Tandem Club Easter Rally 2006
based at Coalport YHA, Shropshire
Easter Monday Ride
Landranger maps: 127 & 138
Distance: Long 38.3 miles Ht. ascended: 1197m
Short 27.0 miles Ht. ascended: 904m
Reproduced by kind permission of Robert and Pauline Moore, rally organisers
This ride crosses the river Severn east of the hostel, and follows a track on the southern bank of the river, eventually coming to the town of Bridgnorth (where history abounds) for elevenses or even fish and chips if its open.
A gigantic fragment of the Norman keep of the castle leans at an impossible angle in the landscaped Castle Grounds. It was 'slighted' by Parliament's forces in the English Civil War. Thomas Telford's church of St Mary Magdalene sits grandly next door, while the timber-framed Town Hall set on high brick piers, interrupts the traffic flow in the High Street.
The redundant but revered St Leonard's Church, set in its own cathedral-like close, provides calm away from the hustle and bustle of the town. The medieval Northgate, which houses the Northgate Museum, stands guard at one end of the High Street, whilst the Italianate splendour of the New Market Building with its Childhood and Costume Museum stands at the other.
For a really short route you could spend time exploring the town and the cliff railway and then return on the B road back to Broseley and then the hostel.
The ride then takes you SW and climbs the hills behind Bridgnorth, meandering through some narrow lanes, offering good views of the Severn valley.
The longer route then goes through Ditton Priors, which has a fine airy feel to it. Situated on the slopes of the Brown Clee, it has a good inn and another fine church (St John the Baptist) which is predominantly 13th century.
The route returns through Much Wenlock for a possible lunch stop. This is a town in miniature, filled with black-and-white houses, friendly traditional pubs, a good range of individual shops, and one of the most impressive sets of monastic ruins you'll ever see. In the care of English Heritage, ‘Wenlock Priory's serene and majestic remains are a not to be missed and unforgettable sight’. There is history at every turn - the magnificent Guildhall with its whipping post, the lovely Holy Trinity Church and Dr William Penny Brookes, who was instrumental in founding the modern Olympic Movement. The town's fine Museum houses an impressive collection of Olympian memorabilia as well as a wide range of exhibits dealing with Wenlock's history, geology and natural environment.
There is a short ride back to the hostel through Broseley, which sits on the lip of the wooded Ironbridge Gorge and houses many reminders of itsÂ’ industrial past. The houses of the rich ironmasters and merchants remain, as do the 'jitties'. The winding lanes still cling to the slopes of the hillside, threading their way through what was a shanty town of squatters cottages, the homes of itinerant miners. Another link with a lost industry lies within the unique Pipeworks Museum.
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Pt.
|
Dist.
|
Cum Dist
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Route
Description
|
Map ref:
|
|
1
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
TR out of
the Hostel passing the Brewery PH and then across narrow bridge.
|
SJ696 024
|
|
2
|
0.42
|
0.42
|
At TJ
TR and cross narrow bridge across river (watch your head)
|
SJ702 022
|
|
3
|
Â
|
Â
|
After crossing bridge continue up road
climbing steeply around hairpin bend to Xrds
TL onto B4373 and continue on
this road into Bridgnorth - go to 6.
|
Â
|
|
3
|
0.11
|
0.53
|
Just after crossing bridge TL almost back on yourself onto
concrete lane marked private road in front of cottages this then becomes a rough
un-surfaced track beware pot holes and
follows the river. After old station house at fork continue SO the track eventually bends to R
|
SJ702 020
|
|
4
|
5.03
|
5.56
|
At the end of the track next to farm TL onto minor road and pass through
golf course.
|
SO722 955
|
|
5
|
1.30
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6.86
|
At TJ
TL onto B4373 and enter Bridgnorth pass under archway. The market
hall is in front of you.
|
SO715 938
|
|
6
|
0.37
|
7.05
|
TR into Whitburn Street
(Before you reach the market hall) and continue SO across 2 mini roundabouts the 1st to SainsburyÂ’s.
|
SO715 932
|
|
7
|
0.43
|
7.48
|
TL
SP Ludlow B4364
|
SO709 932
|
|
8
|
0.43
|
7.91
|
At roundabout SO SP Ludlow B4364
|
SO704 927
|
|
9
|
1.25
|
9.16
|
Pass the Punch Bowl Inn on the RHS, just
after you cross a bridge TR SP
Criddon on LHB and climb the long hill.
|
SO690 915
|
|
10
|
2.53
|
11.69
|
TR SP Upton Park into Beaconhill
Road.
|
SO652 911
|
|
11
|
2.28
|
13.97
|
At Xrds
SO SP Bourton
|
SO630 939
|
|
12
|
0.15
|
14.12
|
Follow road around to the L SP Bourton
|
SO629 941
|
|
13
|
2.91
|
17.03
|
In Bourton
at Xrds TR SP Much Wenlock (Low
gear hard uphill) on to B4378
|
SO595 963
|
|
14
|
2.81
|
19.84
|
At junction with the A458 SO into the Town of Much Wenlock
|
SO620 998
|
|
15
|
0.19
|
20.03
|
At end of the road TR
|
SO623 999
|
|
16
|
0.07
|
20.10
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At junction SO joining the B4376
|
SO624 998
|
|
17
|
1.44
|
21.54
|
TR SP Barrow on B4376 pass
through Barrow.
|
SO646 997
|
|
18
|
2.14
|
23.68
|
At TJ
TL SP Brosley B4373
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SJ677 008
|
|
19
|
0.12
|
23.80
|
Follow road around to the R
|
SJ677 010
|
|
20
|
0.24
|
24.04
|
At traffic lights by garage SO on B4373
|
SJ679 013
|
|
21
|
0.91
|
24.95
|
TR into Calcutts Road sp
Tile museum and Jackfield
|
SJ681 028
|
|
22
|
0.30
|
25.25
|
At the end of the road TR into Church Road
sp tile museum, which then becomes Salthouse Road.
