New guidebook launched for Telford 50-mile trail
Creators of a 50-mile walk designed to mark the 50th anniversary of Telford being a new town are celebrating their latest milestone.
The circular Telford 50-mile Trail is proving so popular a new colourful guidebook has been published to assist walkers following the route links existing footpaths, tracks and quiet roads to form a continuous trail.
Guidebook author Anne Suffolk came up with designs for the 84-page guide which includes the route and maps along with information about the industrial heritage and the landscape covered due to demand.
Jean Escott, of Friends' of T50-mile Trail, said: "Publishing the guide is a very exciting development. The Friends of the T50 have self-published with a print run of 2000 and the cost of each guide is only £5. It is not for profit so all proceeds will go towards maintaining the trail.
"The trail is quite unique as it is very well signposted both ways meaning the walk can be carried out both clockwise and anti-clockwise.
"Indeed when the 50 mile trail was launched last June we had no idea how popular the walk would be. It has been walked by lots of groups, has been used for a non-stop run, lots of individuals and organisations including young people. The original group who planned the walk included members of the Telford & East Shropshire Ramblers, Wellington Walkers are Welcome, Ironbridge Walking Festival, Walking for Health.
"It was thought that having all seven stages available to download would make it very accessible in the 21st century and it has proved to be the case. However, there was a clear need for a guidebook as people kept asking for one. One of the members made 50 copies of the downloads and they flew off the shelf."
The project to set up the route was funded by a £1,700 grant from the council’s Telford 50 Legacy Fund and £600 from the EnviroGrant scheme run by the council’s waste contractor, Veolia.
The continuous trail can be picked up from most parts of the borough as it covers Telford town centre, Madeley, Little Dawley, Woodside, Ironbridge, Little Wenlock, Wellington, Horsehay, Ketley, Oakengates, Muxton and Lilleshall.
Locations include the 1,335ft-high The Wrekin, Lilleshall Monument, local nature reserves such as Dothill, the Beeches and Lodge Hill. Volunteers have also installed 700 signs marking the 50-mile route clockwise round the borough.
