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Tandem Club Easter Rally 2006 based at Coalport YHA
Good Friday Ride - Coalport to Attingham Park and Wroxeter Roman City
Landranger maps: 127, 126 & 138
Distance: Long 35.8 miles Ht. ascended: 1089m
Short 31.2 miles Ht. ascended: 757m
Reproduced with permission from Robert and Pauline Moore, Rally organisers.
These rides take you in to Ironbridge. The long ride then climbs out of the gorge, passing through the village of Little Wenlock before dropping back down towards the River Severn. The short ride continues on the B road missing out the climb to Little Wenlock.
If you can make time, the Roman City of Wroxeter (English Heritage) is well worth a visit – there being a childrens’ questionnaire to complete. This was the fourth largest city in Roman Britain. Much of the site where it stood has escaped subsequent development and so can provide extensive information about what the city was like. Originally a legionary fortress, it later developed into a thriving civilian city, populated by retired soldiers and traders. Today, the most impressive features are the second-century municipal baths and the remains of the huge wall dividing them from the exercise hall, right in the city's heart. All around were the roads, houses and trading stalls of the settlement. The new site museum helps to explain how the city worked and gives an insight into the lives of those who lived there. It includes artifacts from the site.
Continuing on from Wroxeter, you will pass by Attingham Park (National Trust).
One of the great houses of the Midlands, Attingham Park was built in 1785 for the 1st Lord Berwick, to the design of George Steuart, and has a picture gallery by John Nash. The magnificent rooms contain collections of ambassadorial silver, Italian furniture and Grand Tour paintings. The park, landscaped by Repton, has attractive walks along the River Tern and a play area and environmental centre for children. Home Farm, run by NT tenants, is one of Britain's few completely organic open farms.
There is a licensed tea room here as well as a kiosk. If you arrive by bike (tandems count) you can get into the grounds for free (not sure about the house). We can recommend the food – soups and stews available on cold days.
The route passes through Atcham and crosses the River Severn on the B road and then on to minor roads to Canlop Bridge – a single-span, cast-iron road bridge over the Cound Brook. It was designed by the great engineer Thomas Telford, who was instrumental in shaping industrial Shropshire and the West Midlands.
The route passes by Pichford Hall, of which you can get a good view by looking back just as you enter Pichford Village.
We continue on towards (and for the long ride, through) Acton Burnell. The short ride heads off across to Cressage (The Riverside inn at Coundlane is recommended, but likely to be busy) and then retraces the out bound section passing close to Buildwas Abbey.
The castle (English Heritage) at Acton Burnell is a warm red sandstone shell of a fortified c13 manor house, the site of the first parliament at which the commons were formally represented. The long route then passes through Harley and on towards Much Wenlock (tea shops and pubs) before dropping back down into the Gorge through Brosley, passing close to the end of the Iron Bridge.
Short Ride
|
Pt.
|
Dist.
|
Cum Dist
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Route
Description
|
Map ref:
|
|
1
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
TL out of
the Hostel
|
SJ696 024
|
|
2
|
0.36
|
0.36
|
At TJ go SO following the
river towards Ironbridge.
|
SJ692 028
|
|
3
|
0.80
|
1.16
|
At TJ SO, on B4372
|
SJ680 033
|
|
4
|
0.43
|
1.59
|
At roundabout take 1st exit
and continue into Ironbridge passing the bridge on the LHS
|
SJ674 034
|
|
5
|
0.61
|
2.20
|
SO at mini round-a-bout continue past the power station.
|
SJ665 038
|
|
6
|
1.46
|
3.66
|
TR onto
the A4169 and then TL onto B4380
|
SJ645 045
|
|
7
|
3.36
|
7.02
|
Continue through Leighton at Xrds
straight on, B4380
|
SJ595 057
|
|
8
|
0.73
|
7.75
|
At Xrds TL sp Dryton/Eyton on
Severn, pass through Eyton on Severn continue along this minor road to
Wroxeter and then the English
Heritage site of Wroxeter
Roman City.
