This is the Chain Bridge Hotel near Llangollen, taken in the 1970s. This spot has one of the oldest roads in the country (the A5), one of the oldest canals, one of the oldest steam railway lines, one of the most famous bridges to cross the river Dee and the river Dee itself. The original chain bridge was built in 1814 and later strengethened but in 1928 it was swept away when floods rose four feet above the level of the bridge. A new and stronger bridge was built in 1929 and survives to this day.
For many years we would drive out to park in the trees above the Hotel, feed the birds and walk along the canal towpath – either to Llangollen or in the other direction to the nearby Horseshoe Falls.
A couple of years ago GB and I had lunch at the Chain Bridge Hotel and a pleasant walk along the canal.
We were accompanied at one stage by a Mummy Duck and her little ducklets.
A few years earlier Mum and Dad had a trip on the boat along the canal while I walked alongsied. On another occasion we had a trip along the valley in the steam train but those photos are still hiding in the loft at the moment.
The Chain Bridge and Llangollen have been very much part of my memories since I was very tiny and stayed at Vale (or Valle) Crucis Abbey and, as a teenager, stayed at Glyndyfrdwy half way between Llangollen and Corwen and used to travel between the two on the train BB (Before Beeching). When down from Lewis we would take Mum and Dad out and every holiday included a visit to Llangollen and/or the Chain Bridge. I wonder whether the reference to a trip on the Canal was the one some of the Rosicrucians had an outing. If it is then I was on the canalboat. I hope that I will have many more visits to the town and the bridge.
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