Description
This is a Slow Ways route connecting Shotton and Chester.
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This is a Slow Ways route connecting Shotton and Chester.
Know of a better route? Share it here.
Status
This route has been reviewed by 7 people.
There are no issues flagged.
Photos for Shoche one
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Information
Route status - Live
Reviews - 7
Average rating -
Is this route good enough? - Yes (7)
There are currently no problems reported with this route.
Downloads - 11
Surveys
What is this route like?
Surveys are submitted by fellow users of this website and show what you might expect from this Slow Ways route. Scroll down the page to read more detailed surveys.
Grade 2X based on 2 surveys | Sign up or log in to survey this route. | ||
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Description | Note | ||
Grade 1: Entirely smooth and compacted surfaces. Access grade X: At least one stile, flight of steps or other obstacle that is highly likely to block access for wheelchair and scooter users. |
Grading is based on average scores by surveyors. This slow way has 2 surveys. | ||
Full grading description |
Only people who have completed our training can become Slow Ways surveyors and submit a survey. We do not vet contributors, so we cannot guarantee the quality or completeness of the surveys they complete. If you are dependent on the information being correct we recommend reading and comparing surveys before setting off.
Survey Photos
Facilities
Facilities in the middle third of this route.
Challenges
Potential challenges reported on this route. Some challenges are seasonal.
Obstacles
Obstacles on this route.
Accessibility
Is this route step and stile free?
Measurements
Surveyors were asked to measure the narrowest and steepest parts of paths.
The narrowest part of the path is 37.5cm (2)
The steepest uphill gradient walking East 7.0% (2)
The steepest uphill gradient walking West 6.3% (2)
The steepest camber gradient across the path 0.5% (2)
How clear is the waymarking on the route: Unclear in places (2)
Successfully completed
We asked route surveyors "Have you successfully completed this route with any of the following? If so, would you recommend it to someone with the same requirements?". Here is how they replied.
Recommended by an expert
We asked route surveyors "Are you a trained access professional, officer or expert? If so, is this route suitable for someone travelling with any of the following?" Here is how they replied.
Terrain
We asked route surveyors to estimate how much of the route goes through different kinds of terrain.
7.5% of the route is on roads (2)
7.5% of the route is lit at night (2)
99.0% of the route is paved (2)
1.0% of the route is muddy (2)
There is no data on rough ground
There is no data on long grass
Report a problem with this data
2 surveys
Information from verified surveys.
Geography information system (GIS) data
Total length
Maximum elevation
Minimum elevation
Start and end points
Shotton
Grid Ref
SJ3069368861
Lat / Lon
53.21229° / -3.03927°
Easting / Northing
330,693E / 368,861N
What3Words
ambient.happier.inspects
Chester
Grid Ref
SJ4052966286
Lat / Lon
53.19034° / -2.89153°
Easting / Northing
340,529E / 366,286N
What3Words
bridge.assist.chair
Shoche One's land is
Shotton | |
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Grid Ref | SJ3069368861 |
Lat / Lon | 53.21229° / -3.03927° |
Easting / Northing | 330,693E / 368,861N |
What3Words | ambient.happier.inspects |
Chester | |
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Grid Ref | SJ4052966286 |
Lat / Lon | 53.19034° / -2.89153° |
Easting / Northing | 340,529E / 366,286N |
What3Words | bridge.assist.chair |
Arable | 37.4% |
Estuary | 5.7% |
Pasture | 28.1% |
Urban | 28.7% |
Data: Corine Land Cover (CLC) 2018
reviews
Dannywith
13 Apr 2024This is a pleasant SlowWay, predominantly following the Afon Dyfrdwy/River Dee along a well surfaced and waymarked shared path (foot and cycles). Given the nature of the flat and open terrain, large portions of the route are exposed to the elements. When we did it on a sunny April day, the gusts had some strength to them.
Whilst well surfaced throughout, there are steps and width restricted barriers to navigate, which unfortunately creates issues for wheelchair users - Shoche Two does however provide a more accessible route.
Subject to dismouting at the routes extremities and the need to carry bikes up/down steps, this route appears to be fully accessible to cycles.
Mary Oz
21 Mar 2024There were a few small inaccuracies with the plotting which I found slightly irritating, but they didn’t prevent me following the route. I walked from Shotton during a weekday morning. There were very few walkers, but loads of cyclists, and some of them couldn’t resist the temptation of the dead straight, well-surfaced route, and whizzed past pretty fast, and none of them used bells. So, it’s advisable to stay close to the edge of the path and only move in a predictable way.
Regarding accessibility, the slanting cycle barriers narrow to 40 cm at the height of 140cm. And crucially, you need to use a stepped footbridge over the lower railway line at Shotton. There is a step-free alternative suggested on ShoChe Two if you want it though.
I didn’t find the walk as quiet as expected – there was a hum from the industry on the opposite bank for a long way, and later on a lot of light aircraft from Hawarden Airport. Also, there was the sound of shooting from the shooting school.