Coffee machine only.
|
SJ587 065
|
|
9
|
3.08
|
10.83
|
TL onto B4380
|
SJ565 088
|
|
10
|
0.66
|
11.49
|
TL onto B5061
Turn to the R here leads into Attingham Park.
|
SJ556 093
|
|
11
|
1.10
|
12.59
|
Enter Atcham. After crossing
bridge over the River Severn TL onto minor road
|
SJ539 092
|
|
12/13
|
1.25
|
13.84
|
In Cross
Houses TR onto A458
and the 1st L onto minor road passing through Berrington
|
SJ537 075
|
|
14
|
1.36
|
15.20
|
At X rds TL Cross new bridge next
to the old Cantlop bridge. Continue onto Pitchford. Just as you
enter the village if you look back on the L hand bend there is a good view of
Pitchford Hall below you .Keep straight on to the village of Acton
Burnell.
|
SJ517 068
|
|
15
|
3.39
|
18.59
|
Just before entering village of Acton
Burnell TL.
|
SJ530 023
|
|
16
|
0.41
|
19.00
|
TL and
pass through Acton Piggot
|
SJ537 023
|
|
17
|
0.67
|
19.67
|
Bear R at TJ
and down hill to ford foot bridge on LHS
|
SJ544 030
|
|
18
|
0.57
|
20.24
|
at TJ TR
|
SJ553 033
|
|
19
|
0.20
|
20.44
|
at TJ TL
|
SJ554 030
|
|
20
|
0.98
|
21.42
|
At Xrds
SO
|
SJ569 032
|
|
21
|
1.47
|
22.89
|
At Cressage
TR onto A458
|
SJ590 041
|
|
22
|
0.08
|
22.97
|
TL onto B4380
|
SJ591 040
|
|
23(7)
|
1.26
|
24.23
|
At TJ
TR B4380
|
SJ595 057
|
|
24(6)
|
3.36
|
27.59
|
At junction with A4169 TR (Buildwas
Abbey is straight on here)and then TL onto minor road retracing
steps into Ironbridge
|
SJ645 045
|
|
25(5)
|
1.46
|
29.05
|
At mini round-a-bout SO through Ironbridge
town
|
SJ665 038
|
|
26(4)
|
0.61
|
29.66
|
At roundabout SO B4373
|
SJ674 034
|
|
27(3)
|
0.43
|
30.09
|
At TJ SO on minor road following
river
|
SJ680 033
|
|
28(2)
|
0.80
|
30.89
|
At TJ SO sp Coalport continue to follow river
|
SJ692 028
|
|
29(1)
|
0.36
|
31.25
|
Finish
|
SJ696 024
|
Â
Long Ride
|
Pt.
|
Dist
|
Cum.
Dist
|
Route Description
|
Map Ref:
|
|
1
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
TL out of the Hostel.
|
SJ692 024
|
|
2
|
0.36
|
0.36
|
SO on over TJ sp Ironbridge, following the River
|
SJ692 028
|
|
3
|
0.80
|
1.16
|
At TJ go straight on, B4373 passing 2 pubs on the RHS
|
SJ680 033
|
|
4
|
0.43
|
1.59
|
At roundabout take the 1st exit SO SP Buildwas, passing bridge
|
SJ674 034
|
|
5
|
0.61
|
2.20
|
At mini roundabout SO and then TR up Station Rd. (sustrans route 45) up
steep hill passing under railway bridge.
|
SJ665 038
|
|
6
|
0.51
|
2.71
|
at Fork TR continue following route 45
dropping down slightly
|
SJ666 045
|
|
7
|
0.53
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3.24
|
At TJ TL into Darby Rd. and climb hill. cross over
A4169
|
SJ663 051
|
|
8
|
1.47
|
4.71
|
TL into Little Wenlock
|
SJ649 067
|
|
9
|
0.38
|
5.09
|
TL opposite the Huntsman PH then 1st L SP Rushton.
