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Visitor moorings in Chester - recommendations?


Martin Megson

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Can everyone stop publicising the new showers and toilets please! They're the only ones i get to use that are always spotlessly clean and i put that down to nobody using them!

if I promise not to use them, will you still sell me supplies?
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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!

 

 

We're on the way up to Chester too. Looks like it's going to be busy. Worsley at the moment.

 

I'll be in the area till mid Feb so I'll keep an eye out.

Are you aware there a couple of closures at the end of the month. Beeston Locks from 30 Jan to 10 Feb and Bunbury locks from 8 Feb to 14 Feb.

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I'll be in the area till mid Feb so I'll keep an eye out.

Are you aware there a couple of closures at the end of the month. Beeston Locks from 30 Jan to 10 Feb and Bunbury locks from 8 Feb to 14 Feb.

 

To be honest I wasn't aware of those closures. I don't remember them anyway. I'll look again.

 

Edit. I have looked again. Yes, I do remember them, now! We had planned to pop to Nantwich to waste time. It's all clear now.

Edited by Nightwatch
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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

 

Just. quick update as requested. I've spent a week on the moorings between Waitrose and the Steam Mill which have bollards. Very handy for Waitrose obviously and only a short walk into the city centre. It is alongside a road but as this is a cul de sac there is very little traffic and I've not noticed any at night. Quite high footfall during the day, particularly morning and evening as people walk or cycle to work. The Steam Mill has a restaurant and bar but it's been surprising quiet at night, even Friday and Saturday, and I only heard the odd group chatting loudly as they passed.

  • Greenie 1
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Just to finish the story. I moved along to the visitor moorings just past bridge 123e for a couple of nights. These are alongside a grassed area leading up to the city walls and handy for Tesco, Iceland and the city centre. After that I dropped through the staircase locks to use the services in the basin and spent another peaceful night there. It is a bit noisy during the day due to the building of a large block of flats but quiet in the evening. After a pleasant couple of weeks in the city I'm now at Barbridge junction and will shortly head up the Llangollen. Thanks for the advice and I hope others find this useful info,

  • Greenie 2
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Thanks for the reports, it's a lovely city for certain.

 

A shame the museum was closed at Ellesmere, we enjoyed a few nights in the bottom basin, although the town was a little sad.

 

We also had a few days moored near the zoo. A lovely peaceful spot, and our day in the zoo was terrific too.

 

Thanks again,

 

Rog

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Well done for going up to Ellesmere Port, so many people don't bother for some reason. It's a lovely run from Chester to the Port and like having your own private canal for a few hours. It feels like one of those 'Use it or loose it' canals so you've done your bit, i just wish more would. To me there is no sense in taking the effort to go down Northgate Staircase and then not going as far as you can.

 

Granted the last half a mile into Ellesmere Port is a bit grubby, but again it's worth it to experience boating through the museum and there's not many places left like the bottom basin.

 

Did you get down into the bottom basin, or stop on the moorings outside the museum fence?

  • Greenie 1
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Bang right about the run in.

 

It really is just the last half mile that's a little grotty. From reports I'd heard, I was amazed that we no sooner noticed the 'grotfest' than we arrived at the museum. I was expecting a long run of graffiti and rubbish, but it's fine.

 

Rog

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It was a trip boat from the museum, with the outstanding views of trailer axles that was Mrs Hound's introduction to canalling. This was way back in 1977.

 

She was terrified of water when I met her, and the trip boat steerer obligingly ran aground, permitting me to show her just how shallow canals are.

 

Anyway my ploy worked coz she has been boating with me every year since :)

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Well done for going up to Ellesmere Port, so many people don't bother for some reason. It's a lovely run from Chester to the Port and like having your own private canal for a few hours. It feels like one of those 'Use it or loose it' canals so you've done your bit, i just wish more would. To me there is no sense in taking the effort to go down Northgate Staircase and then not going as far as you can.

 

Granted the last half a mile into Ellesmere Port is a bit grubby, but again it's worth it to experience boating through the museum and there's not many places left like the bottom basin.

 

Did you get down into the bottom basin, or stop on the moorings outside the museum fence?

I've been to Ellesmere Port by canal twice; once early 90s and too young to remember, but latterly in 2014. I found it pleasant enough once out of Chester, but nothing too special. The most interesting bits being the huge railway viaduct in the woods and the views across the plains towards the chemical plants.

 

Northgate Staircase is impressive enough in its own accord and worth going through even if not carrying on beyond Chested, in my opinion.

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I've twice left Cygnet for a week in the bottom basin while I took a trip home, but Ellesmere Port itself has nothing to recommend it except the funny little yellow Merseyrail trains on which I started my journey. Beware if one of the trip boat volunteers insists on helping at the locks - my boat was almost swamped as he completely ignored my shouts.

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