Chester Weir - River Dee CH1 1SD (Souters Ln then The Groves)

View Chester Weir Parking at the Groves in a larger map

Where to park and how to get there

Free parking (1 hour at peak times free after 6pm) on North bank where the pleasure boats leave the pontoons. You park in the road called "the Groves", off Souters Lane (Souters Lane is just after the ruins of the Roman Amphitheatre on the A5268) and before the sandstone arch. Click on the map opposite to zoom in.

Four fish ladders on left with large diagonal sloping weir on river right. The last step `loops` in right tidal and river conditions. There is also a `looping` shoot of water from weir just below the bridge (needs to be mid to high tide for this to work as at low tide it pours onto rocks)

You need low tide for the main weir to be working (Best is two to three hours before high tide and then get a free ride back to the top as tide rushes in!)
For tide times for Chester Click.....

Another good put-in is Sandy Lane. From here it is only a short paddle downstream to the weir.

River Dee gauge at Ironbridge....
River flow through the weir is mainly from upper reaches of the river, but the tide comes in and hides the weir / steps at every high tide. In a highish tide, the water will breach the weir and then you will have river flow plus what tidal water has been pushed above the weir. There used to be a rule about staying away from the weir an hour or so either side of high tide, but dont think that is still the case. Although at those times there is nothing to play on so its not worth being there anyway.

From memory, if you get there about 2hrs after high tide there will be stuff appearing. The more the tide goes out, the more features you have to play on, but the features do change at the tide changes. Similarly on the flood as well, features (the steps) dissapear and the surf wave on the main face changes.
High tide Chester is about 1hr 8min after high tide liverpool - link directly for chester is here http://easytide.ukho.gov.uk/EasyTide/EasyTide/ShowPrediction.aspx?PortID=0462&PredictionLength=7

Chester Weir at the base of the steps
Aerial View of Chester Weir
weir

Playing on the last fish ladder / Step of the weir
Top of Chester weir looking downsteam