|
SJ647 070
|
|
10
|
1.74
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6.83
|
Continue on ignoring turn to the R
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SJ621 069
|
|
11
|
0.69
|
7.52
|
TL SP Longwood and then TR SP
Longwood
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SJ612 072
|
|
12
|
0.57
|
8.09
|
SO at Xrds in Upper Longwood.
|
SJ603 070
|
|
13
|
1.12
|
9.21
|
Xrds with B4380 SO SP
Dryton / Eyton on Severn Good view at
LHB cont. through Eyton on Severn
Old tower and Wroxeter coming to the EH site of Wroxeter Roman City.
|
SJ587 065
|
|
14
|
3.08
|
12.29
|
At
Xrds TL onto B4380
|
SJ565 088
|
|
15
|
0.66
|
12.95
|
TL onto B5061 SP Atcham view of Attingham Hall on R. there is a R
turn here into the grounds – tea stops café childerns play area
|
SJ556 093
|
|
16
|
1.10
|
14.05
|
Enter Atcham After crossing bridge TL
onto minor road
|
SJ539 092
|
|
17
|
1.13
|
15.18
|
In Cross
Houses TR onto A458 and the 1st L onto minor road
|
SJ537 075
|
|
18
|
0.12
|
15.30
|
TL sp Berrington onto minor road and pass through Berrington
|
SJ535 025
|
|
19
|
1.36
|
16.66
|
Xrds TL SP Pitchford. Cross
new bridge next to old Cantlop bridge. Continue through village of Pitchford. Just
as you enter the village look back on the L hand bend there is a good view of
Pitchford Hall below you. Continue to the village of Acton Burnell. Castle
on R.
|
SJ517 068
|
|
20
|
4.82
|
21.48
|
At Ruckley
TL SP Langley Chapel, pass chapel and Hall and climb into Maypole Bank.
|
SJ533 001
|
|
21
|
1.57
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23.05
|
At
TJ TL SP Acton Burnell go through Kenley
to Harley
|
SO553 996
|
|
22
|
3.31
|
26.36
|
In Harley
TR opposite church and then follow road around the church to the L
|
SJ595 014
|
|
23
|
0.29
|
26.65
|
At TJ
with A458 TR SP Kidderminster then
1st L SP Wigwig down
hill to a ford (No water?) up to Homer
Or cont. on main road into Much Wenlock
then leave on the A4169 to rejoin the route at 24.
|
SJ598 015
|
|
24
|
2.07
|
28.72
|
At TJ
with A4169 TL SP Farley Much
Wenlock option rejoins.
|
SJ624 009
|
|
25
|
0.59
|
29.31
|
TR onto unmarked minor road to Wyke
|
SJ631 015
|
|
26
|
1.37
|
30.68
|
Road bends sharp L uphill and then TR at TJ
|
SJ647 021
|
|
27
|
0.80
|
31.48
|
At TJ
with B4375 TL SP Broseley
|
SJ656 016
|
|
28
|
0.91
|
32.39
|
TL into Bridge Rd
down hill. after sharp RH bend you can
take a detour to visit the iron bridge and the town of Ironbridge
|
SJ669 021
|
|
29
|
1.29
|
33.68
|
Cont. down hill joining the B4373 SO on hairpin bend going. Just before the new suspension bridge TR into Lloyds Head sp Tile museum
cross over old level crossing.
|
SJ680 032
|
|
30
|
0.33
|
34.01
|
Continue SO into Church Road
which becomes Salthouse Road
|
SJ685 030
|
|
31
|
0.65
|
34.66
|
At no entry signs go SO sp Route 45 on old
railway track Traffic free continue
following track also signed Severn
Valley Way.
|
SJ693 024
|
|
32
|
0.59
|
35.25
|
At end TL and cross over narrow bridge with height restriction
|
SJ701 020
|
|
33
|
0.11
|
35.36
|
TL
sp Coalport
|
SJ702 022
|
|
34
|
0.42
|
35.78
|
Finish
|
SJ696 024
|
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