Chester

A short trip with a couple of locks brought us into central Chester. Concrete banks meant we were limited to official moorings. Vicky walked ahead with Tiger and Leo to scope out potential sites and we settled on a mostly pedestrianised street called Canal Side where we were greeted by a friendly waterways chaplain who just happened to be strolling by. The person from the boat in front of us ignored our attempts to say hi and avoided contact 😏

With heavy rain we decided our time was best spent nipping in and out of shops. The dogs didn't want to walk so we bundled them up in their bags, got our brollies and wandered into the centre.
There were plenty of charity shops to peruse on the outskirts while the tall black, white and gilt trimmed tudor buildings further in spoke of Chester's well preserved history. The businesses themselves weren't remarkable but the premises were petite and a good number resided within The Rows; two storeys of galleries set back from the street behind a collonade.

A couple of small outdoor markets proved enjoyable. We gave way to temptation after sampling handmade cashew 'cheeses' from Wild Roots and gooey vegan peanut butter and chocolate brownies.

The dogs had had their fill of historic architecture by lunch, so we left them back on Rainboat with lickimats and went in search of our own food. The only pub we could find serving meals was a weatherspoons, so we opted for a bistro café called Atina's that served a yummy a Baba Ganouch salad bowl for Vicky and a Bhaji burger for Will.

We were almost disappointed we'd already eaten when we discovered the buzzing atmosphere and wide variety of food kiosks at The Exchange indoor market. As well as hot food there was a tiny chinese supermarket, fishmongers, butchers, wool shop and a pet shop. Tables in the middle were accompanied by staging at one end, where younger visitors tended to hang out. After some of the small cities we've visited, it was great to see such vibrant activity in Chester.

The 'cheese' seller had recommended the Jaunty Goat café and we eventually found it with Google Maps (her directions had been as bad as Vicky's sense of direction 🤪). The cakes weren't anything to write home about but it was worth trying out a local recommendation.

On our last legs we visited one final shop; Abakhan Fabrics. Vicky recognised the name as she'd previously bought from them online. A two storey cave of creative possibilities, She pulled off an amazing feat of self restraint and we only came away with some waterproof fabric for Will to sew a couple of cushion covers for stern seating.

As is often the case in Spring, our second day shed not a drop of rain and we were instead bathed in glorious sunshine.

Walking Chester's city walls was a perfect way to spend the morning. Being lifted level with or above the building tops gave a totally different feel. As we passed the red sandstone towers, the castle, small amphitheatre and regimented roman gardens, nobody was in a hurry and there was a feeling of relaxation and enjoyment. We extended our outing by stopping at the Eastgate Clock where the walls cross the mainstreet for icecream and a delicious hand crafted beer.
There was still much more to explore but we'd be returning this way before long and felt we'd had our fill for now.もっと詳しく