Telford Third Time Lucky

You may recall that back in the autumn I didn't have much luck weather-wise across Telford way - two trips attempted, two trips aborted due to rain of monsoon proportions. Well, I've left things a few months and on Saturday 17th May I decided the time was right to give it another go, this time with much drier results!

- Just in case you weren't sure where I ended up... -

The elements could not have been kinder in fact as I caught the 891 bus out of Wolverhampton. Blue sky abounded as we trundled through Tettenhall and Wergs then opening out into Shropshire with Albrighton and Cosford. The bus jinks in and out of Tong (I still need to photograph the church and duckpond here) before homing in on Telford via Shifnal and Stafford Park - a nice ride as ever. 

- Thomas Telford School -

The main business of the morning is a teacher training open day being held at Thomas Telford School. The course sounds quite promising and has given me food for thought, although I have to admit it was rather strange setting foot back at the school where I first started my secondary education almost twenty years ago.

- Bulls Head, Dawley Bank -

Previous experience has taught me to take nothing for granted where Dawley Bank weather is concerned but there was not even the remotest chance of a raindrop today, thank goodness! This meant that I could photograph the Bulls Head in bright sunshine for a change and admire some nice vistas across towards the Wrekin. I then pass the Baptist Church and take Bank Road down towards Dawley, passing the Queens Arms which now looks worryingly closed.

- Malinslee Church -

Before I tackled Dawley proper I detoured a little into Malinslee. Rog and I called by here some years ago, stopping off for lunch at a pub called the Church Wicketts. The pub is still there but its the church that really captures my imagination today, St Leonard's serving as a reminder that Malinslee does have some history prior to the construction of the New Town estate.

- High Street, Dawley -

Dawley featured as part of my very first photographic tour of Telford back in 2004 and the town is still serving me well for pictures ten years later. I particularly enjoyed having a closer look at the Captain Webb Memorial and taking a few High Street shots of 2014 vintage, including general street scenes alongside snaps of the Crown, the former Lord Hill and the Elephant & Castle.

- Dawley Park -

Branching off along Doseley Road, the sound of an oompah brass band drew me towards Dawley Park. A community event was well underway with a variety of stalls in place - the face painting and the old-fashioned games seemed very popular and I believe Peppa Pig even put in an appearance, although I personally steered well clear of the favourite children's character.

- Doseley, Cheshire Cheese -

Instead I found another section of Doseley Road and enjoyed a relaxing stroll down into Doseley Village. This feels like a relatively untouched part of Telford with narrow lanes and characterful cottages. At the bottom of the road is an old railway bridge, next to which is the intriguing Cheshire Cheese Inn. I could well have been tempted to sample a pint but instead joined St Luke's Road, discovering hints of an old churchyard up a cobbled path.

- Dawley Parva War Memorial -

St Luke's Road passes seamlessly into Holly Road with a glimpse of old railway tracks before I reach Little Dawley. The Wesleyan Chapel remains a landmark here despite no longer being used for worship, and I also sought out shots of the local war memorial (the inscription on which refers to Dawley Parva). 

- Holy Trinity, Little Dawley -

I could have taken the turning for Lightmoor but the sight of a parish church on the horizon meant I delved deeper into Little Dawley, thus continuing with Holly Road to find the Unicorn and Red Lion pubs in quick succession. The church itself is Holy Trinity and it looked stunningly imposing against the azure sky.

- The Aqueduct -

As with my canal walk on Thursday just gone, the rising temperatures make the afternoon a somewhat sticky affair but I press on along Southall Road so as to explore Aqueduct Village. Aqueduct Road proved to be well worth a look thanks to St Paul's Church, the Britannia pub and a charming run of workers cottages, although my primary target in the vicinity had to be the old aqueduct that gives the area its name. The structure was built in 1792 to carry part of the long-abandoned Shropshire Canal, but the modern appearance of the bridge is rather blighted by corrugated support fencing.

- Dawley & Stirchley Station Site -

The final leg of my outing is a walk back to Telford Town Centre via the Silkin Way, a footpath that follows the course of an old railway line. This heritage becomes especially apparent when I pass the site of Dawley & Stirchley Station, the platform having been restored since I last saw it during previous Stirchley walks. Telford Town Park and Wonderland are predictably popular on such a sunny day, but for me its the more sedate pleasures of a return ride on the 891 that helps me to round off another Telford classic.