Strenuous Leader : Carole Distance : 8 miles
From the car park we go over the Grosvenor Bridge and along the River Dee to Edgar’s Field Park. Then through Overleigh Old Cemetery on our way to Dukes Drive then north along Eaton Road and Handbridge where we join Salmon Leap at Old Dee Bridge and go east to cross Earl’s Eye Meadows.
We return along the Dee and cross it on Queens Park Suspension Bridge, going through Grosvenor Park then north to join and go west along the Shropshire Union Canal. We then join and walk along the City walls to Chester Cathedral seeing various interesting sights along the way.
approx. 8miles, flatish, the only climbing is up the steps onto the City Walls…..
Leisurely Leader: Joan Distance : 7 miles
Today’s walk is fairly flat, but likely to be muddy. It was muddy when the reccee was
done, so likely to be just as muddy (if not slightly worse) given the recent weather.
You may like to have your sticks handy ! Sorry. We start our walk from Little Roodee car park. Heading for the A483 first. We walk along this road for a short while until we meet up with Dukes Drive. This is a long drive through the woods. There was a number of trees blown over so the drive isn’t always straight.
This Drive takes us to an old Roman Road (Eaton Road) where we pass over the A55 on our way to Eccleston. This is a lovely little village with lots of features to take In. Especially St Mary’s Church, (definitely worth a photo) where hopefully we can stop and have our lunch there.
After lunch we find our way to the River Dee. We follow the river back into Chester. As mentioned our walk is muddy especially by the river. At least it’s at the end of our walk. Once back we can change if we need too and have a hot(or cold) drink.
Easy Leader: Laura Distance: 5 miles
We cross the River Dee, using the Old Dee Bridge and make a left, under the suspension bridge and join a gentle riverside path. We pass through Earl’s Eye Meadows. We turn right at Heronbridge, a rather fine, pink house. We walk along, what was the Roman road to Greenbank, a rather splendid early nineteenth century abode. We cross into the woodland and follow a path to Duke’s Drive. This woodland path will take us back to the edge of Chester and we make our way back to the Old Bridge.
The route is flat and tracks at the start and finish are firm and broad. Parts of the middle section of the walk are used to graze horses and it is muddy, so if you have gaiters, they will be useful. The horses appear docile and keep out of the way, especially if the see the dog walkers. Thankfully, no sheep or cattle were encountered.
The beginning of the walk is popular with dog walkers and runners. There are no stiles, just wide kissing gates. At the time of the recce there were a number of fallen trees on Dukes Drive, following a storm. Hopefully, they will have been shifted. If not, they are easy to side step.
NOTES ON THE AREA
Chester probably needs no introduction as it is a very distinctive city which most of us will have visited. It is a walled city in Cheshire, in Northwest England, on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales and is the biggest settlement of Cheshire West with a population of about 350,000. Chester was granted city status in 1541.
It was founded as a Roman fortress in 79 AD with the name Deva Victrix in the reign of the Emperor Vespasian and was one of the main army camps in Roman Britain and is known for its extensive Roman walls made of local red sandstone. A Roman amphitheatre, with ongoing excavations, lies just outside the city walls. In the old city, the Rows is a shopping district distinguished by 2-level covered arcades and Tudor-style half-timber buildings. Deva later became a major civilian settlement. In 689, King Ethelred of Mercia founded the Minster Church of West Mercia, which later became Chester’s first cathedral, and the Saxons extended and strengthened the walls to protect the city against the Danes. It was one of the last cities in England to fall to the Normans. William the Conqueror ordered the construction of a castle, to dominate the town and the nearby Welsh border.
There are many reasons to visit Chester and so it attracts lots of visitors from around the world. As well as the almost complete Grade 1 city walls and the unique 700 year old shopping Rows, it has the oldest racecourse, the largest Roman Amphitheatre in Britain, a 1000 year old cathedral and the UK’s number one zoo which is the most visited attraction outside London. Also, there are very pleasant rides along the river to escape from the bustle of the city.
It has a number of medieval buildings, although some of the black-and-white buildings within the city centre are Victorian restorations. The Industrial Revolution brought railways, canals, and new roads to the city which saw substantial expansion and development with the Town Hall and the Grosvenor Museum being examples of Victorian architecture from this period.
Some interesting points about locations within Chester:
- Bridgegate – one of the few main gates through Chester Walls and is the shortest route to Wales.
- Old Dee Bridge – many of its predecessors had been washed away on this tidal stretch, this was erected around 1400’s.
- Duke’s Drive – this was the drive to the Duke of Westminster’s Mansion Eaton Hall at Eccleston.