Walking in the Ironbridge Gorge
Walking is not something that most people think of when they plan to come to Ironbridge, however the whole gorge area is a maze of well kept footpaths, cycle trails and bridlepaths.

Some are the remains of the old rail system, the original foundry worker’s footpaths or those of local people coming in to market with produce to sell.

It is well worth spending some time exploring not only the natural regrowth of the area since the furnaces stopped blasting, but also to find some of the bits of the architectural past left in the woods or the lovely specimen trees planted hundreds of years ago for the enjoyment of the factory workers and their families. Some of these have grown to enormous proportions and are quite spectacular.

Because the gorge was shaped by the ice age you might find stones from other areas of the country and it would also not be unusual to find bits of fossils as one does on Wenlock Edge. The area was originally formed over 400 million years ago when it was an area of coral sea.

“Walks In The Severn Gorge” by Ironbridge and Coalbrookdale Civic Society has 11 walks in the area with listed areas of special interest, these walks go right through the main industrial area of the gorge.

Main footpath routes through the gorge include the Ironbridge Way, The Silkin Way and Severn Valley Way.

Leaflets, books and maps on the main walks can also be obtained from the Tourist Information Centre - click here for contact details

The Coalbrookdale and Coalport Youth Hostels have produced their own map of walks for their visitors with routes from these hostels to other hostels within Shropshire and have a good selection of local tourist information for those visiting the area.

Best views of the Iron Bridge

Driving into the town from the A4169 from Buildwas, you first glimpse is quite spectacular as you come around a gentle bend and approach the square. The magic of this view is enhanced even more if you arrive at night or dusk when the lights are shining on the cast iron work.

In the square you can walk down the steps to the river bank and walk underneath the bridge and to get a full impression of how it was constructed.

From the church yard of St. Luke’s Church you can stand and look over the wall down onto the Ironbridge or sit on the bench. The church is accessible via a series of steps to the right of the Tontine Hotel, but they are quite steep. Alternatively you can drive up or Church Hill (very narrow!).

A good view of The Gorge, the Ironbridge Power Station, the Ironbridge with distant views to Wales and the Midlands on a clear day is from the Rotunda Walk on Lincoln Hill. The walk starts opposite the White Horse Tavern car park on Lincoln Hill.

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