Geography Trip to Chirk and Pontcysyllte Aqueducts

11 December 2013

AS Geography students spent an interesting day at the Chirk and Pontcysyllte Aqueducts as part of a recent field trip.

Located in North Wales, the 200-year old aqueducts and 11 miles of canal in between were named by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2009. Built by Thomas Telford in 1805, the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct remains the highest canal boat crossing in the world.

Students investigated how the local area is trying to capitalise on the status that a World Heritage Site brings. They met with representatives from Wrexham Council and a local community group, and studied how effective recent changes around the aqueduct had been for locals and tourists alike.

Student Shannon Fielding said, “the trip was a great day out but the highlight of the day had to be walking over the 38m high Pontcysyllte Aqueduct as photos aren’t able to convey its true height.”