The Duck Pond

This walk is a short walk of about 1 mile and takes in the countryside near my home in Telford

The walk takes us through some nice countryside and is a walk that you did enjoy on a Sunday afternoon.

The walk is mostly over gravel pathways and footpaths which are well managed round two lotal ponds in Telford

We start the walk in the car park of the middle pool near Trench Lock in Telford, this pool used to be two during the 50s & 60s before the old railway line was knocked down and the area build upon with the upper valley pool and the old middle pool becoming one called the middle.

The pool is surrounded by housing and roads but has a wide mix of wildlife with geese, duck ,and other water birds being joined by swallow, house martins, chiffchaff, and other summer visiting bird as well as damselflies and Dragonflies while the trees surrounding the pool are mostly birch Gorse, Ash and Alder. The pool is stocked with freshwater fish and is fishable all year round with large head of Pike,carp,Bream, Roach, Tench giving many a good days sport.

We leave the car park and walk to our right following the gravel track as we pass the locked gate and walk round what used to be the valley pool ( the island is on our left hand side) here passing under the Ash trees we follow the gravel path as it swings around the top narrower end of the pool, we will notice the storm drain at the top end which gives us a chance to overlook the beauty of this pool as we can look down the length of the pool moving on we continue again following the gravel path around and walk with trees and bushes on both sides while on the grass side we will find Ox-eyes Daisy's, Herb Robert and other wildflowers, Look out for rabbits and the odd fox which hunts the many small birds and mammals here, after about 200 yards we come to a small clearing in the path here below us is another storm drain which feeds this pool and from here we have a chance to view the whole pool and its wildlife with the island in front of us.

From here we continue along the gravel pathway and note the path meets another from our right a little feather on you will note a tunnel pass this and carry on around to our left we are now at the bottom of the pool this is the old middle pool as there is a straight line from the car park to the second storm drain where the old rail line used to be that was used to spilt the pool in half after about 50-60 yards the path forks we take the right hand forks and now leave the middle pool behind us as we walk toward Trench on Tarmac paths we follow the path crossing the A442 road bridge until we join the road turn left here and walk down hill until we meet the old Blue Pig Pub here we continue down pass the metal gate and walk around what is now Trench pool.

Trench pool is a balancing pool has a wild mixer of wildlife as well, the fishing is better and you can enjoy a nice cold pint from the Blue pig while you await that bite, The pool has the A442 on the left hand side with houses on two of its other sides.

During the year the pool is home to large flocks of Geese,with ducks, grebes

and swans seen daily as well as kingfishers and always as a few cormorant which fish the lake for their dinner.

At the end of the Tarmac road ( before the end) we turn right onto the footpath running along side the hedge and follow this as we how walk poolside round Trench pool here the will find more wildflower during the summer as well as see damselflies and dragonflies dancing along as they hunt the many insets that live along the bank, while on our right the bank as many rocks which in turn hide mouse and (Sadly) Rats while supporting many birds with nest sites in which to breed, there is a few bushes and old elm trees along here but mostly it is bare until we get to the far corner and start to walk along the wood end of the lake in the grounds of the old Bridge school here ash trees with smaller willow, and other bushes form a safe haven for many birds and its is here where many of the water fowl nest.

Walking along the school playing field we containe untill we again meet the tarmac road with the blue pig on our right turn left and walk 50-60 yatrds untill we meet the footpath which takes you back over the A442, turn back onto the footpath and cross the A442 and follow the path untill its meets the same path we were on at the bottom of Middle pool, here turn right and walk around the Blockleys side of the middle pool untill we arrive back at the middle pool car park.

Short Wood- A Walk with flowers.

woodlands, a vital part of our living natural world also form a source of enjoyment and relaxation for all of us. Offering support and shelter for a wide range of wildlife- plants, birds, insects and mammals which in return provide us with the opportunity to appreciate and contemplate the rich diversity of wildlife right on our doorstep.

Everyone will have their own favourite season of the year, but for most people the spring and summer are a special time.

The plants on the woodland floor start to flower early in the spring racing to do so before the tree canopy overhead comes into full leaf.

At many difference points on theses walks you will find many wild flowers as you walk firstly through swathes of Bluebells and Ramsons, instantly recognisable by their while flowers and strong garlic scent.

Theses aren't the only plants as we will find the yellow-nettle like flower of the Archangel and the white flowers of the Wood Anemone,Wood Sorrel with the pink flowers of the Herb Robert along with the likes of Violets,Yellow pimpernel, Wood Avens and Bugle.

When spring moves into summer with the trees in full leaf and looking Magnificent there will be summer flowers replacing the earlier flower such as Foxglove,Dog Rose, white-flower Enchanter's Nightshade with deeply perfumed Honeysuckle.

Today's walk is around Short wood near the Ercall in Telford firstly getting there we first need to join the old A5 into Wellington heading along the A5 towards Shrewsbury ( add M54) we should come to a set of traffic lights by the side of the Cock Hotel, The Swan Pub is also on our right.

Here turn into Dawley Road heading towards Dawley cross over the M54 and pass the car sales garage on the left, after this we come to ward New Works here look for a lane on your right, Turn into this lane ( named new works lane) and park in lay by..

The Walk is mostly over woodland, field paths with one section along a road and should take no more then 1 1/2 hours.

Starting in the lay by in new works lane we walk downhill along the road before turning left to go along a track. Crossing a stile we walk diagonally right across a field, passing near the pylon and following a line of old posts.

We enter short wood at a stile and continue along a path as its dropped down into a gully carry on and passing a pond on your left carry on and walk through the farmyard at Steerway.

We now turn left and follow the track uphill keeping the field and farm on our left towards limekiln pool.

After about 200 yards we take a left hand fork leading toward limekiln pool and after 100 yards after a stile we cross a field passing the pool on our right and carrying on we cross another field before reentering short wood again after crossing another stile he we follow the path that is shared by a stream and does uphill until we past some holly bushes crossing another stile we cross another field before joining the woods again.

The path becomes more indistinct here and you need to try and keep to a straight line if possible, but care is needed as you walk pass the old mine workings.

After a while you should pick up a wider track and pass under some power cables and approach a gate next to the bungalow ignore the gate but cross the stile on the left and turn left along the road back to the layby.