“a delightful ramble through the town, woods, local nature reserves and across open spaces”
The best breakfast of the trip set me up for the day.
A well marked route, often shared with the Shropshire Way, takes me through Wellington centre, where I duck down Ten Tree Croft, where cloth was hung in the C18th (tenter) and eventually into Dothill nature reserve. There are extensive woodlands and two lakes. It is dog walking territory. Some of the trees have identification plaques, and it turns out there are 50 of these. I don’t think I can recognise 50 trees. I do a loop around the second lake before another housing estate. Wouldn’t it be good to have the time to follow the whole 50 tree trail.
The path leading to Apley is hemmed in by the dreaded developer’s fencing;. “It was all green fields last year,” a passing couple tell me.
Entering the grounds of the former Apley Hall, one immediately notices the variety of trees that must have been planted in the estate’s heyday. The pool is closed to fishing due to an infestation with blue-green algae. Several other pools passed this week are in a similar situation.
One of the reasons to complete this northern loop was to see the famous Yew Avenue. I will soon turn down into it for a wonderful view. I don’t know it’s age, but halfway down is one very old yew.
I join the Silkin Way, for the last time, a lovely avenue of limes, and some juicy blackberries..
I almost catch a bus back from near here but persist with the convoluted route through housing estates into the centre of Wellington, with a view up to the Ercall and Wrekin at the end. .
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I have time to spare so go in search of that little middle-eastern café, Dina. I enjoy a bowl of lentil soup and a delicious falafel/salad wrap for the princely sum of £4. To top it off I go next door to ‘Spoons’, The William Withering, for a £1.79 pint of Ruddles. Luxury. 
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Well that has been a great mini trip. Good to get away for the first time this year. The Telford T50 is a well thought out trail, obviously devised by locals who know the area and the best bits. The guide book is excellent for background information and precise navigation. Waymarking was excellent. There were more ups and downs than I expected. I did about 7,000 ft in the 48 miles I actually walked.
All the joined up green spaces in the vicinity of Telford make the walk feel rural for 90% of the time. Passing through one doesn’t catch much of the wild life that must be thriving here. A good blueprint for new towns, we should have more of them rather than the haphazard new developments plaguing our rural areas.
As for history this trail has so much, almost too much, industrial heritage. Everywhere there are detailed information boards to explain that history. And if you have taken to the area, as I was, there so many other interesting trails to discover.
A very ‘green; walk with all those trees. I like the sculpture but can’t figure out what it;s supposed to be – elephants piled on top of each other maybe?
All very green, natural corridors, a good example of ‘town planning’
The sculpture is called Energy Rising. It is believed to symbolise lava emerging from the earth. I thought slugs rather than elephants.
Yuck! Now you’ve put me off, I hate slugs, they creep me out 🙁
That looks a most enjoyable outing, BC. Well done!
Now you can turn all those photos and the text into a photobook from which to relive the memories!
Thanks. My blog will have to do as my photo album.
Sounds like a rabbit hole to falldown, in terms of distracting side quests!
One could sped a day in Apley Park, I only scratched the surface.
When I read your first post in this “series” I expected that it would be a tramp through a concrete jungle. But, as you say, lots of green corridors. I’ve only ever driven past Telford except for one visit to watch Chorley FC play Wellington in the FA cup! – a long, long time ago. But when researching my family tree I discovered that a great grandmother came from one of the rural villages now absorbed in the New Town, so it was personally very interesting to read your posts and, even more so, see your photos. She ended up in Lancashire when she married my Great Grandfather, who had come up from South Wales. Now that’s a convoluted story!
We all end up in Lancashire eventually.
The T50 was a well thought out trail, and accomplished my desire to visit the industrial heritage of Ironbridge from a less touristy angle.