Photographing Chester

If you’ve never been to Chester then for parts of the year you’re not missing out if I’m honest - seriously, it’s not a beautiful place in the winter, but when the spring hits the city then it’s a different place.

Photographing Chester, under the sunshine, is like working in a dreamland. Here’s a little flavour of the sights that you’ll encounter on a trip to Chester.

Eastgate Street

The city is enclosed by a Roman-built wall and is still standing today, unlike the Roman empire. There are 4 main gateways into the city on the north, east, south and west sides, named Northgate, Eastgate, Bridgegate and Watergate respectively.

You can walk in the footsteps of those Roman centurions with a trip along the walls which guarded the city embracing all the views of Chester city centre.

Starting at the Northgate you will be walking alongside the canal which acts as a moat along the north edge of the city but does have regular barges passing through.

Chester Cathedral

After turning the corner to head down the eastern side of the wall you’ll pass the iconic Chester Cathedral and bell tower which is the hub of the city centre. The cathedral offers daily tours and regular services for god-fearing folk, but its also a photographer’s paradise due to its period features and stunning detail.

After passing the Cathedral you’ll take a few steps up to reach the highest point of the walls under the world-famous Eastgate Clock - supposedly the 2nd most photographed clock face in the world (#1 Big Ben) - it’s one of those small-town myths that no one has ever proved or dispelled so the rumour rumbles on. Either way, its recently undergone a facelift and looks amazing.

River Dee

After a brief dalliance with death by a seagull, you may find sticking to the wall tour a more enjoyable pursuit as you cross over Lower Bridge Street and head on to the forgotten Chester Castle. Why is it forgotten you may say? Because only the people who built it know what it looks like inside.

Most of Chester Castle is given over to the Crown Court these days, so it is not the tourist stop you might expect from the outside. The medieval Agricola Tower and the walls around it are looked after by English Heritage, and the Cheshire Military Museum sits in the same grounds. Worth a look, and worth knowing before you turn up expecting a castle tour.

Chester Racecourse

There are more signs of elitist heritage as you swoon past the castle and take your chances crossing the busy Grosvenor road to reach Chester’s racecourse. It’s a huge area of greenery in the city that draws all the finest of the gentry to the city which coincides with the temporary emigration of the locals to other locations until the following day.

After passing the racecourse, a girls-only private school, and an elite housing estate for high-end working professionals you’ll eventually start on the last stretch of our Chester tour.

The Watergate walls finally cross over the railway line and turn right to join back up with the Northgate completing our journey. Almost.

Due to ongoing and endless repairs, you can’t currently complete the entire circuit. Please direct your questions to Cheshire West & Chester Council for explanations.