Exploring Ironbridge Gorge -Walking Break

You’re welcome to check in to the hotel from 15:00. Your Large Outdoors guide will be waiting in the hotel bar from 18:00 to greet you, introduce the plan for the coming days, and help everyone feel at ease.

It’s a great chance to meet your fellow walkers over a relaxed drink before we sit down together for dinner in the hotel’s restaurant. The evening is all about good food, friendly conversation, and settling in for the start of your break.

After a hearty breakfast at the hotel (buffet or cooked options available), we’ll head out by minibus to begin our first day of walking.

Today's route covers around 12km (7.5 miles) with about 313m of ascent. It’s a leisurely walk, though as this is gorge country there are some climbs to enjoy views across the valley.

Our day begins along the quiet lanes and riverbanks of the Severn, passing the iconic Iron Bridge, built in 1779 and celebrated as the world’s first major cast-iron bridge. Standing here, you can imagine the buzz of industry that once filled the valley and appreciate the sheer ambition of the engineers who changed the world.

We’ll take time to admire the historic blast furnaces, canals, and museum sites that tell the story of the area’s transformation during the Industrial Revolution. The walk includes stretches through the lovely deciduous woodland of Lloyd’s Coppice, where paths can be muddy but always rewarding, and offers glimpses of old tramways and railway lines that once moved goods through the gorge.

We’ll stop at the fascinating Coalport Inclined Plane, once used to move canal boats between levels on a steep hillside—a brilliant piece of early industrial engineering. There’s also the chance to pause at a local riverside pub for a coffee or soft drink before exploring the village of Ironbridge itself, with its shops, cafes, and heritage sites.

After our walk, the minibus will bring us back to the hotel with time to freshen up and relax for a bit. In the evening, we’ll head out as a group to enjoy dinner together in a local pub (please note this evening meal is not included in the trip price). It’s a lovely way to unwind, chat about the day’s discoveries, and enjoy the sociable side of the break.

After another good hotel breakfast, we’ll pack up ready for our final walk before departure.

Today's route is about 11.5km (7 miles) with roughly 356m of ascent, following a relaxed pace but including some short, steeper sections typical of the gorge landscape. We begin by crossing the famous Iron Bridge again before heading up through the quiet woodland of Benthall Edge, where paths wind among mature trees and open up to fine views across the valley.

Our walk passes Benthall Hall, a 16th-century English manor house with a rich history of Catholic recusancy, priest holes, fine oak interiors, and an elegant stone façade. This family home has stood for over 500 years and remains a striking reminder of the region’s layered history.

We continue along hedgerow tracks before descending to visit Buildwas Abbey, an atmospheric Cistercian ruin dating from the 12th century. Here you’ll find remarkably preserved architecture, including the unaltered church, chapter house with its intricate tile floor, and a recently re-opened crypt chapel—set among peaceful, wooded surroundings by the River Severn.

Our return follows quiet riverside paths back toward Ironbridge, rounding off the break with time to reflect on the area’s natural beauty and industrial heritage. Before we say goodbye, there’ll be a chance to grab a final coffee or slice of cake with the group.

We’ll then use our minibus to take you back to the hotel or Telford Central train station, aiming to finish up around 16:00 so everyone can head home with new memories and new friendships.