An Early Morning Walk Along River to Chester 24th June 2026

Wildflowers at the Saltney Ferry Footbridge Parking area.

A better picture of the wildflower at the Saltney Ferry Footbridge parking area.

The Ox-eye daisies haven't woken up yet!

The Cornflowers are looking good.

Looking towards Saltney from the Saltney Ferry Footbridge.

The footpath all to myself! 

I rarely had the path to myself, even during the solo walking days of the pandemic!

The Black Poplar 

(Grown at Chester Zoo and the sapling was planted here on te Welsh side of the border before the pandemic).

Lady's bedstraw next to the Coastal Path.

Pedestrian traffic lights on the riverside path at The Cop on Sealand Road, Chester.

Major works requiring pedestrian traffic lights at The Cop, Sealand Road, Chester.

Looking towards Crane Wharf on the way to Chester.

Gateway to The Roodee Racecourse.

The Riverside Promenade past the racecourse.

Spot the Great cormorant perched on the branch of a dead tree.

The Groves, Chester.

Grosvenor Park, Chester.

Preparing for a major event in Grosvenor Park.

I think this is that event.

Distance: 5 miles. Climb: 200'.
Time: 1 hour 50 minutes. 
Overall walk average: 2.7 m.p.h.
An early start, I was on Saltney Ferry Footbridge before 07-00, when the temperature was very pleasant, around 20 Celsius. However, by the time I arrived at Chester Roodee Racecourse, it was already starting to feel too warm and quite muggy. The feel-like temperature must have been getting close to 30 Celsius.
Ideally, I should have left home and hour earlier than I did, but had I done that I might have arrived before the Square Bottle was open, and I would have to wait for my breakfast!
Today was more of a bird hearing walk than a birdwatching walk.
Birds seen and heard  today included: Carrion crow, Jackdaw, House sparrow, Winter wren, House martin, Barn swallow, Long tailed tit, Mallard, European robin, Great cormorant, Herring gull, Lesser black back gull, Black headed gull, Oystercatcher, Common blackbird and Woodpigeon.
Birds only heard: Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Greenfinch, Common buzzard, Sedge warbler, Greater whitethroat, Collared dove
and Black billed magpie.
The newly created wildflower area by Saltney Ferry Footbridge car parking area was still looking good, even if the Ox-eye daisies hadn't fully opened up.  The Cornflowers were even better than they were on Sunday.
Plenty of early morning dog walkers were out along the riverside path (Coastal Path), as well as a few cyclists (thankfully none were lycra louts!).
I arrived at the Square Bottle, thankful that I had decided to have a walk in the "coolest" part of the day, but still needing to change my shirt  before going on for an excellent full English breakfast.

I arrived home and measured the temperature at home. It was 29.7 Celsius in the shade and 36.7 Celsius in the direct sunshine in front of my house.

Wildflowers growing in the pots at home.

Wildflowers growing in the pots at home.

Wildflowers growing in the pots at home.