Explore the Riverside Promenade Trail

New sections of a purpose-built Promenade are now open along the Little Roodee, Roodee and New Crane Wharf in Chester. These have been constructed with the support from a variety of funders including the EU Water in Historic City Centres ( WIHCC ) project.

Click on the attached PDFs for information about a trail along this section of riverside, a potted history of the River Dee in Chester and an explanation of the various heritage features that can be seen along the route.

 

 

 

• Riverside Trail Route and Features   File 322KB 
• Riverside History and Heritage Leaflet  File 1.11MB
• Riverside History and Heritage (web version) 

 

 

Please Note: Because the original trail guide has been produced as an A2 (42cm x 59.4cm) sheet, folded to a 'pocket-sized' A5 leaflet (14.8cm x 21cm), you may prefer an original copy. The trail leaflets can be picked up free of charge at the following outlets:

• Chester History and Heritage and Chester's Grosvenor Museum
• Tourist Information Centres in Chester and Cheshire Oaks
• Libraries in West Cheshire
• Supermarkets and other outlets in the Chester area that have a 'Get Smart' leaflet stand.   

Riverside Ecology

This trail leaflet explains some of the history and cultural heritage of this section of Chester's riverside . However, you might be interested to know that the River Dee is also nationally and internationally important for its natural heritage.

The River Dee has been designated under national legislation as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) (external link) and under the European Union's habitats directive as a Special Conservation Area (SAC) (external link). 

One important aspect of both designations is the presence in the river of the Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar). These fish migrate from the sea up the River Dee to spawn (release their eggs and breed) in its upper tributaries in Wales. Salmon along with other migratory and non-migratory fish have, over the ages, helped support the fishery that developed below Chester's weir as explained in the leaflet. To help conserve fish stocks a fish pass (Salmon Steps) has been built through the weir so that migrating salmon and other species can negotiate this otherwise formidable obstacle and reach their spawning grounds.

WIHCC:

 

The trail leaflet has been produced by Chester City Council and funded by the EU WIHCC project.

WIHCC is a European trans-national project supported by the Interreg IIIB programme for north-west Europe. Participating cities are: Breda and 's-Hertogenbosch (The Netherlands), Ghent and Mechelen (Belgium), Limerick (Eire) as well as Chester (UK). The project is concerned with the role of water as an asset in historic town centres including opportunities for enhancing water management, mobility, tourism, the urban economy, and access to ecology and cultural heritage. 

For more information on this initiative visit www.wihcc.eu (external link)