Tiny town frozen in time short drive from Liverpool

Rebecca Koncienzcy

5 May 2024 at 0:26 pm·2-min read

Llangollen train station from the historic bridge in the tiny town -Credit:ECHO

Nestled in the Dee Valley is a tiny town frozen in time that is a popular tourist destination for people in Merseyside.

The historic settlement of Llangollen is thought to be named after St Collen who is said to have established a church on the banks of the River Dee in the sixth century. With the Llantysilio and Ruabon Mountains to the north and the Berwyn Mountains to the south, the Vale of Llangollen was carved out millennia ago by glaciers sculpting the dramatic landscape and is just an hour's drive away from Liverpool.

Today, visitors to the town can enjoy a step back in time to a quieter pace of life with a 157-year-old railway line still in use for trips to quaint stations along the track after its restoration in the 1970s and has many vintage artefacts that are reminiscent of the birth of the railways. The current bridge in the centre of the town built over the River Dee was constructed in the 1600s but there has been a crossing over the babbling waters since at least 1284.

The town is home to a wide range of listed buildings such as the Dee Mill, the Royal Hotel, war memorial, town hall, police station and the railway platform and bridge. Tourists can stroll through the streets filled with independent shops, tearooms and restaurants before taking a ride on one of the many heritage trains, including steam and diesel, or take a trip along the Ellesmere Canal on one of the horse-drawn barges.

The canal waterways connect to the River Mersey with its original purpose to connect the mineral industries, such as coal, to the Port of Liverpool. Now, it has a quieter existence, with leisure cruises and people taking time out from the daily stresses of life.

Llangollen has a reputation for "peace and tranquillity", according to the Denbighshire County Council website, and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site along eleven miles of canal from Gledrid to the Horseshoe Falls via the spectacular Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.

The beautiful, welcoming town is like stepping back in time to a moment when children would wave at steam trains and as it leans into this aesthetic and history it boasts something unique in our busy modern world.

Find out more about Llangollen here

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