Inside the picturesque village 'frozen in time' with a 157-year-old railway line

06 May 2023 , 19:10

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Fewer than 4,000 people live in Llangollen in north Wales (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

This charming little town nestled in a Welsh valley is almost frozen in time - with a 157-year-old railway line and old buildings - but it's loved by tourists.

Connected by waterways, such as River Dee, Llangollen, in Denbighshire, Wales, boasts multiple listed buildings, not least the railway platform and bridge.

It's a historic town, believed to be named after St Collen who is said to have established a church on the banks of the Dee in the sixth century.

The surrounding Vale of Llangollen was carved out millennia ago by glaciers, sculpting the dramatic landscape, and tourists drive from the likes of Liverpool, Manchester and further afield to enjoy the landscape.

Trains still use the railway, following restoration works in the 1970s, reports Liverpool Echo.

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Heritage trains - both diesel and steam - run on the railway tracks, which were restored in the 1970s (Getty Images)

Tourists take rides on the heritage trains - both diesel and steam - after leisurely strolls through the Llangollen streets filled with independent shops, tearooms and restaurants.

Barges take visitors along the Ellesmere Canal, which connects to the River Mersey with an original purpose to connect the mineral industries, such as coal, to the Port of Liverpool.

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.

Llangollen Railway runs through the Dee Valley for 7.5 miles (Getty Images)

Writing for Liverpool Echo, journalist Rebecca Koncienzcy says: "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."

The settlement is just off the A5, which runs from the England-Wales border near Chirk in the east and out to the the Conwy valley in north Wales in the west.

Fewer than 4,000 people live in pretty Llangollen, which relies heavily on the tourism industry.

Rebecca Koncienzcy