Chester

This is how we saw it first whilst locking down.

The canal is cut through the sandstone - very impressive. The rather puny bridge in front is called the ~Bridge of Sighs.

This is the middle lock of the staircase of three. It shouldn't be quite as empty as this - not our doing, though we did get it slightly wrong the first time down and have to flush water through from the top to get the boat over the cill. (We had three more goes to get it right though)

The canal flows directly below the wall.

I don't think I've ever seen the bottom of a lock before - I wonder how they managed it!

but it does show quite nicely how the lock has been carved directly out of the rock.

We moored at Tower Wharf near the dry dock.

They drain the water out down to the branch which leads to the Dee.

A slightly unconventional way of supporting the boats here

but as the owner said " All the crockery's on the downhill side"

Lots of Roman remains - including half an amphitheatre.

The oldest racecourse in England

Bridges over the Dee  - there is a weir here - really there is!!

The Dee's changed a bit since Llangollen!!

The castle

The cathedral

The almshouses

Chester has it all - including some stunning Christmas lights.