Dog-Friendly Chester: Visiting Chester with a Dog

The historic city of Chester in northwestern England dates back to Roman times. With a wealth of historic sites to explore, the pretty city is also one of the most dog-friendly destinations in England. Find out more about visiting Chester with your dog…

Dog-Friendly Sightseeing in Chester

Thanks to its long history, there’s plenty of historic attractions to explore in Chester. Best of all, many of them are dog-friendly! Make sure you tick off these attractions during your visit…

#1 Walk Along the Walls

A highlight of a visit to Chester is a walk along its walls, the most intact city walls of anywhere in England. The 2 mile (3km) long walls date back to Roman times, but have been modified and rebuilt over the years, including during the medieval and Victorian periods – during the latter period they were converted to a promenade.

Best of all, dogs are welcome to join you on the walls, unlike in other cities such as York and Chichester. As it is, parts of the walls on the western and southern side are a mere footpath (but with a big drop at times on the other side), but the walls are nearly entirely intact.

Allow at least 90 minutes to complete a full circuit around Chester’s walls. However, as you’ll pass many other sights of the city along the way, you can easily spend all afternoon following the walls and detouring along the way.

One of the highlights of the walls is the elaborate Eastgate Clock, presented to the city in 1897. Another highlight are the multiple medieval towers, including the King Charles Tower and the Water Tower along the northern side. Pamphlets are available from the Visitor Information Centre for a small charge or read the informative panels about the former port and the city’s role in the Civil War.

Make sure you keep your dog leashed at all times on the walls, particularly when there are large drops on one side and only a metal fence. On the other hand, you’ll only need to cross the road twice during the full loop.

#2 Visit Chester Cathedral

One of the other most prominent attractions of Chester is its magnificent cathedral. The cathedral’s construction dates to the 10th and 16th centuries, although it was built on the site of an earlier church with a shrine to St Werburgh, which still exists inside the cathedral.

Entry to the labyrinthine cathedral is generally free. A small fee is charged during the busy summer and Christmas periods, with donations welcome the rest of the year.

Well-behaved dogs on a short lead are welcome to join you inside, except in the Lady Chapel, the garden in the cloister and the cafe. Dogs may also be prevented from entering if there are large numbers of school children inside, and always let the staff know if an accident happens on the porous sandstone floors.

Don’t miss visiting the beautiful gardens surrounding the cathedral, where dogs are allowed to join you, unlike in the cloister garden. The cathedral is only a short detour from the eastern city walls.

Another church that you can visit in Chester with your dog is the even older Parish Church of St John the Baptist, near the Roman Amphitheatre. Originally founded in 689 AD and a fine example of 12-13th century church architecture, it was the previous cathedral of the city. Dogs are welcome inside, including the cafe. Just note it closes at 3pm on most days.

#3 Explore the Other Roman Ruins

In addition to the city walls that date back to the Roman settlement of the city, and the remains of some Roman towers adjacent to the walls, there are also other remains from the Roman period to explore in Chester.

One of the most intriguing spots is the Roman Amphitheatre, outside of the walls on the eastern side of the city. It’s the largest known Roman amphitheatre in Great Britain, but it was only uncovered during construction work in 1929!

Thankfully, the remains discovered were preserved, with more sections of the amphitheatre excavated over the years. While not as imposing as other amphitheatres I’ve visited in Italy and France, it’s still an interesting spot to visit. Entry is free with no restrictions for dogs.

In between the Amphitheatre and the walls, the Roman Gardens have been constructed. This garden mainly contains remains uncovered during the excavation of the Roman Baths in the city, including columns and masonry. Take a stroll through the gardens with your dog on a leash or take in the gardens from the wall above.

#4 Go Shopping in the Rows

The city centre of Chester largely dates back to the Medieval period, although the street grid was laid out during Roman times (and many of the half-timbered buildings only date to the Victorian era). In the very centre of the city is the Cross, an octagonal pillar, with the streets branching off in all four directions home to the medieval “Rows”.

The Rows are the only example of a covered timber shopping gallery dating from the 13th century to be found anywhere in the world. These unique arcades provide a second row of shops (and cafes) above those below – and your dog is welcome to join you when exploring them.

Chester is a great city to go shopping with your dog. Many of the boutiques (plus cafes and pubs) have distinctive black and white stickers at their entrance declaring them to be dog-friendly, thanks to Chester’s Business Improvement District. Keep an eye out or ask if your dog is welcome!

The city centre of Chester also benefits from vehicles being excluded during most of the the day (from 10:30am to 4:30pm), making for a pleasant, car-free experience.

#5 Step Inside Chester Castle

On the southwestern corner inside the walls is Chester Castle, founded by William the Conqueror in 1070. These days all that remains of the castle is the 12th-century Agricola Tower and part of the castle’s walls.