This route would be very exposed to bad weather, and for most of the way there weren’t really any practical “escape” routes to any facilities. However, there was a café over the footbridge at Higher Ferry about 62% through the route, open Wed-Sat lunch times.
Enough negativity though! It was actually a really nice, easy route, with almost no map-reading needed. There was lots of wildlife to be spotted – cormorant, buzzard, lapwing, woodpecker, lark etc. There were extensive, open views all around, particularly towards the Clwyd hills and Moel Famau, and also the mid-Cheshire Sandstone Ridge around Peckforton.
There were some notable bridges along the route, particularly Jubilee Lift Bridge on the B5441, which I think used to be the main route from the Wirral into North Wales. It is a double rolling bascule bridge, although it no longer functions as a lift bridge, but it is still in use as a road bridge. It was also interesting seeing lots of wooden remains of old piers and wharves. The walk into Chester passed some interesting historic buildings too, of course!.
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David Sanderson
25 Nov 2023An amazing Slow Way. Safe, direct and very easy to follow. Including the start of the Welsh Coastal Path is rather special, I suspect it might be the longest straight section in the network. So easy, so relaxing, amongst wide open space, it allows a massive amount of thinking time. The section through Shotton railway station was slightly unnerving to follow, but was unavoidable. Magic! 5 stars!.
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Hiking Historian
17 Feb 2023Almost fully accessible route for all (as ever, the steps at Shotton station are a problem for wheeled users), mostly along the wide tarmacced path that runs along the embankment aside the Dee, with only one road crossing along the way until we hit Chester.
It is well-used by both walkers and cyclists alike, and there is the odd bench along the way to stop for breaks. It moves from industrial Shotton into the countryside, before once more returning to the industrial and urban areas of Chester.
With transportation links and shopping at both ends, this is a pleasant, albeit exposed, wander from Wales into England.
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Mary Oz
02 Apr 2024There is a step-free alternative at the Shotton end, as suggested by Hiking Historian and me, on ShoChe Two if you want it.
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Team Tato
27 Mar 2022An almost perfectly accessible, well-paved, and almost entirely off road route that closely follows the Dee Coastal Path. We walked it from Chester to Shotton, and - although very practical and a good candidate for the Slow Ways network - it would probably be more interesting to cycle this route as at a walking pace the view gets very monotonous. Additionally, and though not presenting many issues when following the route, its plotting through Chester is more as the crow flies from point to point than following actual paths.
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Geopenny
08 Oct 2021Took this route in the Chester -> Shotton direction, mostly to avoid having to climb the 4% grade (1:25) Canal St/S View Rd leg at the end of the trip! Other than that stretch, the entire route is off-road on shared cycle/pedestrian paths, generally flat and almost entirely paved (main exception is the short bit through the Cop park on Sealand Rd to get onto the Wales Coast Path). While that should make it excellent for a wide range of users, unfortunately gates have been installed at most entrances/exits to the path, many of which are incompatible with wheelchairs/mobility scooters, and some of which are challenging even for cyclists - hence only 4 stars awarded. There are about half a dozen of the 'slalem' style gates, which are generally navigable at a snail's pace, but the bigger problem is the slanted gates, which are not even wide enough for my bike to get through without dismounting and wriggling (see final photo). Considering my handlebars are 59cm wide at ~1m off the ground, and wheelchair-accessible doorways are typically 80cm wide, that's not remotely mobility friendly. Barrier-free access is only possible from Sealand Rd, Bumpers Ln, Hawarden Bridge train station (must use level crossing and manual gates) or via the Millennium Greenway. Slalem gates are found at Ferry Ln. (-> Chester direction only) and Jubilee Bridge/B5441 (-> Chester only; -> Shotton has a slanted gate just beyond the slalem). The rest have slanted gates. There are also some very narrow/angular sections around cross-roads (particularly Ferry Ln) and some rather confusing signposting (Ferry Ln again and Jubilee Bridge/B5441, Shotton side).
However, once on the path, you are rewarded with some spectacular views in a remarkably quiet setting, complete with benches at regular intervals for contemplation and rest. And for cyclists, the path connects neatly with NR 568, 563 and 5 via the Millennium Greenway and cross-roads. Bonus pleasure - due to some loose boards on the pedestrian/cycle path adjacent to the railway bridge between Hawarden Bridge and Shotton, crossing the bridge on a bike results in a rhythmic 'chu-chun' sound like a steam train on rails... For reference, the loop from Chester to Shotton and back via the Millennium Greenway at a gentle cycling pace took about 1.5 hours (15.6 miles).
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ElaineT
03 May 2021Enjoyed walking from Chester, thru golf course to pick up Dee path on the other bank of river to main path. Short road section ( by GoOutdoors) but lovely wander and path. Only walked to first bridge at Garden city before crossing river and walking back in to chester - total 7 miles.
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Mary Oz
11 Feb 2022This is NOT a review of Shoche 1 Slow Way, and as such you should not have verified this route. You've just described your own route that doesn't even go to Shotton.
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