Chester

Cheshire


Slow Ways linking Chester and Buckley, Ellesmere Port, Helsby, Kelsall, Shotton, Tattenhall, Wrexham

Progress towards triple-checked route options for Chester’s seven Slow Ways: 54%

Drawn: 7/7
reviewed: 6/7
verified: 1/7
and surveyed: 1/7

Help connect Chester

Many Slow Ways have several route options. Some will be better than others, or good for different reasons.

Our goal is for each Slow Way to have at least one route that is verified and surveyed. To be verified – and get its snail badge – a route needs at least three positive reviews.

Give a hike and help get a for every one of Chester’s Slow Ways.

Walk to Chester from further afield

Slow Way Route To do
Buckley—Chester
Bucche one Pioneer me Distance 19km/11mi Ascent 172m Descent 303m
Chester—Helsby
Chehel one

Review me Distance 17km/11mi Ascent 119m Descent 114m
Chester—Kelsall
Chekel one Pioneer me Distance 15km/10mi Ascent 72m Descent 124m
Chester—Kelsall
Chekel two Review me Distance 14km/9mi Ascent - Descent -
Chester—Tattenhall
Chetat one Review me Distance 15km/9mi Ascent 36m Descent 47m
Ellesmere Port—Chester
Ellche one

Double check Distance 15km/9mi Ascent 81m Descent 72m
Ellesmere Port—Chester
Ellche two Review me Distance 15km/9mi Ascent 96m Descent 81m
Ellesmere Port—Chester
Ellche three Review me Distance 14km/9mi Ascent 89m Descent 74m
Ellesmere Port—Chester
Ellche four Review me Distance 15km/9mi Ascent - Descent -
Shotton—Chester
Shoche one Enjoy me Distance 12km/8mi Ascent 149m Descent 130m
Wrexham—Chester
Wreche one Double check Distance 21km/13mi Ascent 172m Descent 233m
Wrexham—Chester
Wreche two Pioneer me Distance 19km/12mi Ascent - Descent -

Collective progress

48% of Chester’s routes are drawn, reviewed, surveyed and/or verified

12/12

drawn

9/12

reviewed

1/12

surveyed

1/12

verified

9 people have contributed to Chester’s Slow Ways

1 people have pledged to walk and review a route

1 people have surveyed a route in Chester

137km out of 190km have been walked and reviewed

236km of reviews have been shared in Chester

Latest Updates

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....

Hiking Historian

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Into Little Barrow, yet another short stretch of unpaved road, albeit with wide verges, before crossing more fields. Another stretch of quiet unpaved road follows, before using footpaths through fields of cattle to Dunham-on-the-Hill....

Hiking Historian

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Wrexham—Chester

Hiking Historian pledged to walk Wreche two

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The route started well from Chester and soon got me via an accessible route on to the Shropshire Union Canal. Ellche Three then follows the canal all the way to Ellesmere Port and this was the route I was following to start with but reached a "towpath closed" sign just north of Chester Zoo. A lack of places to stop is a serious problem for this route, the only one I encountered was a cafe at the Harley Davidson showroom as you reach the outskirts of Ellesmere Port....

David Sanderson

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Ellesmere Port—Chester

David Sanderson added Ellche four, a new walk from Ellesmere Port to Chester

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In agreement with the other two reviewers that the footpath from Stoak does not connect with the towpath. This route should not be used...

David Sanderson

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The path out of Kelsall starts well, but as the walk progresses, was terribly overgrown, but passable, in places. Beyond Tarvin, and its supermarket the walk improved greatly....

David Sanderson

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David Sanderson took this photo on Chekel two

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Chester—Kelsall

David Sanderson added Chekel two, a new walk from Chester to Kelsall

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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....

Team Tato

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geopenny surveyed Shoche one

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Ellesmere Port—Chester

Hiking Historian added Ellche three, a new walk from Ellesmere Port to Chester

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Ellesmere Port—Chester

Hiking Historian added Ellche two, a new walk from Ellesmere Port to Chester

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As Paul says in his review, the Stoak dogleg, as it exists, is not doable due to the footpath over the canal from Stoak does not connect to the towpath due to hedges and barbed wire. The Chester exit from the canal also needs a tidy, something I'll do in an updated route....

Hiking Historian

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Hiking Historian took this photo on Ellche one

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From Ellesmere Port to the housing estate on Cromwell Road, a good, wide pavement with ramps, but as it becomes an industrial estate there are no ramps, so cyclists and wheelchairs will have to keep to the road, a quiet cul de sac. The towpath is a mixture of tarmac and concrete. Once back on the canal, a mixture of tarmac, concrete, and loose stone....

