UK’s longest tunnel that locals and dogs are ‘too scared’ to enter | UK | Travel

Among the many World Heritage sites dotting the Llangollen Canal in Wales, adventure seekers are particularly drawn to the two “Streams in the sky”. Those crossing the 126ft Pontcysyllte Aqueduct will need to be brave due to its height, and may want to avoid looking over the edge if they’re scared of seeing the drop below.

But nearby, there’s another challenge that only the brave take on, and it’s one that people who have claustrophobia will want to steer clear of. Chirk Tunnel is a 1,381ft tunnel that runs alongside the canal, and it’s the longest tunnel in the UK that you can walk all the way through. But it’s worth following local advice if you take on the challenge.

In this long tunnel, it’s pitch black, so you’ll need a torch to help you find your way. Some people don’t bring one and instead rely on the handrail, which was thankfully restored back in 2020, to guide themselves along in the seemingly endless darkness, reports North Wales Live. 

One brave visitors shared their experience saying: “A woman on a narrowboat passed me in the tunnel. I wished her good morning and she dropped her mug of coffee in shock. I was just a few feet away and she couldn’t see me.”

Another said that their dog was extremely reluctant to enter the darkness, writing: “When we had our dog, he wouldn’t go through it – even with treats!” While another walker described the experience as “Slimy walls, spiders, puddles and dark!”

They went on to admit: “I’ve only ever gone 2 metres into it!”

Photographs posted to Facebook group Hidden and Forgotten Wales/England show the extremes of the darkness in the tunnel, where a little bit of light comes through at both ends. 

Some who’ve braved the passage described their encounters as ranging from “very atmospheric” to “freaky”. Other visitors have never managed to erase the memory of their frightening childhood experiences there.

“Too frightening,” one individual remembered. “It just goes on forever.” Another person recalled “It was jet black but you could see your breath it was so cold!” they said.

For those unable to brave the darkness, an alternative path exists that skirts around the tunnel, allowing walkers to rejoin the canal on the opposite side.

Cyclists have also been known to tackle the tunnel, though seldom without a few scrapes against the walls they attempt to follow.

Beyond being Wales’s darkest canal tunnel, it also holds the record for length. Situated just north of Chirk Aqueduct, which doesn’t enjoy quite the same fame as its Pontcysyllte counterpart, it remains equally picturesque particularly due to its accompanying viaduct. Created by William Jessop and Thomas Telford, Chirk Aqueduct opened its gates in 1801.

The structure boasted numerous pioneering features: the overall weight was reduced through the implementation of hollow supporting arches, whilst the water channel featured an iron bedplate.

Similarly, the tunnel – which opened 12 months later – introduced a groundbreaking element: a full towpath, making it only the second of its kind in Britain.

In earlier times, crews aboard horse-drawn narrowboats were forced to “leg it” through tunnels – driving the vessel forward by pushing their feet against the tunnel walls.

At Chirk, this would have presented quite an ordeal, as northbound vessels come up against a relatively fast 2mph current. Even now, vessels travelling northwards must keep their engines running as the canal narrows significantly, causing water displacement issues around boats.

Overtaking is simply not an option. Encounters midway through the tunnel are infrequent due to the requirement for boats to be illuminated and the straightness of the tunnel allowing visibility of oncoming traffic.

However, as a precaution, a cross has been etched into the wall at the halfway point. In the event of confusion, the boat that reaches this marker first has priority, while the other must reverse out.

The construction of the tunnel took five years and required over a million bricks. A large portion of the surface is clay-sealed for waterproofing, contributing to the “slimy” ambiance of a location that simultaneously excites and unnerves visitors.

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