CHESTER will turn the clock back to the age of the Vikings from Saturday (July 13) thanks to the launch of a new walking tour.

Vikings settled in the city over 1000 years ago and the new tour will explore how they lived here – and relations with their Anglo-Saxon neighbours.

Viking Chester will feature costumed guides dressed as a fearsome fighter or a shield maiden complete with replica swords and shields and many other items.

They will lead groups of visitors and residents from the Town Hall Visitor Information Centre around locations associated with the invaders from across the North Sea.

(Image: Adobe stock)

Everyone taking part in the new tour will receive a replica Viking coin.

The new guided walk has been developed by The Guild of Ghost Hunters Ltd, who run the highly popular Chester Ghost Tours, launched 40 years ago.

Director, Gerald Tattum said: “We are delighted to launch this new venture and appreciate all the support we have received to get it off the ground, especially from The Townhouse Chester in Lower Bridge Street, an area where the Vikings settled - as well as in Handbridge across the river.

“The tours will be led by an archaeologist and an historian to make sure the content is accurate as well as entertaining and will provide an authentic visitor experience.”

He added: “The Age of the Vikings is just as important as all the other eras of the city’s history and well worth exploring. They were in Britain for over 350 years and ended up ruling England. We have uncovered many fascinating aspects of their culture from ‘flying cats’ and ‘zombies’ to ‘wolf warriors’ and naughty deity Loki!

“There are still many unanswered questions about the Vikings in Chester. It’s a mystery why no Viking graves have been found here yet. Some dead Viking leaders were traditionally buried in ships along with their treasures.

“It would be fantastic if anyone with local Viking finds could come forward and contact the city’s Grosvenor Museum to help improve our knowledge and understanding of how the Vikings lived while they were here.”

Tickets for the tours are bookable at Chester Visitor Information Centre and online at www.vikingchester.com, plus latecomers can pay the Viking guide in cash.

Tours depart at 11am and 3.15pm Saturdays, June-October starting from July 13, 2024.