Telford and Wrekin: Nature, Industrial History and Holiday Apartments

Telford and Wrekin: The Wrekin rises to over 407 metres and offers 360-degree views across up to 20 counties in England and Wales.

Nature and Trails

Limekiln Woods is a 24-hectare Local Nature Reserve with walking trails at the foot of the Wrekin. More than 150 plant species have been recorded there; the area also provides a habitat for breeding birds, bats and the rare plant species Common Twayblade.

The Ercall and Lawrence’s Hill is part of Limekiln Wood and features calcicole flora. The Wrekin and Ercall Site of Special Scientific Interest contains ripple marks 540 million years old and ancient Precambrian lava flows in its quarries.

The Wrekin is part of the Shropshire Hills National Landscape, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The 13 km Wrekin Forest Walk begins at Ercall Wood Nature Reserve, leads to the summit of the Wrekin, through the Needles Eye and back via Limekiln Woods.

The Shropshire Way, the Severn Way and the Hope House Way pass through the Telford and Wrekin administrative area. The Silkin Way links Tee Lake in the Dothill and Beanhill Valley with Apley Woods and continues south to Telford Town Park and Severn Gorge.

Activities

Telford Town Park has Green Flag status. It features a high-ropes course, an adventure mini-golf course, and nature and heritage trails.

Industrial History and Heritage

Ironbridge Gorge encompasses a 5 km stretch of the Severn Valley west of Ironbridge to Coalport, as well as smaller valleys extending towards Coalbrookdale and Madeley. In this area, it preserves mines, foundries, factories, workshops, warehouses, residential buildings, infrastructure and transport facilities from its industrial past.

Ironbridge Gorge is interpreted and made accessible to visitors by the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust and the Severn Gorge Countryside Trust. The Iron Bridge is the world’s first iron bridge and was built over the River Severn in 1779.

The Wrekin features preserved traces of an Iron Age hillfort and hundreds of charcoal-burning sites among its trees.

Trails and Railway

The Iron Bridge lies on the National Cycle Network and is surrounded by numerous walking routes and trails. The Telford Steam Railway offers historic train journeys with steam and diesel locomotives.

Its trains travel through the Heath Hill Tunnel to Lawley Station and then to Horsehay and Dawley station. The Telford Steam Railway operates on part of the former railway line from Wellington to Craven Arms.

More local pages: Wrockwardine, Ironbridge, Coalbrookdale, Admaston, Telford, Wellington, Hadley, Coalport, Horsehay, Rodington

Food and Markets

Wellington Market has existed since 1244 and contains more than 50 retail units. Live music, comedy nights and monthly night markets take place in Wellington Market Yard.

The cafés in Wellington Market offer local produce as well as a selection of international dishes.

To the overarching travel guide: West Midlands.