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.