The Silkin Way is a 14 mile (23 km) walking and cycling route through

Telford Telford () is a town in the Telford and Wrekin borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in Shropshire, England. The wider borough covers the town, its suburbs and surrounding towns and villages. The town is close to the county's eastern b ...

starting in Bratton and finishing in

Coalport Coalport is a village in Shropshire, England. It is located on the River Severn in the Ironbridge Gorge, a mile downstream of Ironbridge. It lies predominantly on the north bank of the river; on the other side is Jackfield. It forms part of ...

. In places the path follows the former

Great Western Railway The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a History of rail transport in Great Britain, British railway company that linked London with the southwest, west and West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, ...

and the dry canal beds of the old

Shropshire Canal The Shropshire Canal was a tub boat canal built to supply coal, ore and limestone to the industrial region of east Shropshire, England, that adjoined the River Severn at Coalbrookdale. It ran from a junction with the Donnington Wood Canal asce ...

and goes via

Telford Town Centre Telford Centre, previously branded as Telford Shopping Centre, is a indoor shopping centre in Telford, Shropshire, England, housing the streets North Sherwood Street, Sherwood Square, Sherwood Street, Wyre Hall, Sherwood Row, Southwater, The Bo ...

and the

Ironbridge Gorge The Ironbridge Gorge is a deep gorge, containing the River Severn in Shropshire, England. It was first formed by a glacial overflow from the long drained away Lake Lapworth, at the end of the last ice age. The deep exposure of the rocks cut ...

World Heritage Site. Along the route the Silkin Way runs close to the many natural and historical features within Telford and shows great contrasts between futuristic architecture, woodlands, and mature parkland.

History

The path is named after

Lewis Silkin Lewis Silkin, 1st Baron Silkin CH (14 November 1889 – 11 May 1972), was a British Labour Party politician. Career Lewis Silkin was born on 14 November 1889 to Abraham and Fanny Silkin, who were Litvak Jews from what was then the Lithuanian ...

, the Minister responsible for the post-war Labour Government's New Towns Act 1946 and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. The Town Park to Coalport section of the route was opened in 1977 by the Prime Minister

James Callaghan Leonard James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan of Cardiff ( ; 27 March 191226 March 2005) was a British statesman and Labour Party (UK), Labour Party politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979 and Leader of the L ...

and the Bratton to Town Park northern section was added later. The path is marked with distinctive black iron wheels at important junctions.

Path description

Silkin Way is a designated cycle route and for most of the way uses old railway paths and canal beds and is mainly on flat and fairly smooth surfaces. There are a few steps but most are wide and easy to push bikes up and down. Cyclists are asked to use the alternative cycle route around the

Telford Shopping Centre Telford Centre, previously branded as Telford Shopping Centre, is a indoor shopping centre in Telford, Shropshire, England, housing the streets North Sherwood Street, Sherwood Square, Sherwood Street, Wyre Hall, Sherwood Row, Southwater, The Bo ...

section. The highest part is on the approach to Holyhead Road just before

Telford Central railway station Telford Central railway station serves the town of Telford, Shropshire, England. It is located on the Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury Line and is operated by West Midlands Trains. It is situated close to the Telford Shopping Centre, the main commerci ...

providing an opportunity for walkers to divide the Silkin Way into two parts. With many places to stop and see on the path, Telford & Wrekin Council describe it is like a book - "you can read it all at once or just dip into it from time to time, digesting at your leisure".

Places of Interest

The Silkin Way passes through many areas showing the history of Telford and those of particular interest include; * Apley Castle Park * Hadley Park Mill *

Telford Town Park Telford Town Park is a park and Local Nature Reserve in Telford in Shropshire. In 2015, it was voted "UK's Best Park" in the inaugural public competition organised by Fields in Trust. History The Anglo-Saxon period saw the first real change ...

* Stirchley Chimney and Furnace *

Dawley and Stirchley railway station Dawley and Stirchley railway station was a station in Dawley, Shropshire, England. The station was opened in 1861 and closed in 1952. References Further reading

* Disused railway stations in Shropshire Railway stations in Great ...

* Madeley Windmill * Madeley Market Station *

Blists Hill Victorian Town Blists Hill Victorian Town is an open-air museum built on a former industrial complex located in Madeley, Telford and Wrekin, Shropshire, England. The museum attempts to recreate the sights, sounds and smells of a Victorian Shropshire town i ...

* Lee Dingle Bridge *

Coalport China Museum The Coalport China Museum is one of the ten Ironbridge Gorge Museums administered by the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust. The museum is based in the village of Coalport within the Ironbridge Gorge on the northern bank of the River Severn in Sh ...

* Coalport Bridge

References

External links

Telford & Wrekin Council Silkin Way Map

gps-routes.co.uk Ordnance Survey Map

Plotaroute.com Silkin Way Route Planner
{{colend Long-distance footpaths in England Telford Rail trails in England

History

Path description

Places of Interest

See also

References

External links