Crosfield G.E.D. Reunion    October 14th. - 17th.   2018   Chester

Organiser:  Mike Taylor              Travelodge Central,   Chester

  
Brian Banks
Ted Barrett
Steve Colthorpe
Keith Davies
Dave Ferguson
Colin Henderson
Chris House
Bob Oldershaw
Stan Singleton
Mike Taylor
Roy White

Travelodge Central next to the Chester Walls and opposite the Roman Amphitheatre was a modern and very clean hotel - formally a British Telecom Headquarters..

As usual the evening saw us at Witherspoons, The Square Bottle Unfortunately they had a craft brewery event on and didn't have a single decent pint of beer , despite a decent steak meal this was not the place to stay !

Monday, had breakfast at The Moorings by the River Dee. Then a walk through Chester town centre to The Mill Hotel . Curiously this hotel has a restaurant extension on a barge on the Shropshire Union Canal. This Barge is named   "L'eau-T"     ( no one could understand the name despite explanations by the staff !)   Mike had booked us an afternoon trip on this barge.
After loading preordered food and booze options.The barge headed backwards for about a mile to lock gate 39.Whilst travelling the starters were delivered.Then the barge started to move forward back towards the hotel and Sorbet was served.
At the hotel the Mains, Desserts and Coffee were loaded. We set off again going forward this time . Eating our meals ( which were excellent ). We then reached Hoole Lane Lock which took us up about 8 feet.A couple of
hundred yards further we entered Chemistry Lock and raised another 8 feet. Most now disembarked from the barge for
ten minutes look about before setting back backwards. Things now went wrong. The barge stopped having lost power to the
bow mounted propeller. A coat was found jammed in the propeller and had to be removed - with a hammer !
( Earlier that day someone had fallen in to the canal - whether these two events were linked we never knew. )

Having had a good afternoon meal. The evening was spent checking out Chester's hostleries. First Off The Wall next to Travelodge, then up to Eastgate Street for The Victoria and then The Falcon.


Tuesday, Breakfast at The Square Bottle then a walk around the Chester Walls. These are not as complete as we found in York.

Close to the Race Course we visited The Cheshire Military Museum celebrating the sucesses of the Cheshire regiment. ( Recently disbanded and combined with the Mercian regiment.)

No pub at lunchtime but a visit to the Caramel Cafe for coffee and buns.
Further round the walls to the Cathedral. an enormous structure with a lot going on inside.


Chris decided to join the other beggars to help pay for this trip.                    'Poor Soul'
    


Now a walk down 'The Roads'.
Chester's iconic double decker shopping arcades.Many varied shops with none of them boarded up or turned in to Charity outlets.

Unfortunately there were masses of Rough Sleepers which the local council has decided not to give shelter to.

At last another pub The Boot a Sam Smith's hostelry with cheap beer.

Evening meal at the Architect, a rather upmarket place with exceptionally good food.


Queen Victoria's diamond Jubilee Clock. The second most photographed clock in the UK


Well wrapped up outside The Moorings





Many thanks to Mike for an excellent
introduction to Chester.