ShottonChester

Shoche one
Verified route

Verified Slow Way

Verified by 100.00% of reviewers

By a Slow Ways Volunteer on 07 Apr 2021


Distance

12km/8mi

Ascent

149m

Descent

130m

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Description

This is a Slow Ways route connecting Shotton and Chester.

Know of a better route? Share it here.

This is a Slow Ways route connecting Shotton and Chester.

Know of a better route? Share it here.

Status

This route has been reviewed by 6 people.

There are no issues flagged.

Photos for Shoche one

Photos of this route will appear when they are added to a review. You can review this route here.


Information

Verified route

Route status - Live

Reviews - 6

Average rating -

Is this route good enough? -  Yes (6)

There are currently no problems reported with this route.

Downloads - 10

Surveys

What is this route like?

Surveys are submitted by fellow users of this website and show what you might expect from this Slow Ways route. Scroll down the page to read more detailed surveys.

Grade 2X based on 2 surveys Sign up or log in to survey this route.
Description Note
Grade 1: Entirely smooth and compacted surfaces.
Access grade X: At least one stile, flight of steps or other obstacle that is highly likely to block access for wheelchair and scooter users.
Grading is based on average scores by surveyors. This slow way has 2 surveys.
Full grading description

Only people who have completed our training can become Slow Ways surveyors and submit a survey. We do not vet contributors, so we cannot guarantee the quality or completeness of the surveys they complete. If you are dependent on the information being correct we recommend reading and comparing surveys before setting off.

Survey Photos

Facilities

Facilities in the middle third of this route.

Not present at time of survey Public toilet (2)
Not present at time of survey Wheelchair accessible toilet (2)
Not present at time of survey Supermarket (2)
Restaurant (0)
Maybe present Vegan restaurant (1)
Not present at time of survey Accommodation (2)
Not present at time of survey Accommodation < £50 (2)
Not present at time of survey Campsite (2)
Not present at time of survey Bothy (2)
Not present at time of survey Free wifi (2)
Not present at time of survey Public phone (2)
Present at time of survey Mobile phone coverage (2)
Not present at time of survey Train station (2)
Present at time of survey Bench (2)
Not present at time of survey Picnic table (2)
Not present at time of survey Bus stop (2)
Not present at time of survey Ferry (2)

Challenges

Potential challenges reported on this route. Some challenges are seasonal.

Not present at time of survey Scrambling (2)
Not present at time of survey Wading (2)
Not present at time of survey Swimming (2)
Not present at time of survey Climbing (2)
Not present at time of survey Stepping stones (2)
Not present at time of survey Very slippery (2)
Not present at time of survey Very muddy (2)
Maybe present Very icy (2)
Not present at time of survey Likely to flood (2)
Not present at time of survey Long grass sections (2)
Not present at time of survey Crops encroaching on path (2)
Not present at time of survey Diverted path (2)

Obstacles

Obstacles on this route.

Not present at time of survey Stiles (2)
Step and kerbs (0)
Possible to avoid steps, if applicable (0)
Flights of steps (0)
Not present at time of survey Gates (2)
Not present at time of survey Kissing gates (2)
Not present at time of survey Locked gates (2)
Not present at time of survey Disables access gates (2)
Present at time of survey Cycle barriers (2)
Not present at time of survey Ladders (2)
Not present at time of survey Cattle grids (2)
Not present at time of survey Fords (2)
Not present at time of survey Narrow bridges (2)
Not present at time of survey Ferry required (2)
Acceptable road walking (0)
Unacceptable road walking (0)
Dangerous road crossings (0)
Present at time of survey Walking on paths beside roads (2)
Not present at time of survey Walking on verges beside roads (2)
Not present at time of survey Railway crossings (2)
Not present at time of survey River crossings (2)
Not present at time of survey Cattle possible (2)
Not present at time of survey Horses possible (2)
Not present at time of survey Tidal area (2)
Potential falls (0)
Present at time of survey Exposed to elements (2)
Not present at time of survey Remote area (2)
Not present at time of survey Mountainous area (2)
Not present at time of survey Military training area (2)
Not present at time of survey No visible path (2)
Not present at time of survey Seasonal nesting birds (2)
Not present at time of survey Other hazards (2)

Accessibility

Is this route step and stile free?

