The impressive structure spans two nations (Image: Getty)
The UK’s highest that spans across two nations is so tall its even nicknamed ‘the river in the sky’.
Nestled in the hills of Dee Valley- a designated area of natural beauty – the impressive structure known as Pontcysyllte Aqueduct (which translates to Traphont Ddwr Pontcysyllte in Welsh) is 11 miles long and features aqueducts, tunnels and viaducts.
You can cross “the stream in the sky” at this UNESCO World Heritage site – the world’s highest canal. UNESCO describes this world heritage site as “a masterpiece of creative genius”.
Having taken 10 years to complete, was completed in 1805 and is one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways.
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct took 10 years to complete (Image: Getty)
The impressive structure cost nearly £50,000 – close to £5m in today’s money – transforming the world of civil engineering.
You can take a canal boat along the aqueduct, which is supported by 18 stone towers above the River Dee.
There is a strong sense of Wales and England coming together in this area, as on the site you can also find the Chirk Aqueduct and Tunnel, which straddles the border between Wales and England. So you can have one foot in England and one foot in Wales if you so wish, as it’s just a quick stroll away from the town centre of Chirk, a community in Wrexham county.
The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct stretches 11 miles (Image: Getty)
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The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct may seem in the middle of nowhere, but it is actually very accessible in north Wales and north England.
From Liverpool or Crewe, it is just an hour’s drive away and there is even a car park when you get there. Or you could take a train which is an hour and three quarters, with just the one swap in Chester. It’s also super reachable from Manchester and Stoke-on-Trent being just an hour and half’s drive away.
For those in Wrexham who wish to visit this pioneering piece of architecture by Thomas Telford it takes just over 10 minutes to drive here.