Underdressed in Chester

Cruising into Chester at twilight

Two years ago, following our last Narrowboat trip, we spent a week in the city of Chester, and really enjoyed it. While exploring the city we discovered that the canal runs right along the old city walls, so when planning this trip I worked Chester into it. After all, last time I was only able to visit about ten of the 50 pubs within the walled city.

Mooring by the city walls

This time, we cruised into the city and found a mooring spot right beside the city walls. A short walk along the canal and we went through the gate into the city. As soon as we found the old section of the city, we were surrounded by crowds of people all dressed up. Men in suits and women in evening gowns and high heels. Although it was pouring rain, no one was wearing raincoats, and only a few had umbrellas. It was cool, but most of the girls were dressed in just fancy dresses. This was not the Chester we recalled from two years ago. Looking for a place to eat was a challenge, as most places were packed and had long lines waiting.

Found a pub . . .

Finally finding a pub with a table for six, we asked what was going on. It was race weekend, and the big last horse race of the year at Chester Downs was tomorrow and everyone was celebrating.

Here we were all dressed for narrowboating in raingear (Yup, raining again today), so we really did not fit in with the crowds of race revelers in Chester this evening.

Lock Labor

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The first segment of this narrowboat trip was all about spectacular aqueducts, with a few

In the lock

tunnels thrown in for good measure. The second part where we went from Whitchurch into Chester was all about locks. We did a couple of single locks where our 70 foot boat just fits in, but a lot of the locks were double ones where two boats could fit in together. Most are made of stone and brick, but one was made entirely of Iron. All of the locks have unique features, making each one a little different. You never know what to expect until you get there, but enough us have worked enough locks that we have had no problems.

With six people on the boat we have become pretty efficient at working the locks. Here is a explanation of what is involved. Although all locks have a spot where you can pull over to let someone off to work the locks, we usually let someone off at the bridge before the lock and get them to go on ahead to get everything ready for the boat to go through.

Coming out

First you have to check if there is another boat which can use the lock first to take advantage of the water in the lock. If you are going down, and the lock is empty it is good to allow another boat coming up enter the lock and come up as you fill it. This time of year there are not as many boats on the canals, so only once have we had to do this and it was to our advantage. I arrived at a lock just as another boater was going to empty the lock to allow his boat to come up. I asked him to wait for our boat coming down and he happily did this. That way we slipped into the already full lock, emptied it, lowering our boat and then he came in to go up.

Normally you come to a lock and determine if it has to be filled or emptied. Each lock has

Another lock right ahead

doors on either end. The upper door is sometimes a single door as there is less water to go through at this end. The bottom doors are usually double. At each end there are paddles that allow the water in or out. If you need to fill the lock, you open the paddles at the upper end. If the lock has to be emptied the paddles at the lower end perform the task. These paddles are operated with a ratcheting gears drive that you operate with a special crank or “Windlass” which the crew always take off the boat with them. Some of the mechanisms are over 100 years old and sometimes a bit cranky. Our smallest crew member had to literally jump up to get enough leverage to move the windless.

Not getting much help here . . . .

Once the water level in the lock is equalized with the outside canal the doors can be opened. This is done via a foot square hardwood lever which is moved with sheer force. You lean back into it and slowly push it open by walking backwards on a short curved brick walkway. The doors will not move until the water is equalized and inexperienced or impatient lock workers can be seen trying in vain to push on the doors levers before they are ready. Once the boat leaves the lock, you close the doors, ensure all the paddles are closed and move on to the next lock.

Sharing with a swan

If the locks are not to far apart, the lock crew will usually just walk along the towpath to the next lock. With our six person crew, we often can send one person on to the next lock while someone stays behind to complete the lock labor on the lock the boat just left.

And then on to the next lock . . . .

Four Countries in 24 Hours

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No toll to walk . . .

Well, we are off on our latest adventure, this one another Narrowboat trip. It is actually two trips, each a seven day excursion. We pick up the boat in a little town called Whitchurch, and we take seven days to go into Wales and back, including crossing one of the longest and highest aqueducts. Next we are going back to Chester England, a quaint little town we visited following our last Narrowboat trip. Two years ago, we spent a week in Chester and

A "Local" we met on a Walk

really liked it. While there, I noticed the canal system runs right into Chester, so I thought it would be nice to go back to Chester on the Narrowboat.

To start this trip we fly out of Halifax Canada direct to Glasgow Scotland, on an overnight flight, getting into Glasgow with the rising sun the next day. We then picked up rental cars and drove on the "wrong" side of the road with no sleep, down through Scotland and Western England and into Wales. So, in less than 24 hours, we were in four countries, Canada, Scotland, England and Wales.

The Whole Gang on the Pier

We pick up the boat on Saturday, so we are spending two days here in Wales, visiting a town called Llandudno (Don’t ask me to pronounce that . . . ) Here are a few pictures from the town.

Lifeboat Garage - Bill & John were excited!

