Mrs Pearlbaz has booked us and some friends into accomodation at Coalport Station near Ironbridge in Shropshire. No bikes 🙁 unfortunately, so I would like advice on things local to Coalport to keep us and some friends entertained (villages, pubs, scenery etc) for a week in March. Ive heared there’s a few museums…but which are the best?
Ta,
Baz

You could suggest a trip to Ludlow (beautifil town, loads of history and a castle), and then accidentally pay a visit to Pearce Cycles where they have demo bikes 🙂

Blists Hill is good if there’s plenty of the ‘trades’ on-site & working.

Pottery bit is quite interesting and you can do the Tar Tunnel as well.

Enginuity is superb for kids

we enjoyed just walking around the area as well

Don’t know Ironbridge that well but museums are supposed to be good.
You are near (30 -40 mins) Church Stretton – in the Shropshire hills – great for walking/scenery and a fair few teashops/pubs ( shame you will be bikeless as its good biking too!)also Wenlock Edge is good for walks and the is a pub (Wenlock Edge Inn I think )so you can park and walk.

The Blists Hill Victorian town/museum is brilliant. It’ll take at least 2 days to see everything. You can get a pass that allows you to come and go as you please. We really loved it, it’s history and industry and all that sort of stuff.
It really is pretty much an entire town…

http://blistshill.org/

Enginuity is superb for kids

Oh yes I remember that! It’s good for adults too. Loads of fun!

We went to Ironbridge for a long weekend. Went into the main museum, and bought an all inclusive ticket. I think there are seven museums in all. It took us two days to visit them all. There’s some walking & driving needed to get to see them but well worth it. Blists Hill(sp?) was particularly good. A full working foundry with all the add ons, and a recreated village with all original buildings and fitments. A lot of it involves being outdoors, so good weather will help your enjoyment. Well worthwhile going.

get the visitors pass to the whole valley.all the foundrys,potteries etc…

Presume there is some kind of ground breaking Iron Bridge to visit?

I used to live in Ironbridge so I know what there is to do……NOT A LOT! 😀

But you could try Ludlow and Stokesay castle not far from Ludlow. In Coalport there is the tar tunnel and Coalport museum and across the river there is the old tile factory that is now small business outlets (lots of handicraft type businesses). The Ironbridge Gorge Museum (Blist Hill) is good for a day out but not sure if it’s open at this time of year. Like already mentioned the Long Mynd is about 40 mins away as are the Clee Hills if you are the walking in the hills type. Wroxeter (an old Roman town ruin) is also 15 mins up the road and there is also Shrewsbury. As for eating out Ironbridge has more than a fair share of pubs all doing quite reasonable pub meals.

It’s a pity you aren’t taking your MTB as there is some really very good riding to be had in the area (the Wrekin/Ludlow/Long Mynd). There is one semi-legal route that starts at the Ironbridge itself and then heads up the side of the Gorge near the power station and then weaves its way back down to where you started.

Woohoo…seems like plenty to do. I had read about the pass to the museums, but its nicer to have your ideas/recommendations. Thanks for all…I’ll pop back to catch up with any other suggestions.
Baz

My kids love going to Enginuity in Coalbrookdale. Blists Hill is fascinating but more enjoyable on warmer days than we’ve had recently.

Walking: Wenlock Edge, along the Severn Way riverbank stretches, Caer Caradoc and The Lawley nr. Church Stretton. A number of walks around the Gorge and Silkin Way towards Telford, google Silkin Way to find PDFs etc.

You could pop into the Bikehub in Jackfield if you need a two-wheeled fix.

More ideas: http://www.virtual-shropshire.co.uk

For a evening meal head back up the M54 to Shifnal and go to D’arcys. They do great food, mediterranean stuff. Jim the owner is a keen MTB’er and used to race for the Royce team. Chips went there in an early article for Singletrack after riding in the Wyre Forest. Really good food and a top guy.
D’arcys
26 Broadway, Shifnal, Shropshire, TF11 8AZ
Tel 01952 460600

P.S. I wouldn’t bother walking on the Silkin Way. Go up the Wrekin instead.

Cosford Aerospace Museum (now called Museum of the Cold War) would be worth a trip too.
Bridgnorth is nice and has a steam railway (Severn Valley Railway)

Cosford is definitely worth a visit. The new cold war exhibition is fantaatic.

Loads of walking opportunities abound. The Wrekin, The Ercall or Brown Clee.

if you’re going to venture into Shifnal, don’t limit yourself to D’Arcys. It’s Ok but the best is elsewhere. IMHO of course.

I’m sure you’ll have a good week.

Second the Silkin Way as being a non event. It’s a glorified cycle path and you end up at the Telford Centre 😕 If you like real ales then the Coalbrookdale Inn always used to win loads of awards. Personally I would give Shifnal a miss as there are more than enough bars and pus in Ironbridge itself and Shifnal is a bit small-town-England. If you want some real adventure then head over the river to Broseley….the late shop there is like walking into the bar in Star Wars! 🙂