We turn left onto the surfaced track (the lower path may be flooded at high tide) and take the ramped path up onto Hawarden Bridge, then follow the obvious cyclepath past the station. Where the canal divides we cross an old horse bridge over to the middle bank opposite the Telford Warehouse, then follow the canal past another basin and under the city walls to Morgans Mount (where there is a choice of steps or a ramped path)....

Hugh Hudson

A good direct route mostly on the Wales Coast Path. (i) the path across the saltmarsh east of Flint may be flooded at times of very high tides....

Hugh Hudson

Mainly signposted as Wales Coast path (except for small deviation over a stepped footbridge and minor tarmac path near Dee View Road Connahs Quay). Unfortunately a lot of road/pavement walking......

Howard White

Whilst well surfaced throughout, there are steps and width restricted barriers to navigate, which unfortunately creates issues for wheelchair users - Shoche Two does however provide a more accessible route....

Dannywith

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. However, there was a café over the footbridge at Higher Ferry about 62% through the route, open Wed-Sat lunch times. 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....

Mary Oz

From Shotton the route follows a quiet road with speed humps for step free access to Hawarden Bridge. From here the route is nearly all shared use cycle track, although it does include several cycle barriers which slope in to a gap of 40cm at the top at a height of about 1.5 metres. After a long gentle curve, the route is dead straight for four and a half miles....

Mary Oz

Unfortunately, about 40%-50% of the route is along main roads, but it is the most direct route and is probably the best available as it is all part of the Wales Coast Path. Where the route finally left the road again at Golftyn, I briefly struggled to find the path – it was right alongside some housing the far side of the car sales yard, and not through the car sales yard as indicated on the OS Map....

Mary Oz

The pathfinding through Burntwood whilst it gives the right impression isn't nearly accurate enough, especially as it uses footpaths and roads on a residential estate, and once at the Mormon church, there isn't really a footpath to the footbridge over the A494 except through bushes or on often boggy grass; it's easier to go through the small industrial estate car parks....

Hiking Historian

There's some time away from the main road as you pass the power station but then you rejoin it to enter Flint. The section of pavement into Flint is the least enjoyable of the walk as the road is busy, but there are a few interesting historical buildings on the way. A promenade leads to Flint Castle and the Life Boat Station and it's a short walk into town from there....

David Sanderson

Including the start of the Welsh Coastal Path is rather special, I suspect it might be the longest straight section in the network....

David Sanderson

Access was still possible through the gate a little further down the road, but the field had been planted perpendicular to the route of the public access path, with no space around the edges to avoid trampling on the growing corn. As the road became rutted and gravelly after this point, and wasn't marked as public access on the Flintshire map, I turned around to pursue a different set of public access paths from the farm at the 90deg bend in Starkey Ln. Not wanting to give up, the least bad option at this point was to divert via the main road into Northop, and from there follow Connah's Quay Rd back towards the other end of Starkey Ln. There is a public access path at the end of Starkey Ln through a cow field, which eventually brings you out on the main road at the point where the pavement starts. However, you have to leave the field via the access road (2 gates to climb), not the overgrown public access point/stile, and you have to cross a 60mph road to get to the pavement (do not do this at rush hour due to commuting traffic from the A55). The official route continued through the next few fields to the junction of Connah's Quay Rd and Smithy Ln, but as I'd had more than enough of pulling thorns out of my fingers at this point I went up Starkey Ln to Connah's Quay Rd and hugged the verge for the short distance up to Smithy Ln (50mph main road - be very careful). However, the farmers were busy in a further field collecting the grass (not sure hay or silage), and so I ended up exiting early through a marked public access gate out of the second field, emerging onto Alun Close in Northop Hall. It is worth noting that the road section between Ewloe and Wepre Lane in Northop Hall is a major commuter route for those using the A494 to reach Connah's Quay, and at certain times of day crossing the road here will be impossible/hazardous....

geopenny

It is easy to see how this route earned its snail - a route that takes in pretty villages, scenic views and a variety of terrains, and provides multiple options for breaks and refreshments along the way. There are a number of food/toilet options directly on the route, from supermarkets/convenience stores in Neston and Shotton, to pubs in Little Neston and Shotton and cafes in Denhall and Puddington....

geopenny

A short unpaved section, and, once more, many fields and tracks to the crossroads just outside Northop Hall, where we have a crossing and another unpaved road, but only for a few yards. A short footpath takes us away from an uphill unpaved stretch of road to a paved one, which we follow before taking the footpath into, and through, Wepre Park, a wooded country park with good paths, and also Ewloe Castle....

Hiking Historian

It starts well, and has some great rural footpaths, but there's many errors with this route in terms if access and safety....

Hiking Historian

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

Burton is a lovely little village, but the road through it, and away, is more unpaved roads, hedges on each side, proving to be blind corners in places. The path takes an unnecessary kink around a field before the bridge (much easier to stay on the main path following the line of the old railway), but this route properly shows the means of which to navigate the confusing nature of the two Shotton stations to reach the main road beyond....

Hiking Historian

The path through Little Neston is along quiet unpaved roads, which are safe enough to use and often used by walkers. Burton is a lovely little village, but the road through it, and away, is more unpaved roads, hedges on each side, proving to be blind corners in places....

Hiking Historian

Second half of the walk was much more interesting than the first half, with historic halls and farmhouses in the 3 villages and open views across the Dee to the Welsh hills....

DerbyshireBBguide

I haven't walked the whole of this route, but I have walked NesSho Three (in attempting NesSho One) which starts from Shotton along the same route....

Mary Oz

You can walk directly alongside the railway from the northbound (west side) platform of the high-level station next to the start of the route. This path continues over the low-level railway line, and descends a flight of stairs onto the low-level station. You then need to cross under the high-level line to reach the cycle track that goes through a narrow cycle barrier, then cross the River Dee on the east side of the railway bridge....

Mary Oz

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

Second half of the walk was much more interesting than the first half, with historic halls and farmhouses in the 3 villages and open views across the Dee to the Welsh hills....

DerbyshireBBguide

Wheelchairs are excluded right from the off at Shotton station, due to the only access to the lower station being via stairs, but there are also stiles and kissing gates later on....

Hiking Historian

We had problems knowing exactly where to walk as we set off from Shotton as the route just flies from the start point over the low level railway line and over the river above the railway bridge....

Mary Oz

The Neston end may be too muddy, and lots of kissing gates, for bikes or wheelchairs, and there are pinch gates and stairs at Shotton station, but rest of the route is along a good stretch of quiet road or wide paths, with a section of boardwalk. Despite a brief excursion through an industrial estate, it's a lovely walk along a nice stretch of the Dee salt marsh....

Hiking Historian

An easy walk that for most of it's length follows an established paved cycle route, saying that the first mile or so down to the Dee Marshes doesn't, the last part of this section to the bottom of Marshlands Road and The Harp Inn can be very muddy when wet, The route then follows the edge of the Marshes (popular with bird watchers) to Deeside, the section through the Ind. Est. shouldn't spoil your enjoyment....

Dermot Byrne

A straightforward route that is flat and mostly paved although you do need to watch out for speeding bikes and those cyclists who also don't ring their bells to warn you....

Mike111

A brief walk round an industrial estate but pavements throughout....

Philippa

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

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