Day 9. Cressage to Bridgnorth.

Tuesday 30 August.

We had very large rooms at the Riverside Inn and the view from the bedroom is our first photograph. We took our evening meal in the restaurant, which was very good. However the Inn was difficult to access on foot, without a car and the host seemed to have little knowledge of local taxi companies or bus times. We got our details from the Internet.

We breakfasted at 7:30 am and waited for the 8:53 bus to Cressage. When it had not arrived at 9:00, and we were just starting to ring for a taxi, it turned up. The first bit of the walk was quiet but up hill to a village  called Sheinton where we photographed the church.

Near the top of the hill we passed the road sign in the next photograph which reminded me of something we may not have mentioned. The Roman name for the River Severn was Sabrina.

The road walking switched to a pleasant little downhill track through forest. Can you see the entrance to it in the photograph with the 'Private Road' sign. The entrance is between the road and the sign. The following photograph shows what it's like on the path. The following photograph shows where the route joins the main road and you will see no evidence of a right of way.

The path then followed the main road, past an Abbey, down to a bridge over the Severn. There was no pavement so it was not too pleasant, but the view across the Bridge, in the next photo was magic. Note the well cut grass right down to the river's edge. Contrast this with the next two pictures where Shiel is trying to access the public Severn Way on the same river bank.

With all the knot weed we lost our route and didn''t find the crossing, over a bridge, to the other bank of the Severn so we continued, via a private individual's path diversion, to a pleasant public park and on to the beautiful Iron Bridge in the next photograph and we cossed there.

We picked up the Severn Valley Way for a few km, where it was well maintained. The 3 photographs show a nice church we passed before entering a wooded drive and finally ending at the Telford Bridge(?).

We then decided to leave the knot weed infested Severn Way and follow the permissive cycle path that runs almost parallel to it. Strangely it is not infested with knot weed. At one point it joined the Severn Valley way again down to a farm. It was clear for a little while but then became impassable. It appears to us that a decision has been made to sacrifice the path to private development.

The last two photographs of the Severn river were taken when the two "Ways" were in close proximity.

Shiel and I were both knackered when we arrived in Bridgenorth at about 5:30pm.
Shilel has a black eye and scatches on her arm and leg. I,ve just got one scratch below a finger nail. It did bleed enough to put red blobs on my trousers. I thougt at first it was berry juice. Any more infested paths and we'll go 'Our Own Way.'