Present at time of survey Free of stiles (2)
Free of single steps/kerbs (0)
Free of flights of steps (0)
Not present at time of survey Free of other obstacles (2)

Measurements

Surveyors were asked to measure the narrowest and steepest parts of paths.

The narrowest part of the path is 37.5cm (2)

The steepest uphill gradient walking East 7.0% (2)

The steepest uphill gradient walking West 6.3% (2)

The steepest camber gradient across the path 0.5% (2)

How clear is the waymarking on the route: Unclear in places (2)

Successfully completed

We asked route surveyors "Have you successfully completed this route with any of the following? If so, would you recommend it to someone with the same requirements?". Here is how they replied.

Small Pug-sized dog (0)
Small Labrador-sized dog (0)
Large St. Bernard-sized dog (0)
Standard pram (0)
Off-road rugged pram (0)
Standard wheelchair (0)
Off-road rugged wheelchair (0)
Standard mobility scooter (0)
Off-road rugged mobility scooter (0)

Recommended by an expert

We asked route surveyors "Are you a trained access professional, officer or expert? If so, is this route suitable for someone travelling with any of the following?" Here is how they replied.

Small Pug-sized dog (0)
Small Labrador-sized dog (0)
Large St. Bernard-sized dog (0)
Standard pram (0)
Off-road rugged pram (0)
Standard wheelchair (0)
Off-road rugged wheelchair (0)
Standard mobility scooter (0)
Off-road rugged mobility scooter (0)

Terrain

We asked route surveyors to estimate how much of the route goes through different kinds of terrain.

7.5% of the route is on roads (2)

7.5% of the route is lit at night (2)

99.0% of the route is paved (2)

1.0% of the route is muddy (2)

There is no data on rough ground

There is no data on long grass

Report a problem with this data

2 surveys

Information from verified surveys.

2X March 2022 by Geopenny
Read survey
1X March 2024 by Mary Oz
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Geography information system (GIS) data

Total length

Maximum elevation

Minimum elevation

Start and end points

Shotton
Grid Ref SJ3069368861
Lat / Lon 53.21229° / -3.03927°
Easting / Northing 330,693E / 368,861N
What3Words ambient.happier.inspects
Chester
Grid Ref SJ4052966286
Lat / Lon 53.19034° / -2.89153°
Easting / Northing 340,529E / 366,286N
What3Words bridge.assist.chair

Shoche One's land is

Arable 37.4%
Estuary 5.7%
Pasture 28.1%
Urban 28.7%

Data: Corine Land Cover (CLC) 2018

reviews


Mary Oz

21 Mar 2024 Spring

There were a few small inaccuracies with the plotting which I found slightly irritating, but they didn’t prevent me following the route. I walked from Shotton during a weekday morning. There were very few walkers, but loads of cyclists, and some of them couldn’t resist the temptation of the dead straight, well-surfaced route, and whizzed past pretty fast, and none of them used bells. So, it’s advisable to stay close to the edge of the path and only move in a predictable way.
Regarding accessibility, the slanting cycle barriers narrow to 40 cm at the height of 140cm. And crucially, you need to use a stepped footbridge over the lower railway line at Shotton. There is a step-free alternative suggested on ShoChe Two if you want it though.
I didn’t find the walk as quiet as expected – there was a hum from the industry on the opposite bank for a long way, and later on a lot of light aircraft from Hawarden Airport. Also, there was the sound of shooting from the shooting school.
This route would be very exposed to bad weather, and for most of the way there weren’t really any practical “escape” routes to any facilities. However, there was a café over the footbridge at Higher Ferry about 62% through the route, open Wed-Sat lunch times.
Enough negativity though! It was actually a really nice, easy route, with almost no map-reading needed. There was lots of wildlife to be spotted – cormorant, buzzard, lapwing, woodpecker, lark etc. There were extensive, open views all around, particularly towards the Clwyd hills and Moel Famau, and also the mid-Cheshire Sandstone Ridge around Peckforton.
There were some notable bridges along the route, particularly Jubilee Lift Bridge on the B5441, which I think used to be the main route from the Wirral into North Wales. It is a double rolling bascule bridge, although it no longer functions as a lift bridge, but it is still in use as a road bridge. It was also interesting seeing lots of wooden remains of old piers and wharves. The walk into Chester passed some interesting historic buildings too, of course!.


