CHESTER
Trail 1 - Bridgegate & the river
Chester is a city in North west England close to the Welsh border. It has excellent transport links. By road the M53 and M56 run close by. It has an impressive train station and is easily accessed by bus; many bus tourist trips also visit Chester. It is even accessible by canal as the Shropshire Union canal runs through the city.
Chester still has the city walls from medieval times. This is the most complete set of walls in Britain. It is almost complete and a walk around the walls covers nearly 2 miles. Inside the city walls several streets have Rows. That is a lower level of shops (some below street level) then a walkway on top of these shops which serve another row of shops.
There are FIVE Chester PubTrails available on this site.
The canal trail (2) is the closest to the train station. However, the walk from the station to any of the trails is not long, it just means you may pass lots of pubs to get to a particular trail. Trail 3 and 4 start at Chester Cross and trails 1 and 5 start near the Amphitheatre. Trail 4 and 1 could easily meet. This means that trails can be expanded easily or mix and matched.
Trails have 10 to 13 pubs. This does not mean all pubs have to be visited (it is not a u-tube challenge) however, it does give flexibility. You can miss out pubs with no real ale or which are cocktail joints or old men's pubs or that are too busy or close together.
1. Bridgegate and the river (black icons) Excellent dog friendly trail
This trail takes in 11 or 12 pubs, 5 of which are across the river. Several of the pubs are outstanding and 7 are starred. This is a pleasant evening trail with a lot of variety. It starts at the Amphitheatre or Old Dee Bridge.
2. Along the canal (green icons)
Most of these pubs are close to the canal and easily accessed from it, rather than on the actual canal. Chester is a city and does not do quaint countryside canal pubs. Several of the pubs have appeared as the canal area is regenerated. This trail has a mixture of the old and the new. This is a long slow trail of 10 pubs, 5 of which are starred, Lunch or dinner should be factored in with The Old Harkers Arms excellent for food.
3. Chester Cross to Chester Cross via Northgate Street (Dark Red Icons)
This trail travels down one of the main roads crossing the city. It goes to the centre of the city where it meets Watergate Street famous for its 'Rows' - shops with another street of shops on top of them. The trail has 13 pubs, 5 of which are starred. There are some old pubs on this trail which passes the Town Hall and the Cathedral. Some of these pubs exist in groups next door to each other which, unfortunately, reduces the walk between them to mere steps. The closeness of the pubs means that this trail needs to be taken slowly.
4. Around Chester Cross (purple icons)
This trail has 10+ pubs with six of them starred. It is a gentle walk along a busy street.
5. The Amphitheatre plus (Yellow Icons)
This trail covers a selection of 12 (three starred) pubs starting close to the amphitheatre.
Trail 1 - Bridgegate and the river
Starting at The Newgate, just beyond the Roman Amphitheatre.
Go through the gate and turn left down Park St following the city wall. To find The Albion. Then continue following the Wall turning to the right along Duke St which has The Cross Keys at the end of it. Opposite here are three pubs - up to the right is Ye Old King's Head; opposite and slightly to the left is The Brewery Tap; and at the foot of the hill by Bridgegate is The Bear and Billet though save this for the return journey.
Now go out of the gate and cross the river in Handbridge. Since you can only walk on the left just keep on the left and follow the hill up to a corner and turn left. Just after, and using, the zebra crossing turn right and walk along past the school to reach The Carlton Tavern. Leaving here walk back towards the school but turn left up Percy Road and at the top turn right on Eaton Road to get back to the main road. Turn up left and walk a minute to The Red Lion.
Cross over the road and walk back down the hill to meet The Handbridge, then The Grosvenor Arms and back at the bridge, The Ship Inn. Walk back across the river, now visit The Bear and Billet and cross over to walk down the river side to the boats, which brings you to Hickory's Smokehouse and then onto The Boathouse
This trail can be reduced in walk by starting at the bridge (missing The Albion) and cutting out the Carlton Tavern.
The Albion, above, is a small three roomed pub. It would be a remarkable old-fashioned boozer even without the World War memorabilia decorating all three rooms. The main door is at the side. On entry you can go to the largest room on the left or a smaller snug, to the right, with a larger room (still small) through from this.
Have one or two here.
real ale : Southwold (Adnams); Golden XPA
lager : Carling
cider : Guinness
The Cross Keys
The Cross Keys is a one roomed corner pub owned by Joules Brewery -and it tells you this everywhere! The entrance takes you into a large bright room - lots of light and bright wood. The bar is round to the left.
Good Beer Guide 2016-21
Have one here
real ale : Charger (St George); Pale Ale, Slumbering Monk, Blonde (all Joules)
lager :Blue Moon, Carling, Grolsch
cider : Stowford Press; Weston's Trad Scrumpy Guinness
Ye Old King's Head
Ye Old King's Head built in 1622. Tastefully laid out with alcove and open table seating this is an attractive hotel.
