Mountain-high ice stretched across North Turn off the towpath at the signpost The Meres Meander Shropshire 18,000 years ago. Very slowly, 3 for the Woodland and the Mere. over the next few thousand years, it Go through the woodland wildlife melted, leaving behind the wonderfully reserve, cross the road on to Castle A choice of short and longer walks distinctive landscape you see today; Field and take in the panoramic views around Shropshire’s meres hummocky hills and hollows and dozens of of the Mere. shallow lakes or meres. Short walks Walk 1: 1.6 km (1 mile) circular walk around Walk down to the Mere front where 3 refreshments are available. Ellesmere. Allow /4 hour • START from: Canal Walk 1 4 Wharf, Wharf Road, Ellesmere • GRID REF: 399345 Promenade along on the Mere front, Walk 2: 1.6 km (1 mile) circular walk around From the town centre car park follow 3 following the signs to the Cremorne Colemere Countryside Heritage Site. Allow /4 hour 1 the signs to the canal wharf. 5 START from: Colemere Countryside Heritage Site. Gardens and back to the town centre. GRID REF: 436328 From the canal wharf follow the Walk 2 Longer walks 2 towpath and walk over the first bridge. Walk 3: 4.8 km (3 mile) circular walk from Colemere Countryside Heritage Site. From the car park at Colemere 1 Continue on the left side of the canal Allow 1 /2 hours • START from: Colemere Countryside Heritage Site head past Ellesmere Marina. A Countryside Heritage Site • GRID REF: 436328 through the kissing gate by the Walk 4: 11 km (7 miles) from Ellesmere to mere and follow the path along Colemere Countryside Heritage Site via the Canal wharf the mereside. Llangollen Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal. Originally known as the Ellesmere Canal, Allow 4 hours • START from: Canal Wharf, Wharf this was part of a network of canals that Road, Ellesmere • GRID REF: 399345 formed the main transport in the 19th Colemere century for industrial This is a classic ‘kettle hole’ mere, created MAPS: OS Explorer 240/241 materials such as coal. by a melting chunk of glacier with steep, deep sides (perhaps more of a cauldron shape, but PARKING is available in Ellesmere town centre, Now called the Llangollen Canal, it is still busy with kettles with spouts and lids are a relatively the Mere and Colemere Countryside Heritage recent invention). England’s only known colony Site. narrow-boats used for pleasure. The canal leads to of Least Water Lily grows here, its small All the walks are fairly level with some undulating a place on the Mersey yellow flowers open in late summer. sections but no big hills. once called Netherpool, but which became known as Ellesmere Pass through another kissing gate For public transport enquiries contact into Yell Wood and follow the path Traveline 0870 608 2 608 Port, reflecting the significance B Website: www.traveline.org.uk of the canal. through the wood. YELLOW FLAG IRIS & LEAST WATER LILY Walk 2 continues overleaf AY I L W R A E D U S Haughton Farm D I S Crimps Farm Lea Wood The Grange 12 11 10 A528 A495 13 B5068 Paddock Welshampton Wood The Mere 5 8 Cremorne Gardens 9 School Oteley B5063 P.O. START 1 The A495 Motte & Visitor Centre Rookery Bailey F 4 Boathouse Restaurant G Recreation Castle Field Newton Ground School 2 A495 Factory A495 Clarepool Marina Newton Moss Works E S George’s Wood Mere HR 3 Convent OP S HI RE UN ION CANAL 6 Blake Mere KEY Walk 1 Route Walk 2 Route 7 A528 Walk 3 Route C Walk 4 Route Boathouse Yell Wood Cole Mere Wood Public House Colemere Toilets Countryside Lyneal Heritage B Car Park Site White Mere Restaurant Wood Lane Nature Reserve Boat House Play Area A START Nature Reserve Colemere Farm Colemere © Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Shropshire County Council 100019801 (2005) Further Information Walk up the steps to have a look at the Continue past a cottage on the right, C canal from the bridge then turn left through a kissing gate into Boathouse Wood and follow the path Continue around the mere passing along the southern shore of Colemere Remember the through a kissing gate crossing a small Countryside Code: D to the car park. stream by the waters edge and on to a n Be safe – plan ahead further kissing gate which takes you into and follow any signs Walk 4 even when going out locally Boathouse Wood. Follow the path along n Leave gates and property as you find them; the southern shore of Colemere, past the For those who prefer a longer ramble, the n Protect plants and animals and take