Walkers at the Iron Bridge during the Ironbridge Gorge Walking Festival.
When: 5th – 13th May 2018
Where: Ironbridge, Shropshire
£: Free, but booking is essential
What is it?
The Ironbridge Gorge Walking Festival, now in its 13th year, will take place from Saturday 5th to Sunday 13th May.
The festival will offer 53 free and varied walks, over the nine days. All of the walks take place in and around Telford’s Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site, where the Industrial Revolution began over 300 years ago.
From challenging all day hikes for the brave hearted, to family friendly trails and short informative walks, this year’s festival promises to have something to whet the appetite of all ages and abilities. The walks are guided by enthusiastic and informative leaders, and with the area’s ‘Walkers are Welcome’ status, a warm welcome is guaranteed.
At this year’s festival there will be walks that vary from three to 21 miles long, with some special themed walks, making it a great way to find out more about this interesting and historic area. This year there will be walks including Steam Trains and Views, Telford Town Trails, The Birds of the Wrekin, Forgotten Stations and Furnaces, The Geology and Mining Legacy of the Gorge, Pools and a Medieval Manor, a Mindfulness walk around Coalport and Jackfield, and a Pub Walk.
The festival begins on Saturday 5th May with a walk around the local area taking in a ‘thankful’ village, a medieval village and the Much Wenlock Olympic field; and a 12 mile walk taking in the nine museums of Ironbridge Gorge.
All of the walks aim to finish at around 4pm, giving participants plenty of time for a well-earned post-walk pint (or two)!
All of the walks are free, however pre-booking is essential as numbers are limited. Well behaved dogs on a lead are welcome on some walks, but visitors should check before booking.
More info: www.ironbridge.org.uk and www.ironbridgewalking.co.uk