Hiking Historian

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This route is hopefully accessible to all, although narrow passages under bridges may exclude larger motorised wheelchairs. Past Stoak, a mixture of tarmac, concrete, and loose stone....

Hiking Historian

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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. (-> Chester direction only) and Jubilee Bridge/B5441 (-> Chester only; -> Shotton has a slanted gate just beyond the slalem)....

geopenny

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Mickle Trafford to Plemstall Church: quiet roads, some with pavements. Primrose Lane to Helsby: pavements, initially on quiet roads then alongside the very busy Chester Road....

walker99

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The route was walked from Chester (The Cross) to the Helsby (row of shops on the Chester Road including Post Office) on Friday 18.06.2021 (late morning/ afternoon) – joined by two friends for the whole route. At Mickle Trafford there is the option of resting and taking refreshments at Meadow Lee Farm Coffee Shop on Station Lane. This includes a short section along the B5132 from Wildmoor Lane to Rose Farm which has no pavement and requires crossing a narrow road bridge. It was felt that the section between Chester and Mickle Trafford is accessible to most users being city streets then purpose-built greenway with no obvious barriers. In the row of shops that mark the end of the current Slow Way on Chester Road (Helsby) there was a café (The Old Bank Tea Rooms) which although closing, once they realised that we had walked from Chester, very kindly kept open and provided hot drinks and cakes. The walk along the Chester Road (A56) in Helsby felt unpleasant and a possible alternative could be to follow Robin Hood Lane northwards from Latham Avenue to emerge at the Chester Road closer the row of shops/ Post Office and tea rooms....

Peregrinating Paul

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Peregrinating Paul took this photo on Chehel one

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Chester

Alan Pimm surveyed Chester

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The route was walked from Chester (The Cross) to Ellesmere Port (Railway Station) on Tuesday 18.05.2021 (afternoon) – joined by friend (and dog) after Bridge no. Much of the route is level since it follows the towpath of the Shropshire Union Canal between Northgate Locks (Chester) to Bridge no. The surface of the towpath varies and is generally smooth between Chester’s Canal Basin to Knolls Bridge. From Knolls Bridge to Caughall Bridge it has recently been resurfaced and has much loose gravel-sized chippings, but these appear to be consolidating with use. From Caughall Bridge the towpath has many broken surfaces and consequently is rather uneven in places. Notably, the first seat after Chester’s Canal Basin was at Caughall Bridge and then a couple of benches alongside the towpath at Stoak (near Bridge no. 136). At Ellesmere Port Station there are two options to cross the railway line – a shorter route via a steep and stepped footbridge from Whitby Road or a slightly longer route via the roadside pavement on the A5032 road bridge....

Peregrinating Paul

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Peregrinating Paul took this photo on Ellche one

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This offers reasonable wheelchair access (fairly flat, but bumpy in places, hard surface) at least until Egg Bridge, Waverton. In very dry weather this could allow wheelchair access - at least until the route moves away from the towpath at Nixon's bridge....

Alan Pimm

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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....

ElaineT

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Most importantly, I would urge using Wrexham Road with its safe, wide pavements instead of deviating via Rake Lane which has fast moving traffic and no footway making it a much less safe and accessible walk....

Jammyscone

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Wrexham—Chester

Jammyscone added Wreche two, a new walk from Wrexham to Chester

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Chester

Memphis Al surveyed Chester

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Buckley—Chester

Slow Ways added Bucche one, a new walk from Buckley to Chester

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Chester—Helsby

Slow Ways added Chehel one, a new walk from Chester to Helsby

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Chester—Kelsall

Slow Ways added Chekel one, a new walk from Chester to Kelsall

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Chester—Tattenhall

Slow Ways added Chetat one, a new walk from Chester to Tattenhall

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Ellesmere Port—Chester

Slow Ways added Ellche one, a new walk from Ellesmere Port to Chester

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Shotton—Chester

Slow Ways added Shoche one, a new walk from Shotton to Chester

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Wrexham—Chester

Slow Ways added Wreche one, a new walk from Wrexham to Chester

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1

Chester, Sat 25 March

12°

Cloudy

Chester’s Slow Ways starting point

Grid ref

SJ4052966286

Lat / Lon

53.19034° / -2.89153°

Easting / Northing

340,529E / 366,286N

Facilities

Users have reported that the following facilities can be found within 1km of Chester's meeting point

Public toilet

Wheelchair accessible toilet

Supermarket or convenience shop

Restaurant, cafe or pub

Accommodation

Accommodation for under £50 a night

Campsite

Bothy

Free wifi

Mobility scooter hire

Off-road wheelchair hire

Disabled Parking

Train station

Bus stop

Ferry

Official ‘Walkers are Welcome’ town

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