your Boat House back to the car park. longest of the Mere Meanders combines litter home; the three shorter walks. Starting from n Keep dogs under close control; Walk 3 Ellesmere town centre car park (1), follow n Consider other people. the Shropshire Union Canal towpath, past Follow the direction on walk 2, up to C. the Marina, through the Ellesmere Tunnel (6) www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk Here cross over the canal bridge and then and past Blakemere on your left. turn right along the towpath. Walking is good for you! At the third bridge leave the canal, Blakemere and the canal Walking five times a week for 30 The canal is a great place to see wildlife. minutes helps you keep healthy. E turn right and follow the road to The hedgerows, banks and Welshampton. ditches provide safe thorough- Other walks in Shropshire fares for voles, field mice Information on other walks in Shropshire can On the road to Welshampton, after and hedgehogs, be found by visiting: F passing a cottage on your left, turn left hunting grounds for and go through the gate onto the Public bats, food and nesting DRAGONFLY www.shropshire.gov.uk Footpath. Cross the first field and go places for birds. through the next gate, then follow the Look out for kingfishers and dragonflies. fenced path on the right hand side of the field. Go through the gate at the Immediately after the second bridge turn end of the fenced path and follow the left up the steps (7), then turn left again and path ahead through five fields. follow the lane. DISCLAIMER The publishers have made every effort to ensure the information in this publication was correct at the time of printing. If you have Continue past a cottage on the right any comments regarding this publication please contact Northern Shropshire Go through the gate onto the lane and Countryside Service, Swan Hill, Ellesmere, SY12 0DQ • Tel: 01691 624448 turn left. Follow this lane until you cross then turn left through a kissing gate into Designed by MA Creative (01743) 231261 • Illustrations by Steve Vicary G Boathouse Wood beside Cole Mere. Go past Printed on environmentally friendly paper from sustainable sources. over the canal bridge (7). the boathouse (built in the 19th century for A choice of walks fishing and shooting parties) and follow the The Mere The Mere at Ellesmere is the largest of the around Shropshire’s meres path around the southern and eastern shores North Shropshire meres, plummeting to 19 through Yell Wood to the canal bridge . (C) metres in its darkest depths. Fish such as roach, perch and bream make a fat living Cross the bridge and turn right along the here. The waters, rich with rock minerals The Meres towpath. At the third bridge leave the canal washed through the ground, are heaving (E), turn right and follow the road all the way with plankton - a feast for fish and dragonfly to Welshampton. At Welshampton turn left larvae. Look out in spring for water lilies and Meander along the main road (8) and when you reach yellow flag irises in the marshy areas at the Whatever your interests – beautiful the end of the village, taking care, cross water’s edge. countryside, wildlife, exercise, something to the main road and take the public footpath do with the kids – these walks are for you! through the farmyard (9). Turn right through the gate and follow the path through the wood over a field down by Go through the farm and follow the track the Mere (13). until you reach a kissing gate between two hedges. Go through the gate and follow the Keep on the path around the edge of path past a pond on your left. Carry on along the Mere to Cremorne Gardens (5) and the footpath keeping the fence to your left follow the signs back to the town centre. taking care to follow the fence when it bends Alternatively you can keep walking round sharply to the left (10). the mere to the Meres Visitor Centre (4). Follow the footpath ahead (11) which leads Wintering wildfowl roost on the Mere; widgeon, teal and pochard gather in rafts on the surface you onto a farm track to Crimps Farm (12). along with the occasional goldeneye, goosander and hundreds of black headed With the farm buildings to gulls. Pike, most fiercesome of your right, follow the freshwater fish, have been track to the left known to through the next field snatch the until you come to odd gull for a path between the supper. fence and a hedge, which takes you down to the side of the mere. WIDGEON,GOLDENEYE & TEAL Enjoy our walks and improve your health!.