Chester

The 35th annual Chester Raft Race ran on the morning of 4th July. Taking place on the River Dee between the Grosvenor Boat House and the Old Dee Bridge. Over 40 rafts battled against each other and the wind to compete for a series of prizes.

Organised by Chester Rotary Club in aid of the Help for Heroes charity. This years theme, "Great Historical Events through the Ages", saw competitors paddle against a strong head wind down stream from the Earl's Eye meadows, over the weir to the Old Dee bridge and back again. Running the gauntlet of water pistols, water and flour bombs thrown by fellow contestants and spectators.

A set of Chester Regatta Photographs taken on the 8th of May 2010.

Chester Regatta can trace it's origins back to 1733 when rowing races were held amongst fishermen on the Dee. Rowing in coracles and fishing boats the races became popular in the 18th century. In 1829, when the first Oxford-Cambridge boat race was run, Chester Regatta was the only established rowing race in the country.

Saturday 20th of March saw the running of the 75th North of England Head of the River Race along the Dee. Organised by the Royal Chester Rowing Club. A major event in the British rowing calendar over 124 crews took part in the morning and afternoon events.

First run in 1935 the annual event has only been cancelled because of war and in 2001 because of Foot and Mouth. The race takes place over a 5000metre course along the Dee with the Finish post at the edge of the Earl's Eye Meadow in Chester, just before the Royal Chester Rowing Club's boat house.

A large number of trees and extensive undergrowth has been removed from the northern river bank of the River Dee, west of the Old Dee Bridge. In the picture below, taken in 2009 the vegetation can be seen crowding the northern bank on the left of the Dee Bridge.