Have a half pint here
real ale : Black Sheep; Doombar; EPA
bitter : John Smith
lager :Coors Light; Carling; Fosters; Peroni
cider : Thatcher's Gold Guinness
The Brewery Tap
The Brewery Tap is the pub for The Spitting Feathers Brewery. Go up the stairs to enter a Jacobean great hall dating from 16th Century. Some of the walls are still original intertwined branches with mud and manure complete with tapestries. Food served all day.
CAMRA Good Beer Guide 2103-21, 2024, 2025
Good Pub Guide 2013
Have a pint here
real ale : Old Wavertonian; Muldoon's Suffolk Ale; Et Tu Brutus (Derventio); Wentworth (Wentworth); Borscough Flat Rib Mild (Burscough)
lager :Bud, Becks
cider
The Carlton Tavern
The Carlton Tavern is a local’s pub as it is just out of way for tourists glancing across bridge to Handbridge though it is an easily walk if you know it is there. There are some tables outside the entrance. Right hand door is labelled ‘Games Room’ and left is ‘Lounge’ both with high ceiling and lots of natural light. There is an open square servery which serves both rooms and just beyond servery is a connecting corridor. The wooden floored games room is very light as there are large windows on two sides. It has darts and pool, and a stage at far end for bands and large projector screen. The lounge has banquette seating around the walls, including an alcove opposite the servery. There is a large fireplace at the end of the carpeted room with seating to either side. Dogs welcome
4.00pm opening during week.
Have a pint here.
Real ale : Hayes Original 1863; Golden Wayward Sun
Lager : carling; Amstel; San Miguel
Cider : Strongbow ; Strongbow Dark Fruit Guinness
The Red Lion ★
The Red Lion (Handbridge) is very much a popular local’s pub as it just out of range of tourists glancing across bridge to Handbridge though only a couple of minutes walk up the main road if you know it is there. With seating outside and traditional entrances at right and left side. Both entrances go to the same room now. There is seating along the windows between the doors and the servery is opposite this seating. Further seating down the left-hand side. The right-hand side has some seating, darts and the route to the outside patio area at back. Dogs welcome
Opens at 4.30 during week.
Have a pint here
Real ale : Doom Bar; Cheshire Cat; Wainwright
Bitter : Worthington Cream Flow
Lager : San Miguel; Carling; Coors; Estrella
Cider : Thatchers Gold Guinness
The Handbridge
Handbridge probably just out of range tourists glancing across bridge to Handbridge though an easily walk if you know it is there. This is a large bar with very large outside garden area. There is seating either side of the door. The carpeted left is the smaller side. The rest of the pub is wooden floored. The right-hand side of entrance has tables going along the window side. The servery is in the middle of the right-hand wall with tables opposite it. Beyond this are stairs to the large garden area which has three supersized dog kennels for sheltered seating of 8.
Have a pint here
Real ale : Unicorn; Theakston’s Bitter (has 4 pumps but only ever was to one on in 4 visits)
Lager : Red Stripe; Birra Moretti; Amstel; Maltsmiths
Cider : Strongbow Cloudy Apple; Orchard Guinness
PLACES TO VISIT WITH PUBTRAILS
The towns and villages highlighted on this web site have a wide variety of pubs and beers in them. All of the places are great to visit, whether for a day or longer, and most have tourist attractions for all of the family.
There is a large variety of pubs throughout the different towns shown below. Some you may wish never to visit again but even discovering these can be interesting. There are pubs that you would not take your wife into. While some you could not take your girlfriend into. A few you would not take either into. However, most of the pubs are very pleasant.
HOME MAP of places visited
Alnwick Ambleside Anstruther Bakewell Bamburgh Barnard Castle Bath Berwick upon Tweed Birnam & Dunkeld Bourton on the Water Bowness on Windermere Bridge of Allan Chester Chichester Dunblane Dunoon Edinburgh Ely Fort William Glasgow Gourock Greenock Helensburgh Inverness Kelso Keswick Knaresbourgh Largs Linlithgow Lyme Regis Melrose Montrose Newton Stewart North Berwick Norwich Oban Pebbles Penzance Portree Pitlochry Quorn Richmond Rothesay St Andrews Seahouses Seend Shrewsbury Skipton Stirling Stratford-upon-Avon Stockton Heath Whitby Windemere Whitstable York
The Grosvenor Arms
The Grosvenor Arms just out of range tourists glancing across bridge to Handbridge though an easily walk if you know it is there. Ener via a short corridor. Servery is on end of left-hand side. There is seating between windows and servery. Round from to right of entrance is a large carpeted seating area with dining height tables. There is a large room through from this main area. There is outside seating to left of building
Have a half pint
Real ale : Abbot;
Bitter : Worthington Cream Flow
Lager : Coors; Carling; Stella
Cider : Strongbow; Strongbow Dark Fruit Guinness
The Ship Inn ★
The Ship Inn is well in range of tourists glancing across bridge to Handbridge as it is spotted by side of the bridge. A comfy and attractive bar. The servery is in the middle of the right-hand wall. Stairs to right of entrance go to upstairs restaurant. Three tall tables to left of entrance. Opposite servery is fireplace with armchairs and small tables to either side. Several square table in middle opposite servery. Beyond the servery the room is split by a large abacus, there is a space laid out with large dining style tables. TV is in far corner here. Lots of atmospheric bright filament lights hanging in a variety of ways from ceiling. Floor is tiled at counter and wooden elsewhere. Food all day and dog friendly
Have a pint here
Real ale : Gold (Ludlow); Amber (Thwaites); Scarecrow (Brimstage)
Bitter : 13 Guns American Pale Ale; 61 Deep
Lager : Estrella; San Miguel; Carling
Cider : Kingstone Press Guinness
Bear and Billet ★
Bear and Billet was built in 1664. It is owned and serves Okell's Ales from the Isle of Man. Basically, two open plan rooms - bar area with seating at front and tables and chairs which can be used for dining through. More seating and dining upstairs. Sky sports shown.
