Alveley combines trails in Severn Valley Country Park with a tangible mining history, church architecture and a geological past stretching back millions of years. The country park occupies the site of the former Alveley colliery. It opened in 1992, after the former spoil heaps and site had been reclaimed. The park’s trails and its former use tell two different stories about the local landscape.
Trails by time and interest
The difference between the Woodland Trail and the Riverside Trail is useful when planning your time: the Woodland Trail is approximately 1 mile long and takes about 45 minutes; the Riverside Trail is approximately 2 miles and takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes. This makes the Woodland Trail the shorter option, while the Riverside Trail takes more time. Another option is the Easy Access Nature Trail. It is relatively flat and suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs.
The trails also have different destinations. The Highley Trail extends beyond the country park boundaries and provides access to the local community of Highley. The Country Park Geology Trail is a 1.2-mile circular route that explores geological features of the Seven Valley. A permanent orienteering course has three levels of difficulty. So the options described include routes with approximate time estimates, a geology trail and an orienteering course with different levels of difficulty.
Mining history and nature in the country park
Further details bring the site’s former use to life. The paths at The Sidings were part of the original colliery railway, which transported coal to be washed, sorted and loaded onto trains. The original Colliery Bridge was built in 1937 to transport coal across the River Severn. Together, these details offer insight into local coal mining and the journey of coal from the mine to transport.
The nature-related attractions also have a seasonal aspect. Visitors can sample locally grown apples in the Severn Valley Country Park orchard in autumn. The rare club-tailed dragonfly can be spotted in the riverside meadows. The apple tasting is therefore specifically associated with autumn; the riverside meadows also offer an opportunity for wildlife watching.
Church architecture and geological history
The Church of St Mary in Alveley was built from 1140 onwards and is listed as a Grade II* building. The lower part of the tower, the nave and the aisles are predominantly Norman in origin. Architectural features from the Tudor and Victorian periods were added later. The church therefore brings together several clearly identifiable building phases: early Norman elements alongside later additions from two other periods.
The Alveley Footprints take us even further back. They date from 315 to 307 million years ago and were discovered at Butts Quarry in Alveley. The tracks document communities of early tetrapods. This means the geological theme extends beyond the features explored by the Country Park Geology Trail: the Footprints represent a very early world of life, while the trail focuses on the geological features of the Seven Valley.
Discover more destinations: Pant, Whitchurch, Clunbury, Hopesay, Frodesley, Chetton, Myddle, Kinton.
For the broader travel overview: Shropshire.
