Our Day Out to Chester

Working in a university library is hardly stressful but it is always nice to have a day off work and go somewhere different. I feel nothing but contempt for most of my colleagues but there are some who I will willingly spend time with outside of work. So last week, my Louise-Brooks-bobbed colleague Clare and I went for a day trip to Chester.

The original plan was to do a 6 miles walk in West Lancashire calling in at a few pubs. On reflection however I recalled that a couple of the pubs are closed which could leave us with a fair distance to walk without beer or the sort of facilities one needs after beer. In a flash of brilliance I decided to go to Chester, just 40 minutes away on the train and with some of my favourite canal in England.

So on a Wednesday, one that the Met Office said would be the only cloudy day of the week, we arrived in Chester. It's a short walk from Chester station down City Road to the canal. On the bridge I pointed out a few of the local points of interest to my companion: the lead shot tower, the water tower, the canal itself and the mills and warehouses. And of course the first pub: Old Harkers Arms. I have been here once before with towpathtreks' Irish pub reviewer, on race day as I recall and the place was packed with be-suited Scousers getting ready for a day of drinking and obnoxiousness. On this latest occasion though we almost had the place to ourselves. It was half twelve and I wasnt sure what I fancied to drink. We were going to have food so we thought it best to have a bottle of dry white wine, South African I think it was. I am the sort of person who judges wine on its alcohol content and price. Preferably the former is high and the later is low. But the Old Hawkers Arms is a nice place for nice people so I had to act civilized. We were drawn to the end of the pub with the bookshelves. Surprisingly enough although I work in a library I dont see that much of the bookshelves, but we felt at home here. The Hawkers Arms really is nice. Its a big room without feeling like a barn. Its nice and light, you can see boats going past on the canal. There is plenty of decoration but nothing too distracting. And the staff were very nice too. We had lunch, fish finger sandwich and prawn sandwiches, with chips. All very nice. Even the toilets are nice. I could have stayed there drinking all day but I would have probably let myself and my colleague down and done or said something that would preclude me coming back, and I would like to go back.

Outside the weather was improving. The white cloud had patches of blue and it was warm. We walked towards the city centre along the towpath. I past by the Canalside Bar which last time I had walked straight out of. Maybe next time. We past the Frog and Nightingale too. I dont think I will go back there again. Not unless I want to get shitfaced on Fosters with like-minded people.

Under the city walls, in the deep rock cutting, below the Northgate and Bridge of Sighs is a very good place to be. It has the history, the canal, that feeling of peace and seclusion you get on canals even when they are a stones throw from busy roads and towns. We wandered along looking at the sandstone and the ducklings. The ducks were swimming against the current, there were boats locking down the Northgate staircase. Past the locks we walked around the basin stopping to look at the big iron hook for horse drawn boats and the graving lock and dry dock. There are some gorgeous new flats being built. You can tell they are gorgeous because of the big signs saying so on the side.

We arrived at our destination, Telford's Warehouse. This, as the name suggests, is a former warehouse which was built by Thomas Telford in the 1790s. For whatever reason I have never been inside this pub. I know it as a music venue and assumed that during the day it would be empty or shut. But there were people sat outside on the picnic tables and the sun was shining brightly on them. Inside the decor was not what I had imagined, although I dont know what I had imagined it would be like. I liked it, it is sort of modern trendy old fashioned. There is a pretty impressive range of beers on tap, but as it was so sunny I went for a nice cold lager. Ice Cold in Alex. It almost seemed a shame to leave the nice pub but we went and sat outside and enjoyed the sun. A couple of boats went past and some locals were fishing and enjoying some Stella. Much better than being in work.

After our drinks we walked up to the city walls and around to the River Dee. On the way we were engulfed in a tour group from Italy or Germany or some such continental place. Chester is very popular with tourists. Interestingly my colleague was more excited by an old 1980s TSB logo than the mock Tudor or Roman remains. There are also some hideous concrete buildings from the 1970s in Chester. The council must have been desperate for any investment then to allow them to built that stuff.

At the river we got ice creams and went on a boat trip up the Dee. Sadly we were on the Mark Twain not the Lady Diana but it was very nice and I got to see bits of Chester I hadn't seen before. The taped commentary was good, and the boat houses by the river are very swanky.

After the boat ride we went for food and drink (O'Kells) in the Bear and Billet, a favourite of mine. It seems to be popular with the tourists too, some Japanese or Chinese tourists were stood across the road taking photos of the pub. After eating we had one last drink (Spitting Feathers) in the Brewery Tap. The pub is in an old hall parts of which date back to the early 1500s. The main room has some impressive features as did the rather nice barmaid. If you like your real ale and appreciate an old building then this is the place for you.

We walked back to the canal, passing the Frog and Nightingale which was now very loud and busy outside. Soon we were back in Liverpool tired from the fresh air and sunshine. And the booze.

