chester city canal pub walk (last updated 15/11/2011)
 
Canal heading west at Spital Walk The Northgate Street canal cut

If you’re coming to Chester looking for a drink and a walk, but have done to death the Roman Walls circumnavigation, consider a gentle 1.5 miles stroll from suburbia into the heart of the city along the well-surfaced Shropshire Union Canal towpath. Over the course of time, as new ventures have sprung up, a splendid alternative pub crawl has developed incorporating a mixture of the old and new. Here’s how we see it.

Bridge Inn Spital Vaults

To start with, get a bus or a short taxi ride out to the Bridge Inn on Tarvin Road in Boughton. This friendly and enthusiastically run freehouse attracts all ages and offers up to four changing guest ales as well as dishing out some tremendous pub grub – ideal stomach lining for the mission that lies ahead.

From the Bridge, head westwards along the towpath to the rear. Noting mallards, moorhens and sadly the odd fast food polystyrene carton en route, you’ll pass Chemistry Lock and the imposing Water Tower before emerging on Spital Walk. Head off here down the road at 90 degrees to the canal to find the Spital Vaults. This Cask Marque listed traditional two-roomed local sells primarily Jennings beers at a £2.20 a pint and features include sports TV, pool, darts and bagatelle.

Looking East off City Road

Back to the canal and after you’ve gone under Hoole Lane bridge, passing lots of fancy dan new build apartment blocks, you’ll come to Artichoke on the ground floor of the imposing Steam Mill. This café bar bistro is a welcome new addition on the Chester ale scene and features French windows, York stone paving, retro Panton S chairs and Meccano bar stools. It’s joined the LocAle scheme and serves ales from Weetwood, Northern, Tatton and Offbeat.

Artichoke

 

Canalside Inn

We’re well into what’s becoming known as the Canal Quarter and the pubs start to come thick and fast. Just after the massive Barton Rouge curry house is a one-time derelict warehouse converted back in the 1980’s with visionary brilliance by the Brunning & Price pub group into Old Harkers Arms. Inside this fully deserving multi-award winner you’ll discover enthusiastic staff attending a battery of handpumps ready to serve up a diverse range of superbly kept (albeit expensive) ales.

The briefest of detours next if you wish. Up the outside steps, and across City Road to your left is the Cellar Bar (sibling to the Bridge Inn). Dimly lit with high tables and stools, this live music venue serves three ales from micros plus a tremendous selection of bottled foreign beers. It’s also joined the CAMRA discount scheme offering 10% off cask ales Sunday to Thursday! Wish more pubs would do this.

Re-trace your steps to Harkers, and literally a few yards away, immediately after City Road bridge, is the Canalside Inn, part of the Eaton Hotel. Two or more guest ales here and even more exciting is the news that a new microbrewery has been recently installed on the premises. More to follow on that as we get it. Toddle along the towpath and cross Sellar Street bridge to see the Union Vaults on the corner. This three tiered boozer with bagatelle table usually sells Everards Tiger and London Pride. It can be an entertaining place where hardcore drinkers with strong Chester accents are partial to indulge in the local vernacular. Round the corner is the Mill – no need for directions, you’ll find it. Another converted warehouse, this hotel was a true pioneer in experimenting with real ales beyond the national blands and thus deserves its place in the Chester pub pantheon of greats. Many a pub has since followed its example but it wholeheartedly remains worth a visit thanks to up to ten changing ales with Weetwood Bitter on permanently.

The Lock Keeper

Telford's Warehouse

Back to the canal by whatever means, and walk under the inner ring road until you arrive at the former Frog & Nightingale. This was smartly refurbished in the autumn and is now called the Lock Keeper. It has the likes of Greene King and Adnams on the pumps.

To reach our final destination follow the canal under Cow Lane bridge, behind the Slowboat restaurant, through a long deep and dank vertical sandstone cutting that takes you alongside the Roman walls and under Northgate Street. After encountering a three chamber lock staircase beneath the railway line you’ll finally emerge at a canal basin where lies Telford’s Warehouse. This popular spacious and airy freehouse / music venue is well established in the Good Beer Guide selling Weetwood Cheshire Cat alongside three other guest ales. It held a beer festival in October and makes a splendid place to toast the end of this canalside odyssey.