Glasgow is not Chester

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The New Glasgow

After spending a week in the quaint city of Chester, arriving in Glasgow came as a bit of a shock. Our Hotel is right in the city centre, and is old but very nice. However when Regis asked for a “City View”, she did not realize that the view from the front of the hotel mostly consisted of two derelict buildings. Our first walk around the area was not any better.  Finally finding a pub called “Hootenanny” (Seriously . . . in Scotland?), we discovered good beer

Glasgow Streets

and food and friendly people. We met a couple of locals from Italy and Poland (Yes they did live and work in Glasgow) who’s advice of things to see in Glasgow was the train to Edinburgh.

Regis and I however always find the best in any city or situation. The next day, after wading

Making the Old Look New

through hoards of runners (The Great Scottish Run), we found the tourist information centre and set out to explore Glasgow. By the end of the day, our hiking shoes had about five more hours of wear on their soles, and we had explored another cathedral, visited the necropolis, climbed to the top of a lighthouse (In the middle of a city), discovered a really cool art deco architect, rode the subway, and had supper in a pub in the catacombs under the city.

We Also Visited a Brewery

As we normally find, once you dig a bit you can find the soul of any city and there is usually lots to see and do in any city. Glasgow was an industrial city. The Lucitania, the first Queen Elizabeth and many of the early Cunard ships were built here, and the city’s shipyards are currently building the next generation of British warships. Some of the best steam locomotives were shipped all over the world from Glasgow. It never was a “Quaint” city it was always a gritty merchant and industrial city, and is very interesting as such. It has a rich history in Industry, business and architecture, and explored with this in mind it is fascinating.

The Inn Deep Pub

We spent the day today at the Riverside Museum Of Transportation (I feel a blog post coming on . .), and loved it. There is lots to see and do here. Oh BTW, on our city tour today we discovered that those two derelict buildings across from the hotel are a priority to renovate, restore or replace.

Glasgow is not Chester, it is however, a cool interesting city to visit.

So Many Pubs . . .So Little Time . . .

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A good English Brew!

England knows how to do beer. They therefore have also figured out how to serve it . . . the answer is simple . . in pubs.

All along the canals we explored during our first two weeks, there were pubs strategically placed at junctions, towns or beside the locks. Anywhere the boatsmen would have had to stop was a good spot to put a place to get a beer. We did manage to try out a few on our canal trip.

Here in Chester however they have taken the pub scene to a whole new level. There are over 50 pubs within walking distance of

A lie . . . these two do not know Beer

the apartment. There is one right next door, two up the street, and two immediately across the bridge. During our walks around Chester I am constantly finding new and interesting pubs.

The names of course sound like old English Pubs.

Bear & Billet

Falcon

Cross Keys

Old Queen’s Head

Pied Bull

Brewery Tap

Liverpool Arms

Pitcher & Piano

George & Dragon

The Brewery Tap

700 Year Old Cellar

My intent was to work my way through them, but OMG there are too many. I went to the Falcon on a recommendation of someone I met and the owner gave us a tour of the 700 year old cellars, and I saw the 200 year old oak barrels that he pulled my Ale from. I also had a pint in the Brewery Tap which claims to be 600 years old, and today on the way back from visiting the ruin of the original Chester Cathedral we stopped at the Cross Keys for a Green Monkey Lager in what they claim to be the 6^th oldest pub in the world. Ok, I am getting the idea that age here in Chester may be a relative thing . . . 

How am I ever going to be able to enjoy the Mic Mac Tavern with its ancient 6 month history?

Another Cathedral

For someone who is not at all religious I seem to end up in a lot of churches and cathedrals on my travels. If there is some hidden significance in that I am not sure what it is.

Yup that makes me want to attend church

Here in Chester the Cathedral is a significant landmark, and it stands above the town center, visible from almost anywhere. After walking the City Walls, and visiting the Chester Rows (the downtown two storied shopping areas) the Cathedral was next on the list of things to see.

It is not hard to find or get to. Walk downtown and you arrive at the cathedral, like most cathedrals, it is pretty much in the center of the city. On first sight, this one looks like most other cathedrals, made of stone and partially covered with scaffolding for restoration. Entry to the cathedral is free, but once inside you are heavily encouraged to book the “Chester Cathedral Height” tour which takes you up the main tower of the cathedral.

Beautiful tiled floors

I started out by simply wandering through the vast open spaces inside the cathedral. Unlike some of the fancier cathedrals I saw in Europe, which are finished with plaster, paint and brightwork inside, this one is mostly unadorned stone, This makes it dark and the beautiful stained glass windows only allow so much light inside. Fortunately my camera does a great job in low light, and my pictures actually show more detail than you see in person. I love finding interesting details such as the Magistrates room, or the old doors and locks everywhere.

