River Dee

Chester sits on the beautiful River Dee and a short stroll from the city centre, you can enjoy all that the river has to offer. In the summer, pubs and restaurants have outdoor seating and the boat trips up and down the waterway are in full swing. In winter, just walking on the river banks or spending time on the beautiful Queen’s Park suspension bridge are a great way to relax. There’s always something happening down by the river and as such it’s a great place to hang out.

The Roman Chester City Walls border the river in places up to the Old Dee Bridge and Chester Castle. As such, if you’re walking the walls you will see some of the river. It’s worth coming back though to spend more time in the area. We walked all the way down the river bank and enjoyed ‘The Groves’ particularly. This is basically the area between the suspension bridge (pictured above) and the Old Dee Bridge. It’s basically the traditional recreational area with historic buildings, boat trips and benches for enjoying the view.

One of the best ways to enjoy the river is to take a boat ride. Most boat trips leave from the Groves and we’d recommend the half hour city cruise run by ChesterBoat. You can check out latest prices and availability here: Chester City Cruise. A longer 2 hour trip to to the picturesque Aldford Iron Bridge on the Duke of Westminster’s Eaton Estate is also popular. Small boat hire is also available on the river if you prefer the DIY approach! You can even take a canoe tour! Other highlights on the river include the Weir at Handbridge and a small ferry crossing between Sandy Lane and the Meadows about 2.5 miles east of the city centre. The ferry can be taken at weekends in the summer months.

LOCATION & MAP

This map shows the location of the Queen’s Park suspension bridge at the Groves, but you can move it around to see other locations on the River Dee. The Chester Hop-on, Hop-off Bus Tour stops nearby too.