10771 Lowered Williams Bridge South. (Landing) 13 Laybys of both sides of the road. New canoes soft launch point South of bridge 96 blockage – with new 2c chippings & grit towpath and access gate. 52.74711, 003.09145 Maerdy Cottage – West. (Landing) 14 Wide grass verge parking on the A483 Access through a latched by unlocked five bar gate. 1c 52.74682, 003.09176 Maerdy Cottage – East. (Landing) 15 Wide grass verge parking on the A483 Access from the cottage back yard. Phone first. 1c Section 3 is navigable by trailboats & portable boats 52.73498, 003.09694 Laurel Way. (Landing) 16 Arddleen. Access from the end of Laurel Way? Also good parking? 3c 52.73475, 003.09630 Farm access drive. (Landing) 17 Arddleen village border on the A483. One parking place either side of the drive from the main road. 1c Same launching place as in 16 above. 52.73278, 003.10078 Wide Water Wharf. (Landing) 18 Lay-by parking for 3 cars. Access through unlocked red steel 5 barred gate at Arddlin. 1c 52.72665, 003.10534 Dragon Bridge. (Landing) 19 Small parking area between bridge 104 and store ruin on the towpath side. Probably C&RT land. 1c 52.72477, 003.10929 Canoe Wales. (Landing) 20 New soft launch pad at old C&RT offices at Burgedin 2b Locks 52.71995, 003.10932 The Wern Claypits. (Landing) 21 C&RT Nature Reserve with small car park. Has a picnic site with good canal access, but needs some 1b bank improvements. 52.70872, 003.09596 Coppice Lane Bridge. (Landing) 22 Access from the Welshpoool side, unload at bridge 109 or reverse up to the gate. Park on the A483 wide 1c grass verge. 52.70872, 003.09596 Bank Lock. (Landing) 23 Same place as 22 above but different parking. 2c 52.68712, 003.11018 Abbey Lift Bridge. (Landing) 24 Some parking at the bridge 112, and a long lay-by close to hand on the A483 3c 52.66030, 003.14378 Welshpool wharf & basin. (Slipway) 25 Bridge 118. Slipway & Landing – Only slipway on the 2b canal. 52.63982, 003.15873 Belan Top Lock. (Landing) 26 Large C&RT car park. 1b 52.61235, 003.18330 The Horseshoe Inn. (Landing) 27 Excellent towpath access and large pub car park near 1b Berriew. 52.60126, 003.19339 Long Bridge. (Landing) 28 Layby close to the bridge 128. 2c 52.58218, 003.19106 Refail Bridge. (Landing) 29 Layby on the B4385 by the lowered Refail Bridge 129. 1c 52.54939, 003.23712 Powys Council Depot. (Landing) 30 The entrance to this small depot – and a casual 3c launching place are both off a long layby here. Channel is dry south of Freestone Lock – 2 miles short of Newtown centre. Index No. Grade 01 Waterway & location: - Llangollen Canal ~ Lower Frankton; Frankton Junction (Landing) 3c Latitude: - N 52.88027 Longitude: - W 002.93653 Nearest place: - Lower Frankton Photo’s: - Three 19.11.2014 14.00 pm Contact name: - N/A Region: - Inland Wales Phone No: - N/A Mobile: - N/A Email: - None Fax No: - N/A Website: - N/A Landing Details: - Grade: - 3c Compiled by DMS ~ November 2014 Description: - An adequate grass bank Landing with old galvanised piles. (Photo below) Access: - Public unrestricted free usage, belongs to the navigation and available any time during daylight hours. Drop height to the water: - 30 cm. Amount of boat manoeuvring space: - Sufficient. Distance from vehicle to the water: - Depending on where you park, about 10 Mts. Quality, surface, and description of boat carrying route: - From the corner of the good parking area, carry your boat through the gap in the fence onto the picnic place (with one picnic set), then carefully down the one meter high challenging grass slope, to a quite good two meter long flat and narrow landing place. (See photo) Notes: - Directions: - Post code for SatNav: - No post code, use co-ordinates ~ Rural location. Address: - Peter’s Bridge 69, Frankton Junction, Lower Frankton, Oswestry, Shropshire. Accessed down narrow lanes with passing places. Parking location for vehicle: - Compacted rough gravel & grit public parking area on a C&RT track to the lock flight. (Photo below) Parking spaces available: - Six or seven. Options for trailers: - Not suitable for the route to this site. Parking security: - Open public space in clear view of anyone passing, but in a very quiet locality. Parking period limits: - Unlimited. Suitable Boats: - Excellent for: - Canoes, kayaks, small inflatables, and any other portable boat with paddles you can get on your roof rack. (Unsuitable for larger boats) Local facilities on-site: - None. Local facilities nearby: - None. Charges: - Boating licence: - You will need a C&RT licence to use the canal. A variety of these are available from: - www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/boating/licensing (Some canoeists may have an alternative permit) Boat launching each way: - Free. Parking cost: - Free. Navigational Hazards:- None known. The date of the photo/s below is: - November 2014 After entering data in Boatlaunch boxes, add one blank line at the top of the box, and two at the bottom.