The castle is visible when walking along the city walls, plus is open to visitors on weekends between April and October, from 11am to 3pm, with some special events held throughout the year. Entry is free, with leashed dogs welcome to join you.

#6 Taste Some Cheshire Ice Cream

The southern stretch of the Chester city walls passes close to the River Dee, and it’s a great spot to detour down from the walls, whether to check out the historic bridge across the river up close or just enjoy some local Cheshire ice cream on sunny days.

I visited the dog-friendly Snugburys on the River. This cafe welcomes dogs both inside and out on their terrace, as long as dogs are kept on a lead and off the furniture. It’s hard work choosing from the long list of flavours of the award-winning Snuburys ice cream, with coffee, sweat treats and more also available.

I also noticed a sign up at The Cafe at the Walls, back next to Bridge Gate, advertising that they have dog-friendly ice cream.

#7 Go Hiking or Riding in Delamere Forest

About five miles east of Chester lies Delamere Forest. Surrounding Blackmere Moss, it’s the largest area of woodland in the county, looked after by Forestry England.

It’s a great spot to go hiking through the woods with your dog, with five main trails available and a number of other paths. Many of the trails are shared use, with bikes allowed. You can hire a variety of bikes from Delamere Forest Bike Hire, which is open daily, including dog trailers!

Keep in mind the Forest Dog Code while at Delamere Forest. You should keep your dog close and in sight, and on a leash if they won’t return when called. Also always clean up after your dog.

#8 Visit Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

Chester is close to the Welsh border, making it a great location to visit some attractions in Wales. Just a 30 minute drive south of Chester is the imposing Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, an engineering marvel completed in the early 19th century. Along with the adjacent canal it has been World Heritage listed.

As well as admiring the aqueduct from afar, it’s also possible to take a canal boat ride along various stretches of the 18km-long Llangollen Canal, even with your dog. Many canal boat cruises or self-drive canal boats allow dogs to join you.

One of the more unusual, yet still dog-friendly options, are the Horse Drawn Boat Trips operated by Llangollen Wharf. Their leisurely 45-minute boat trips regularly depart from mid-March to the end of November, plus on selected dates over the winter. There is also the option of longer two-hour long trips to the Horseshoe Falls on selected dates in summer.

Dog-Friendly Parks in Chester

If your dog would like a break from exploring Chester and just wants to run around on the grass, there are a number of convenient parks close to the sights of Chester.

On the eastern side of the city centre is Grosvenor Park. This historic public park dates back to 1867 and is a Grade II registered park. It’s just a short detour from the Roman Amphitheatre or a walk along the River Dee. Follow the paths or enjoy some time on the grassy green lawns.

Alternatively, when walking along the city walls take the steps down at the Water Tower to the Water Tower Gardens, a smaller park just below the walls.

Dog-Friendly Cafes in Chester

One of the best dog-friendly cafes in Chester is Snugburys on the River. As well as Snugburys ice cream, there’s a range of other treats and light meals available, including freshly-prepared sandwiches, sausages and vegan rolls. Dogs are allowed out on the terrace overlooking the river and inside the cafe, as long as they are kept leashed and off the furniture.

In the centre of the city, another highly rated dog-friendly cafe is Gaudi’s, also known as 2 Crepes Away. Naturally, the cafe specialises in crepes, both sweet and savoury. Also on the menu are a variety of breakfasts (including vegetarian and vegan options), paninis and a soup of the day.

Dog-Friendly Pubs in Chester

There is no shortage of dog-friendly pubs to choose from in Chester! Plenty of pubs have signs out the front indicating they’re dog-friendly, along with drinking bowls and more.

A great spot to head with your dog in Chester is the Architect. Located near the racecourse, this pub has an outside terrace and expansive beer garden, perfect for relaxing outdoors over a lazy meal and drinks with your pup at your side. They also organise monthly dog walks (like their sister venue in Bath) – check out their website for the next date.

The Moorings is located next to the River Dee, with tables located alongside the river. There are mixed reports whether dogs are also allowed inside or just outside (it probably depends on the staff member you speak to). In any case, the outdoor tables with water bowls for dogs are wonderful on a sunny day.

I’ve also heard good reports about the Beer & Billet, located just off the city walls, next to the Bridge Gate. A traditional inn dating to 1664, dogs are allowed to join you in the downstairs area where the bar is located, but not upstairs.

Finally, the award for the most creative dog water fountain has to go to The Old Harkers Arms, withs its fabulous dog water “bar”. This canal side pub is located outside of the city centre, about halfway between the train station and Eastgate.

Dog-Friendly Accommodation in Chester

A highly-rated boutique accommodation option in the centre of Chester is The Townhouse Chester. Located in a Georgian house built in 1699, there are a variety of double, triple and family rooms available.

Pet dogs are warmly welcome in all rooms, with an additional charge of £10 per night (confirm when booking). Previous guests report that one part of the breakfast area allows dogs, plus dogs can join you on the terrace for a drink.

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