Outside courtyard. Food served every day.
CAMRA Good Beer Guide
Good Pub Guide 2013-19. Dogs welcome
Have a pint or two here
real ale : Okell's bitter, Okell's IPA, Arizona (Phoenix); Billabong (Big Bog); Spitfire
Bitter: :Absolutely (Madness)
lager :Carling, Veltins; Weihenstephaner Amstel
cider : Thatchers ; Hogan's Wild Elder Guinness
Hickory's Smokehouse
Hickory's Smokehouse is an American style diner specialising in BBQ flavoured food. Indeed, your eyes may sting on entrance so powerful is the sauce lingering in the air. There is a small bar with booths. Lots of outside seating looking across the river Dee
Have half pint here
real ale : Hickory's
lager : Amstel, Heiniken, Brooklyn's Brewery
cider :Symonds Founder's Reserve Guinness
The Boathouse
The Boathouse (JW Lees) is a dining pub by the river. Attractive wooden bookcase/ display shelves with boating nick knacks and old books. These split the pub into comfortable seating areas. Outside terrace.
Have a pint here
real ale : Lee's Bitter, Draymen's Pleasure; The Governor
bitter : John Smith,
lager :Carlsberg, San Miguel, Regents
cider : Strongbow
Guinness
Links for CHESTER city centre Pubtrails
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Trail 1 - Bridgegate & the river
(black icons)
The Albion.
The Cross
Ye Old King's Head
The Brewery Tap
The Bear and Billet
The Carlton Tavern
The Red Lion.
The Handbridge
The Grosvenor
The Ship Inn
The Bear and Billet
Hickory's
The Boathouse
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Trail 2 - Along the canal
(green icons)
The Old Harkers Arms
The Cross
The Artichoke.
The Old Harkers Arms
The Cornerhouse (formerly The Compass).
Crossing over City Rd
The Cellar
The Mill Hotel.
The Lock Keeper
Oddfellows
The City Tavern.
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Trail 3 - Chester Cross to Northgate and back
(dark red icons)
The Victoria
The Amber Lounge -closed.
The Commercial Hotel
The Dublin Packet.
The Coach House
The Shropshire Arms
The Red Lion
The Liverpool Arms.
The Pied Bull
The Coach House.
The Music Hall Tap
The Botanist
Duttons.
Ye Old Boot.
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Trail 4 -Chester Cross & Grosvener St
(purple icons)
Watergate Up
Beer Heroes
Ye Olde Custom House
Bar Lounge
The Architect.
The Golden Eagle
The Saddle Inn
The Falcon
The Cavern of the Curious Gnome
The Slug and Lettuce
The Commonhall St Social
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Trail 5 - Amphitheatre to town
(yellow icons)
The Albion
All Bar One
The Church
The Plumber's Arms closed
The Alchemist
The Marlborough Arms
The Brewhouse & Kitchen
Square Bottle
Fifteen
Revolution
The Old Queen's Head
Other places with several trails
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Glasgow
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York
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Norwich
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Edinburgh
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Shrewsbury
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Whitby
Other interesting pages
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Books on Beer
A selection of recommended books covering all aspects of beer and brewing. There are books on the history of beer and others on different styles of beer.
For example
An Inebriated History of Britain by Peter Haydon
Amber, Gold & Black by Martyn Cornell
Brew Britannia by Jessica Boak & Ray Bailey
The Story of the Pint by Martyn Cornell
Miracle Brew by Pete Brown
Built to Brew by Lynn Pearson
And many more
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Books on Pubs
A variety of books looking at the development of public houses.
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Map of CAMRA branches
Map of CAMRA branches and e-mail links
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Places visited by Pubtrails
Map of villages, towns and cities visited by pubtrails
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Local CAMRA
Chester and South Clwyd CAMRA
ANSWER: Casablanca