Amazing Wood Carvings

In the center of the cathedral is a beautiful separate area done in wood that was amazing. I am sure that this room has some special name and purpose, but I just enjoyed the amazing carved woodwork. The wooden seating surrounding the pulpit were all carved with dragons, birds, snakes and very odd people. Looking closely, some of these were a bit creepy and disturbing. A dragon eating a man’s head, birds fighting snakes, grotesque looking people. The religious significance escaped me, but the work involved drew me in. What was most appreciated about this area, was that although I was asked not to “touch”, the area was not roped off, and I was free to explore and examine the individual woodwork.

After exploring he main cathedral, we decided to pay for and take the Tower Tour. It is advertised as Climb 216 steps, 125 feet, through 1000 years of history to look out over two countries, and five counties. Although that is a good description, you also get a tour of the

Horsehair in the walls

bells and get the see the Pipe Organ from above. The Bell Tower was especially interesting. The bells have been moved to a modern building next door (the guide described it as “The Rocket Ship”), because the constant ringing of the massive bells was actually vibrating the masonry of the tower apart. To reinforce the stone, and solidify the masonry, horse hair was once added to the mortar, and as you climb the narrow circling stairs your hands brush this hair protruding from the walls. That could be a bit unsettling if you did not have the explanation. The now unused bell ringing area is now set up as a demonstration are to explain all about the bells.

I think that is Beeston Castle on the hill

Our tour guide was a friendly young girl who seemed to take pride in her job and her city. She was a wealth of information, and knew the answer to most questions from all three of her visiting tourists on the tour. Did you know that the Curfew bell was rung every evening warning any visitors (Meaning he Welsh) to leave the city or be shot. Apparently anyone conversing in Welsh was considered to be plotting revolt so was open to being shot on sight. My heritage is English and Irish . . . . wonder what they did to the Irish? 

Subway . . Really?

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Regis waiting for the Subway

During our travels, we try not to have to depend on having a car. We like to rent places where we can use public transportation such as trains busses and Metro systems. We found the Subways in Japan amazing, the underground in London excellent, and enjoyed the historic Metro in Budapest. If there is an underground system where we visit, we always make use of it.

Normally, subways are only in the largest cities around the world. Halifax does not have one, and even Ottawa functions without a underground system, so we were surprised to see a sign pointing down a set of stairs to the “Subway” here in Chester. This is not a large city, so we certainly did not expect this.

Here was a stairway in the sidewalk leading down under the streets. We decided to have a look and headed down the stairs. As we descended the steps, the expected “Subway” sounds came up the stairs to greet us. We could hear the trains.

Subway Art

At the bottom of the stairs we were greeted by the expected underground “Subway” corridors. There were interesting paintings on the walls and exits lead in three other directions. They all led up to four other street corners. Nothing lead to an actual subway train. In the middle were four large fans making the “Subway Train” noises.

Chester’s Subway is simply a way to walk under one major intersection. It looked like a subway, it sounded like a subway, it was called a subway . . . but there were no actual subway trains. I guess it is actually a “Subway” . . . .

Walking the Wall

Walking the Walls

There is our canal again

Chester is a very old historic city. The most significant feature of the city is its almost intact city wall, built over 2000 years ago by the Romans to keep out the evil Welsh barbarians to the West. As well, because of the walls, space in the inner city was limited so a two level shopping district developed where there are not only shops along the street, but also shops overhanging the streets on a second level.

It is recommended that your first activity in Chester is to walk the old city walls. This takes you completely around the old city and gives you a good orientation of the area. Since we had a couple of hours to kill before the apartment was ready, we decided to do as we were told and take a walk around the city walls.

Chester Cathedral

It wasn’t difficult; crossing the bridge that the cottage sits beside, you come to the main city gate and you can climb stairs to the wall. Although there are a few gaps in the wall where roads have been inserted, or sections are under repair, the wall mostly does go all the way around the city center. We had to stop for a walk signal on one road intersecting the wall, and we were forced to descend to street level where one section was undergoing a major repair, but most of the way you can walk on top of the old wall. In sections the wall is not very high, but it is built on steep embankments, but other sections the wall looks down on the canal system outside and the city on the inside.

This will keep those Welsh out!

From the wall you can see the River Dee, the Shropshire Union Canal, the Chester Cathedral, and the inner-city pedestrian shopping streets, so it does give you a very useful introduction to Chester.

And a horse race - Who Knew?

The other thing you see from the wall is the Roodee Chester Racecourse, a beautiful facility for horse racing. It is the oldest horse race track in England, and on our first day we happened upon the last horse race of the season. What is nice about this, is although the race course has lots of internal seating and facilities for people to watch the races, you can see perfectly well by just finding a spot on the wall. On race day, they close the streets to vehicle traffic and a carnival atmosphere develops. If you want a beer, or wish to bet on a horse you must actually pay to go into the grounds, but if you just wish to watch the horses, you can do it for free. A really nice attitude, and the race course does not seem to be suffering by letting people watch for free – the grandstands were full and the general admission spots along the sides of the course were packed. We enjoyed seeing one of the races from a spot on the wall. Would have liked to have put money on number 8, he won with 7 – 1 odds. . . .