It was a really nice day, the weather was unexpectedly lovely and my colleague was the perfect person to skive off work with in Chester.

Chester Pub Reviews

Walking to the station in Liverpool I couldn't help but notice the number of scousers in suits. Women in Liverpool may be infamous for going to The Asda in their pyjamas but today they were out in their full WAG-a-like outfits. At the station it became obvious that it was race day in Chester. Oh dear. This was a bad day to get the train to Chester to visit the pubs. The train was packed with hilarious comedians, footballers wives and make-up that would have been a bit much at one of those American beauty pageants for 4 year olds. Finally the hot train arrived at Chester and the horde disgorged onto the platform. Luckily the races started at half two so they soon tottered off to the racetrack leaving the first pub suddenly much quieter.

The first stop for me and Kate (the still unpaid but official towpathtreks beer reviewer) was the Old Harkers Arms. This bar is in the basement of a large former warehouse. At canal level on the towpath side by City Road it was once a canal chandlers run by Mr Hawker.  The pub is fairly big and the decor is nice, we sat next to the wall of book shelves. 

There is a good selection of wines, spirits and beers. We had the Old Bear Goldilocks and Weetwood Ales Cheshire Cat. Both were fine but neither were particularly memorable. 

The Old Hawkers Arms has an impressive menu, plenty on there from 'Feta, potato and spinach filo pie with ratatouille' to 'Pan fried pigeon with beetroot and orange salad with blackberry dressing'. Regrettably we decided not to eat there and moved on to the next pub. 

Actually the next pub is just the other side of the bridge, the Canalside bar. We walked in, it was empty and had a lot of red walls and black furniture. We turned around and walked out and headed to the next bar along the canal.

The Mill Hotel and Spar is, unsurprisingly given its name,  a former canal-side flour mill. There is a narrow space for sitting out next to the waters edge. Unfortunately this quite nice hotel is stuck between a 1970s bridge built in the functional concrete Soviet style and a 1980's footbridge linking the hotel to a gym/pizzeria built in the 1980's bourgeois Capitalist style. Bridges aside the bar has a fair few beers on tap.


Kate had the Spitting Feathers (Special Ale I think) but its always a mistake to put something that dark in front of a daughter of Éire if it isn't Guinness.

And even then you have to be pretty confident of its quality if you want to avoid upset. I had a bitter that was named after the old mill we were sat next to. The first mouthful was quite nice, but after that it was just the usual dishwater. I dont know why I bother, I should stick with the fizzy chemical laced commercial ciders and lagers. Which is was all they had at the next pub.

The Frog and Nightingale is probably one of the better known pubs in Chester, especially with boaters. There are usually a few boats moored up along here. They had Bombadier and not much else. I had a pint of Strongbow, in your face CAMRA! The DJ was obviously missing Ibiza of the mid-90s, so like everyone else we left him to play his records in the empty pub and went outside. We had left eating a bit late so the Frog and Nightingale won by default. I have to assume the bold sign proclaiming "Fresh and Imaginative Food" is from another time long gone. The burgers we had were not very imaginative. Plenty of other people seemed to be enjoying the food and the Fosters though. This is a city centre pub and if you dont expect much you will be fine here. 

the Frog and Nightingale

With everyone escaped from the Frog's handle-less toilet cubicles, we walked along the canal through the rock cutting below the city walls. I think this is one of my favourite bits of the canal network. I certainly visit it often. At the staircase locks there was a boat locking up. We had only seen a couple of boats on the move, mostly restaurant boats but one nice narrowboat from Riddlesden. Yes, there are some narrowboats out there that I like. We left the canal and went up into town to meet a fellow librarian for a drink in Alexanders and a couple of pitchers of cocktails in another bar. The races had finished and be-suited lads and highly heeled ladies were swarming back to the station. The Falcon was shut, the Brewery Tap full, the Cross Keys has closed down, so we squeezed into the Bear and Billet for a pint of IPA. 

Then it was back to Liverpool for far too many drinks in the Ship and Mitre and then, with my weariness amazing me, branded on my feet, home to bed through the ancient empty street’s too dead for dreaming.

It was a shame the races were on but I still had a nice time. Other than the Bear and Billet in town, the only pub I would go back to is the Old Harkers Arms. Next time I will definitely eat in there, as long as people keep clicking the adverts on www.towpathtreks.co.uk to fund these days out! 

Canal Walk: Chester

Today we took the train from Liverpool to Chester. 100 years (and two days) ago LTC Rolt was born in Chester so a trip to Chester seemed fitting. Added to that was the chance to have a nice lunch and see a few of the city's public houses. 

From the station its a short walk to the canal, straight ahead up City Road. We crossed the bridge over the canal and then went down to the towpath and underneath the bridge. We walked towards the city centre. Under Frodsham Street (where the Chinese dragons were getting ready for their firecrackers) and up to the usual moorings of Albatross when she is in town. 

