The Combermere Abbey estate sits almost exactly equidistant between the beautiful and historic cathedrals cities of Chester and Shrewsbury - both are a shade over twenty miles away; in each case a very easy twenty miles drive straight up or down the A41. Both have historical associations going back thousands of years, both were important strategic bases, both were the sites of major battles, and both were important bulwarks against Welsh marauders. Oh yes, and both make a lovely day out when you're staying in one of the Abbey's five star self-catering cottages.

We would urge you to visit each in turn - the Cheshire/Shropshire county border goes right through the woodland at Combermere so we have a strong allegiance to them both.

Nowadays though the more northerly of the two has something special - something very Twenty-First century. It's called Chester Walls Quest and is a free smartphone app - the first of its kind for a heritage site in Britain: A new game-based, self-guided tour around the City Walls and Towers. It helps visitors to experience the heritage highlights and share their experiences in an entirely new way, and it makes discovering the story of the Walls more fun and interactive than ever before. 

The app combines factual information with maps, stunning multimedia and the option to play a social location ‘quest' game than enables the visitor to unlock more content as they ‘check-in' to different locations around the Walls. A GPS mapping system makes it easy for visitors to navigate around the Walls at their own pace, and layered content (whatever that is) enables you to choose what kind of experience you want - whether it's a family day out, or a more in-depth heritage tour.

The app is supported by an interactive website, which visitors can use to plan their visit or follow it up afterwards. Astonishing, eh? And whatever the Romans did do for us, phone apps weren't one of them.

The cottages at Combermere make a terrific base for exploring this delightful part of the world, are the last word in luxury, and tranquillity and beautiful surroundings come free! Click here for more information, photos, and availability. What next, a Combermere Abbey app? Hmmmm, now there's a thought ...