ISE VALLEY VAGABONDS
Chester Permanent Trail BWF App No PT152
START & FINISH: Chester West Station Pay and Display Car Park,
Station Road, Chester CH1 3DR
OS map 117 Grid Ref 411671 Distance 11km
Fee £1.00 Patch £2.00 (limited availability)
Route last updated on 25 March 2008
This route description is valid until 31 December 2010
This walk has been established by members of the Ise Valley Vagabonds Walking Club (BWF Club No 70) and is a qualifying event in the IVV award scheme. It can be walked at any time. Points of interest are too numerous to include in this route description, many of them are signposted, while others are well documented in the various leaflets available in the Tourist Information Centre. Take your time, take your camera and enjoy this beautiful city!
From the entrance to the car park, turn left along Station Road and opposite the railway station, turn right into City Road. After approximately 500 metres, go down the subway. Turn left and then right and leave the subway by turning right up the steps, then go straight ahead along Foregate Street towards the clock spanning the street (depicted on the patch). Just before the clock tower, turn left by Lloyds TSB Bank into St John Street and use the crossing at the end. Turn left and walk through (or round) the amphitheatre. Call in at Chester Visitor Centre (toilets) as you continue past St John the Baptist Church. Follow the path to your right, round the church and past the ruins and then down the steps and turn left through the gates into a park. (If the gates are locked, use the alley next to this park).
QUESTION 1. IN THE PARK THERE IS AN ARCHWAY WITH A GREEN PLAQUE ON IT. FROM WHICH CHURCH DOES THE ARCH COME FROM?
Follow the path through the park and turn right through the next gates and ahead into The Groves (down to the river) and turn right along the riverbank. Continue as far as the suspension bridge. Go under the bridge, turn right and right again to cross the bridge.
QUESTION 2. ACCORDING TO THE PLAQUE ON THE BRIDGE, WHEN WAS IT OPENED?
At the far side of the bridge, turn left down to go back down to the river, then turn right and walk ahead on the path with the river on the left. Continue on the paved path until you come to a gate where The Meadows start.
QUESTION 3. WHAT IS THE NAME OF THESE MEADOWS?
Go through the gate and continue in the same direction on the path beside the river (still on the left). Continue beyond the big willow trees standing back from the bank and past the ferry crossing point. About 200 metres beyond the ferry, just before the gate by the river, turn right. Go along the path with hedge on left for approximately 180 metres, through the kissing gate and follow path to another kissing gate 220 metres further on. This gate leads out onto a road. Continue ahead into St George’s Crescent and then take the left fork into Meadows Lane. Turn right opposite the Carlton Tavern into Queen’s Park View. Cross over Queen’s Park Road and go straight ahead onto the footpath (signposted towards the Suspension Bridge and the Meadows). On reaching the riverbank, turn left. Pass the Water Wheel and the Salmon Leap, following the riverbank as far as the steps. Climb the steps. Turn right and cross the Old Dee Bridge. You face an arch carrying the Old City Wall. Climb the steps on the left and turn right to follow the wall in an anti clockwise direction.
QUESTION 4. AFTER 700 METRES ON THE WALL, THERE IS A TOWER, KING CHARLES TOWER. WHEN DID KING CHARLES STAND ON THIS TOWER?
Stay on the Wall as it turns left at King Charles Tower. It turns left again at Bonewaldersthorn’s Tower. At the end of the Racecourse (after about 2km), use the pedestrian crossing and continue ahead on the Wall until you return to the Old Dee Bridge. Turn left, under the arch, and walk up Lower Bridge Street and Bridge Street.
QUESTION 5. IN LOWER BRIDGE STREET, THERE IS A PUB CALLED YE OLDE KINGS HEAD. WHEN WAS IT BUILT?
At St Peter’s Church, turn right into Eastgate Street. After 200 metres turn left by NatWest Bank into St Werburgh Street and follow the road past the Cathedral before turning right into Northgate Street. At the wall, go up the right hand steps and proceed in a clockwise direction. After approximately 350 metres go down the first set of (wooden) steps on the left. Turn right and go down through Iceland car park, to the road. This is Frodsham Street. Turn left and use the pedestrian crossings to get to the other side of the canal, where you turn right and walk along the road (Union Terrace) next to the canal. Follow the signs to the station. Pass under the road bridge. Turn right at the Mill Hotel. Turn left at the Union Vaults Ale House, and then take the first turning right into Crewe Street. Turn left at the crossroads, with children’s playground on the left (this is Francis Street). At the end of the road, at the junction, turn right onto Brook Street. Go ahead passing the interesting shops to the mini roundabout. Cross straight over back to the car park.
We hope you have enjoyed the walk!
The Ise Valley Vagabonds have established other Permanent Trails at
Bedford (2), Chester, Daventry, Kettering, Kings Lynn, London (2), Marston Moretaine (2), Oxford, Rugby, Stamford, Stratford upon Avon, Warwick and Wellingborough.
They are all qualifying events towards the IVV award scheme. Further information about these walks, the IVV, the club and all its activities can be found by visiting our
Web Site www.vagabonds.org.uk
THE ORGANISERS ARE NOT LIABLE FOR ACCIDENTS, THEFT, AND/OR DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. EVERY EFFORT WILL BE MADE BY THE ORGANISERS TO MAKE THIS A SAFE, ENJOYABLE AND MEMORABLE EVENT.