Here I identified the remains of the bridge which once took the towpath over the arm belonging to Shropshire Union Railway and Canal Company. 

Something else we noted was the large sign telling us the towpath was closed! We carried on hoping that whatever work was being down on the towpath was on hold for the weekend. Round the corner, under the city walls, it became clear what the work was. All the trees and saplings along the rock cutting up to the city walls had been cut down. Rather than spoiling this picturesque section of canal it has opened it up, exposing the rock cutting and city walls above. 

Under the Bridge of Sighs and on to the staircase locks. There was a boat in the locks, crewed by three lads. They were in the 2nd chamber from the top, locking up. Or rather they were wondering why they were not locking up. The top chamber was empty and they were going nowhere. I suggested they open the top paddles if they wanted to get anywhere soon but I think they were about to figure it out for themselves. 

Past the locks and under the railway and road to the basin by the Dee Branch. We walked up to the iron bridge which has the plaque to LTC Rolt on it. Its an interesting spot with its dry dock, metal bridge and boatyard with all the boats that go with it. There are a couple of Normans in amongst the sorry looking boats there. 

We followed the Dee Branch as far as we could. There was a family of swans in by the lock and a cat on the lift bridge. 

We went up to the city walls and walked back the way we came but along the top of the city walls looking down. As we came to the Bridge of Sighs the boat from the lock was passing below. Following the walls round to the river we went to the Bear and Billet pub for a massive lunch which kept us full for the rest of the day. 

Canal Walk: Chester to Christleton

Bank Holiday weekend, the weather forecast was good so where else is there to be other than the towpath. The crew of the Albatross spent the night by the Shady Oak at Bate's Mill, bridge 109 on their way to Ellesmere Port. The plan for today was to get the train to Chester and walk along the towpath to meet the boat coming along the canal the other way.

This being a bank holiday there were even more engineering works than usual so we had to take a rail replacement bus from James Street to Birkenhead Central. We finally got to Chester around lunchtime. From the station is a short walk along City Road towards the city centre and the canal.

While we were getting down to the towpath the Albatross was in Christleton Lock. They were a little closer than we had hoped and we soon met up with them as they came through bridge 122A.

The Bridge of Sighs

Troy jumped ship to walk with us and we carried on to walk up to Rowton Bridge while Albatross sailed on to Chester. Most of the traffic was heading towards Chester with just one lucky boat going against the traffic (and therefore having all the locks set in their favour).

At Christleton is the canal warehouse which appears in the old photos I found in the stores at work: http://www.towpathtreks.co.uk/About/old_canal_photographs.html

I was pleased to see that little has changed, in fact it has been improved and converted very nicely.

1960s and 2009

There are a couple of popular pubs on this stretch, people were sat outside enjoying the weather. The towpath was busy with dog walkers and there were lots of cyclists out enjoying the sun. The Chester Canal (Shropshire Union) is good for cyclists, the surface is tarmaced for most of the length from Cristleton to Ellesmere Port.

At Rowton Bridge #120 we stopped and turned around to head back to Chester.

Troy at a Lock

Back under the city walls of Chester the Albatross was moored in its usual moorings. Troy had a drink and a nap while we walked around the city walls, along the River Dee and saw the Deva guard drilling at the ampitheatre.

The Romans at Deva

http://www.towpathtreks.co.uk/Other/shropshireunion.html#chester more photographs

Canal Walk Chester

Today I went to Chester to have a look at the postcard fair with the hope of finding some showing the Leeds & Liverpool canal or any interesting scenes of Southport and Liverpool. At the moment we are having some overdue summer days. It was warm and sunny in Chester. I only managed to find one canal postcard at the fair. It shows one of the locks on the Rufford Branch. After the postcard fair I had a pastie by the River Dee then walk to the canal via the Roman Ampitheatre. Down in the cool cutting below the city walls is the old Chester Canal, now part of the Shropshire Union Canal. There are rope marks on the sandstone as the canal bends around following the walls above. The towpath is narrow in places and popular with cyclists. The cutting is also interesting for the geologists as well as canal enthusiasts. The red sandstone has clear bedding with some being folded. Ancient channels cut down into each other.



Northgate Staircase Locks drop the canal down underneath the railway. There are two chambers in the stair case.The lowest set of gates would win an award from the RHS, it is covered with plants. The canal turns right and passes the famous Telfords Warehouse. There is a branch of the canal which locks down to the River Dee. At the jucntion there is a repair dock and boatyard. Over the roving bridge is the north basin. From here the canal is the former Ellesmere Canal up to Ellesmere Port. I turned round here to walk back to the Chester Station along the canal. The canalside pub, the Frog, was packed with people enjoying the sunshine. A little further along I spotted former East End gangster "Mad" Frankie Fraser enjoying the canal. I hope to walk from Ellesmere Port to Chester sometime, its about 9 miles.