David Sanderson

25 Nov 2023 Autumn

An amazing Slow Way. Safe, direct and very easy to follow. Including the start of the Welsh Coastal Path is rather special, I suspect it might be the longest straight section in the network. So easy, so relaxing, amongst wide open space, it allows a massive amount of thinking time. The section through Shotton railway station was slightly unnerving to follow, but was unavoidable. Magic! 5 stars!.


Hiking Historian

17 Feb 2023 Winter

Almost fully accessible route for all (as ever, the steps at Shotton station are a problem for wheeled users), mostly along the wide tarmacced path that runs along the embankment aside the Dee, with only one road crossing along the way until we hit Chester.

It is well-used by both walkers and cyclists alike, and there is the odd bench along the way to stop for breaks. It moves from industrial Shotton into the countryside, before once more returning to the industrial and urban areas of Chester.

With transportation links and shopping at both ends, this is a pleasant, albeit exposed, wander from Wales into England.


Team Tato

27 Mar 2022 Spring

An almost perfectly accessible, well-paved, and almost entirely off road route that closely follows the Dee Coastal Path. We walked it from Chester to Shotton, and - although very practical and a good candidate for the Slow Ways network - it would probably be more interesting to cycle this route as at a walking pace the view gets very monotonous. Additionally, and though not presenting many issues when following the route, its plotting through Chester is more as the crow flies from point to point than following actual paths.


Geopenny

08 Oct 2021 Autumn

Took this route in the Chester -> Shotton direction, mostly to avoid having to climb the 4% grade (1:25) Canal St/S View Rd leg at the end of the trip! Other than that stretch, the entire route is off-road on shared cycle/pedestrian paths, generally flat and almost entirely paved (main exception is the short bit through the Cop park on Sealand Rd to get onto the Wales Coast Path). While that should make it excellent for a wide range of users, unfortunately gates have been installed at most entrances/exits to the path, many of which are incompatible with wheelchairs/mobility scooters, and some of which are challenging even for cyclists - hence only 4 stars awarded. There are about half a dozen of the 'slalem' style gates, which are generally navigable at a snail's pace, but the bigger problem is the slanted gates, which are not even wide enough for my bike to get through without dismounting and wriggling (see final photo). Considering my handlebars are 59cm wide at ~1m off the ground, and wheelchair-accessible doorways are typically 80cm wide, that's not remotely mobility friendly. Barrier-free access is only possible from Sealand Rd, Bumpers Ln, Hawarden Bridge train station (must use level crossing and manual gates) or via the Millennium Greenway. Slalem gates are found at Ferry Ln. (-> Chester direction only) and Jubilee Bridge/B5441 (-> Chester only; -> Shotton has a slanted gate just beyond the slalem). The rest have slanted gates. There are also some very narrow/angular sections around cross-roads (particularly Ferry Ln) and some rather confusing signposting (Ferry Ln again and Jubilee Bridge/B5441, Shotton side).
However, once on the path, you are rewarded with some spectacular views in a remarkably quiet setting, complete with benches at regular intervals for contemplation and rest. And for cyclists, the path connects neatly with NR 568, 563 and 5 via the Millennium Greenway and cross-roads. Bonus pleasure - due to some loose boards on the pedestrian/cycle path adjacent to the railway bridge between Hawarden Bridge and Shotton, crossing the bridge on a bike results in a rhythmic 'chu-chun' sound like a steam train on rails... For reference, the loop from Chester to Shotton and back via the Millennium Greenway at a gentle cycling pace took about 1.5 hours (15.6 miles).


ElaineT

03 May 2021 Spring

Enjoyed walking from Chester, thru golf course to pick up Dee path on the other bank of river to main path. Short road section ( by GoOutdoors) but lovely wander and path. Only walked to first bridge at Garden city before crossing river and walking back in to chester - total 7 miles.

  • Mary Oz

    Mary Oz

    11 Feb 2022

    This is NOT a review of Shoche 1 Slow Way, and as such you should not have verified this route. You've just described your own route that doesn't even go to Shotton.

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Distance

13km/8mi

Ascent

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Descent

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