SHROPSHIRE WAY SOUTH SECTION About Stage 9: Ironbridge to Wellington 11 miles The Wrekin and the Ercall The ascent from the western end of the Wrekin is steep and requires a scramble in places. First there is Little Hill, then Needles Eye, before the summit at 407 metres. The panorama of the Shropshire Plain stretches before you to the North with vistas as far as Cheshire on a clear day. Zig-zagging down again you will arrive at Ercall The Iron Bridge over the Severn Quarry a world-famous geological site and SSSI. The ascent of the Ercall hill goes between the Ironbridge disused quarries and then you pass through the Ercall Wood Nature You may wish to spend some time Reserve. The ancient woodland is exploring this World Heritage site with protected by Shropshire Wildlife its many museums based around the Trust and is home for a wide variety history of the Industrial Revolution. of species. The route out of Ironbridge climbs Approaching Wellington you past the church and loops to a will cross Watling Street going viewpoint before descending again westwards to the Roman city of to Coalbrookdale. There is plenty Viroconium. The ruins and visitor of industrial heritage to see here. It The Ercall Unconformity centre can be found at Wroxeter is where iron ore was first smelted roughly six miles west of Wellington. by Abraham Darby using easily mined “coking The route on the Shropshire Way now passes coal” drawn from drift mines in the sides of through Wellington Centre before turning the valley. As it contained far fewer impurities towards Shrewsbury. than normal coal, the iron it produced was of a superior quality. The last foundry, the Aga Works finally closed in November 2017. One of Ironbridge Gorge museums is the Science Museum Enguity, located in the Coalbrookdale valley here. It has many interactive exhibits aimed at children but of interest to adults too. Pass under the railway viaduct once carrying the coal trains to the power station and begin the long climb to Little Wenlock, a small village with a pub and a church, overlooking the Wrekin. Walking on The Wrekin shropshireway.org.uk Shawbirch Apley Castle Stage 9: IronbridgePark to Wellington Admaston Hospital Dothill WHITCHURCH Nature Reserve ELLESMERE School Supermarket College SHREWSBURY Wellington Wellington TELFORD Orleton Hall College Ironbridge Leaton Sunnycroft MUCH WENLOCK Quarry Bridges A5223Wilderhope B5061 College A5 Junc 7 Arleston BISHOP'S RetailCASTLE M54 Park Cluddley CRAVEN ARMS Wheathill Clun Junc 6 0 KILOMETRES 1 2 Ercall LUDLOW Wood Buckatree Hotel 1 0 MILES /2 1 Wrekin Short Golf Club Limekiln Wood Wood Cottage Black Hayes Lawley A5223 Heaven’s Gate Hillfort Toposcope Wenlocks THE WREKIN Needle’s Eye Wood Huntington Telford Little Hill Steam Railway Spout Lane Horsehay Plantation Gibbons Pool Coppice Little Wenlock Chermes Dingle Horsehay A5223 Waterfall Devil’s Leasows Farm Hurst Dingle Coppice The A4169 Sapling Wilderness Lightmoor Wood Holbrook Loamhole Coppice Brook Vane Timber Coppice Wood Shropshire Way Footpaths Bridleways Birches Coppice Coalbrookdale Open Access land Shop B4380 Visitor Information Centre Place of Worship River Severn Café Caravan/Camping Site Museum Buildwas Public House Abbey Car Parking Toilets A4169 Building of Historical Interest Railway Station The Rotunda Ironbridge Castle English Heritage Gardens National Trust Visitor Attractions Forestry Commission Tick Wood BENTHALL EDGE Iron Bridge WOOD Hill summit Youth Hostel Spratts Artwork by MACreative.co.uk CoppicCrowne Copyright. All rights reserved. Shropshire Council 100019801. 2018 Farley Benthall Hall Coppice Broseley Benthall Wyke.