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Visitor moorings in Chester - recommendations?


Martin Megson

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We moored in the basin in summer of 2015. It was terrific. Last year we moored up at Christleton (near the Black Cat) pub and walked in several time (buses are available)

 

We disovered that there is a huge building site on the none towpath side (flats?) which may make a big difference to mooring.

 

Rog

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Immediately above Northgate locks is a narrow dark cutting, and not good for mooring. There are some good moorings a bit further back between Frodsham Street and the corner of the city walls.

 

I think Rog, above, meant "Cheshire Cat" in Christleton, not "Black Cat". Agree there are lots of good moorings on that stretch and the best buses into the centre are from the Park and Ride.

 

The basin below Northgate is a great mooring.

 

MP.

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Only places I wouldn't moor in Chester is the stretch immediately above Northgate locks, or the pound above Hoole Lane lock, other than that it's all really nice. My personal preference is the Steam Mill/Waitrose pound, but being 'inner city' there is quite a bit of footfall until bed time. Telfords Basin (below staircase) is very noisy during the day at the moment due to building work, but if you're going to be out and about during the day then it's a credible option as it's a lot quieter in the evenings if that's what you prefer.

 

Are you planning to go up to Ellesmere Port? Please do, it's a lovely under used stretch and at this time of year it'll be your own private canal.

Edited by junior
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I agree we were there in October and moored not far from Waitrose and in the basin below the locks. We had good food and excellent blues music in Telfords Warehouse pub.

We found the broad locks quite hard work - the very low geared paddles take a lot of winding up - about 40turns per paddle. We are used to the almost 1 to 1 gearing on the Soar. But the trip into Chester was well worth making.

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Only places I wouldn't moor in Chester is the stretch immediately above Northgate locks, or the pound above Hoole Lane lock, other than that it's all really nice. My personal preference is the Steam Mill/Waitrose pound, but being 'inner city' there is quite a bit of footfall until bed time. Telfords Basin (below staircase) is very noisy during the day at the moment due to building work, but if you're going to be out and about during the day then it's a credible option as it's a lot quieter in the evenings if that's what you prefer.

 

Are you planning to go up to Ellesmere Port? Please do, it's a lovely under used stretch and at this time of year it'll be your own private canal.

 

Some terrific pubs in Chester - I could hardly do justice to them when I was there. Stoak is a pleasant mooring (just before Bridge 138) with a walk along the track past the church to a very pleasant pub and good bus service back to Chester or to Ellesmere Port, which however is a dump bit of a disappointment apart from the museum area.

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As you enter Chester there are some 2 hour moorings outside a canal side supermarket, but I can't remember the name, Tesco is also close to the canal at Cow Bridge.

Edit

There is water tap by the dry dock in the basin and also one above lock 5

 

This bit of map is from Waterway Routes http://www.waterwayroutes.co.uk/wr/

 

 

post-261-0-94199200-1484909875_thumb.jpg

Edited by ditchcrawler
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Tesco, I think, is nearest to Northgate Bridge 123E. I also seem to recall (we only stopped for shopping) that there is a noisy ventilation duct close by that I would not have wanted to moor overnight next to. Amusingly, I also recall a sign that requested boaters to be quiet!

 

Waitrose is earlier before the Steam Mill, between bridges 123B and 123A, opposite the shot tower.

 

in 2015 we moored close to the Old Trooper as we had been told that it was just a few minutes to the Park and Ride. Whilst this did work out very well for us, we had two young grand children with us at the time, the pedestrian route to the P&R was not quite as obvious as we had been led to believe. If you do use this, make sure you know where you are going!

 

Between Chester and Ellesmere Port there is a large Sainsbury not a long walk from, I think it is, Stanney Mill Bridge, 141. There is a surprisingly well signed cycle way and a pedestrian entrance just off the large roundabout at Junction 10 on the M53.

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We moored at Christleton when there was some sort of medieval festival on and it was a really nice atmosphere in the village (although it was a surprise to see men in chainmail wandering about until we found out about the festival). The moorings were busy then and had we not squeezed in, I think we would have continued to Chester as there didn't look anywhere very appealing after the locks.

 

We really enjoyed our first trip to Ellesmere Port (and still remember getting the cheapest bottle of gas ever on the way) but we didn't make it on our second trip. After 4 stops in about half a mile to clear the weed hatch of plastic bags etc. in we decided to turn back. This was just after the zoo where we had a lovely overnight mooring.

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Hi

we moor near Chester and go in quite often, we usually moor up somewhere near the Mecca Bingo Hall. We don't go down the Northgate Locks if we don't have too because they are quite hard work. There is a big Tesco nearby and it is handy for the city centre. There are moorings all the way from Chemistry Lock including some outside Waitrose which are stop and shop .

The basin is also good and is a bit quieter but it's not as convenient for the city centre.

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Thanks again. I'm now moored up between Waitrose and the Steam Mill for a few days. I'll drop through the staircase to the basin next week as I'll need the services.

The water point at tbe dry dock takes a bit kf finding, but it's there. If I remember correctly, there's an elsan point hidden in one of the buildings round there too.
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Hi

 

The water point is on the left just outside the dry dock and the elsan is over the redundant lock abit hidden away !

There is now a new services block opposite the drydock the water point is still on the end of the drydock, I don't know whats in the service block as I didnt go into it.

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There are toilets and showers in the new service block, in the new building opposite side to the dry dock. All very clean and well maintained when we were down there.

 

Let us know, for future reference what you think to the various moorings you use please Martin.

 

Rog

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Martin it. Seems we are following in yourfoot steps. Presently in Lymm. But heading for Chester. Not sure if you will still be there when we eventually get there. We don't rush about.

 

Waiting for Doctors practice to send request for prescription to chemist here. Only 48 hour mooring. Not sure how hot Sonny will be in moving us on. We like Lymm very much. No water supplies though, may move on and walk back or bus back to collect prescription. Didn't realise Peel Holdings moorings are not fourteen days in winter. Perhaps they are.

 

Will look out for you Nartin. Edit- I'm Martyn not Nartin!

Edited by Nightwatch
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