Horseshoe Falls

The Horseshoe Falls is where the World Heritage Site begins. Telford designed this weir to draw water from the River Dee into the canal and, like so many of his creations, it only seems to enhance the beauty of the landscape around it.

Today, around 12 million gallons of water are drawn in here each day from the River Dee to supply water to the canals, and to help supply south Cheshire with drinking water. Originally, wooden planks would have been inserted to raise or lower the levels, but in 1947 the Meter House was built to measure how much water was taken. The use of the canal as a water feeder ensured that it survived when other canals fell into disrepair.

The Horseshoe Falls can be accessed from the car park and picnic area at Llantysilio Green, but it is less than a two mile walk along the towpath from Llangollen. You can also use the horse-drawn boats or the heritage railway at Berwyn Station and be just a five minute walk away.

The Falls are a lovely spot for families to explore and you can learn more about the area together by downloading the Horseshoe Quest App. This will lead you round a 1 ½ mile walk exploring local landmarks and finding out about some of the wildlife.