Ironbridge Way walking route

Ironbridge Way (IBW)

This eight mile route between Leegomery and the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site was created in the early years of Telford New Town. Its historic tracks and trails link former rural communities and areas of industrial heritage.

After passing Leegomery Pool the Ironbride Way arrives at Hadley and then follows part of the disused Wellington and Severn Junction Railway. Once south of the M54, just off the Ironbridge Way, you may see the Newdale Tramway Bridge built around 1759 to carry an early plate railway between Coalbrookdale and Donnington Wood. The route then crosses Lawley Common, former fields fast becoming Lawley Village. Here, a short diversion to the east reveals the Telford Steam Railway’s restoration of the railway line. Horsehay Station is adjacent to Horsehay Pool and Spring Village - a Conservation Area with cottages built by the Darby family in the 1750s and 1830s.

The Ironbridge Way continues south, passing the remains of waste mounds associated with former collieries before joining, by Wide Waters Pool, the alignment of a former tramway that linked the Lightmoor Brick and Tile Works with Horsehay. Near the top of the Ironbridge Gorge, stood one of the area’s many brick and tile works, now totally vanished and designated as The Beeches Local Nature Reserve, immediately after which the Ironbridge Way enters the World Heritage Site.

The walk culminates with the famous Iron Bridge. This area is often described as being the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, the town of Ironbridge grew on this success and has much of interest to explore. The IBW actually finishes in the car park, across the river, on the site of the former Ironbridge and Broseley Station, overlooked by The Station Hotel.

The Ironbridge Way is shown on Ordnance Survey (OS) Explorer Map 242 and way-marked using the abbreviation IBW.

 Download the original walking route leaflet

Last updated: 01/04/2021 15:15