|
SJ685 030
|
|
23
|
0.65
|
25.90
|
At end of road SO through no entry signs onto track to follow the sustrans route
45 signs following river on traffic free path.
|
SJ693 024
|
|
24
|
0.59
|
26.49
|
At TJ
with road TL and cross over narrow
bridge with height restriction.
|
SJ701 020
|
|
25
|
0.11
|
26.60
|
TL sp Coalport
|
Â
|
|
26
|
0.42
|
27.02
|
Finish
|
SJ696 024
|
Â
Long Ride
|
Pt.
|
Dist
|
Cum Dist
|
Route
Description
|
Map ref:
|
|
1
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
TR out of
the Hostel passing the Brewery PH and then across narrow bridge.
|
SJ696 024
|
|
2
|
0.42
|
0.42
|
At TJ
TR and cross narrow bridge across river (watch your head)
|
SJ702 022
|
|
3
|
0.11
|
0.53
|
After the bridge continue up road
climbing steeply around hairpin bend
|
SJ701 020
|
|
4
|
1.62
|
2.17
|
At Xrds
TL onto B4373
|
SJ679 013
|
|
5
|
0.24
|
2.41
|
Continue around LH bend on B4373 and on until you reach
Bridgnorth
|
SJ677 010
|
|
6
|
5.53
|
7.94
|
Short
route joins here from the left enter Bridgnorth pass under archway. The market
hall is in front of you.
|
SO715 938
|
|
7
|
0.37
|
8.31
|
TR into Whitburn Street
(Before you reach the market hall).
|
SO715 932
|
|
8
|
0.17
|
8.48
|
Continue SO across 2 mini roundabouts the 1st to SainsburyÂ’s.
|
SO713 931
|
|
9
|
0.26
|
8.74
|
TL
SP Ludlow B4364
|
SO709932
|
|
10
|
0.43
|
9.17
|
At roundabout SO SP Ludlow B4364
|
SO704 927
|
|
11
|
1.25
|
10.42
|
Pass the Punch Bowl Inn on the RHS, just
after you cross a bridge TR SP
Criddon on LHB and climb the long hill.
|
SO690 915
|
|
12
|
2.53
|
12.95
|
Short
route turns R here continue SO
|
SO652 911
|
|
13
|
1.84
|
14.79
|
Just after Middleton Baggot TL drop down to stream & back up again
|
SO625 906
|
|
14
|
0.24
|
15.03
|
In Middleton
Priors TR and then follow road around a sharp LH bend towards Ditton
Priors.
|
SO623 903
|
|
15
|
1.20
|
16.23
|
In Ditton
Priors TR and then 1st
L around church.
|
SO608 891
|
|
16
|
0.45
|
16.68
|
At staggered Xrds SO
|
SO603 889
|
|
17
|
1.13
|
17.81
|
At junction by windmill SO
|
SO590 878
|
|
18
|
0.69
|
18.50
|
At TJ
TR towards Abdon
|
SO587 869
|
|
19
|
0.93
|
19.43
|
In Abdon
TR towards Tugford dropping down steeply
|
SO573 863
|
|
20
|
1.27
|
20.70
|
In Tugford
TR and follow road around to the L.
Passing through Holdgate with
old tower and onto Stanton Long
|
SO556 871
|
|
21
|
3.04
|
23.74
|
In Stanton
Long TL towards the church.
|
SO572 906
|
|
22
|
1.04
|
24.78
|
TR onto B4378 and then TL.
|
SO563 917
|
|
23
|
0.17
|
24.95
|
At TJ
TR onto B4378 towards Much
Wenlock.
|
SO564 919
|
|
24
|
1.44
|
26.39
|
In Brockton
continue SO staying on the B4378
|
SO578 937
|
|
25
|
1.95
|
28.34
|
In Bourton
continue SO and climb hill short route joins from the R
|
SO595 963
|
|
26
|
2.79
|
31.13
|
At junction with the A458 SO into the Town of Much Wenlock
|
SO621 998
|
|
27
|
0.19
|
31.32
|
At end of the road TR
|
SO623 999
|
|
28
|
0.07
|
31.39
|
At junction SO joining the B4376
|
SO624 998
|
|
29
|
1.44
|
32.83
|
TR SP Barrow on B4376 pass
through Barrow.
|
SO646 997
|
|
30
|
2.14
|
34.97
|
At TJ
TL SP Brosley B4373
|
SJ677 008
|
|
31
|
0.12
|
35.09
|
Follow road around to the R
|
SJ677 010
|
|
32
|
0.24
|
35.33
|
At traffic lights by garage SO on B4373
|
SJ679 013
|
|
33
|
0.91
|
36.24
|
TR into Calcutts Road sp Tile museum and Jackfield
|
SJ681 028
|
|
34
|
0.30
|
36.54
|
At the end of the road TR into Church Road
sp Tile museum, which then becomes Salthouse Road.
|
SJ685 030
|
|
35
|
0.65
|
37.19
|
At the end of the road SO through no entry signs to follow
the sustrans route 45 signs following river on traffic free path.
|
SJ693 024
|
|
36
|
0.59
|
37.78
|
At TJ
with road TL and cross over narrow
bridge with height restriction.
|
SJ701 020
|
|
37
|
0.11
|
37.89
|
TL sp Coalport
|
SJ702 022
|
|
38
|
0.42
|
38.31
|
Finish
|
SJ696 024
|
|
