Paddle from the riverside village of Ironbridge along the River Severn – the longest in Britain. You’ll experience the solitude of the beautiful Shropshire countryside with the interlude of a small section of rapids.
Distance: 9.1 miles (14.8km)
Time: 2-3 hours
Sat Nav: TF8 7NJ
What3Words: ///knocking.shorthand.costs
Find the full route on PaddlePoints >>
A waterways licence is not needed for Ironbridge to Bridgnorth.
However, it is generally required for paddling on the River Severn, specifically from Stourport downstream to Gloucester.
The end point of this trail is at the riverbank close to the Severn Park car park, in Bridgnorth.
You have to shuttle between here (WV16 4EJ – ///weary.asteroid.loving) and the start point in Ironbridge (TF8 7NJ – ///knocking.shorthand.costs), so it’s best to use two vehicles.
Once we left one car at Bridgnorth, we headed to Ironbridge and parked near the Gorge Museum.
It has fantastic access to the River Severn – a short walk down a ramp to the launch point.
Parking costs £1.50 per hour with a maximum of £6, but four hours should be enough to complete the trail.
Once we set off we were soon approaching and then passing underneath the magnificent Iron Bridge, which the village is named after.
The structure opened in 1781 and was the first major bridge in the world to be made of cast iron.
The bridge is celebrated as a symbol of the Industrial Revolution and attracts thousands of tourists to the area.
Once you leave the bustle of the village, Jackfield Rapids isn’t far away.
It’s a good rapid for an introduction to white water and is marked as ‘Grade 2’.
Grade 2 means it can include waves and small stoppers which should be easy to navigate.
It can also include eddies where you can catch your breath before moving on to the next set of rapids.
It’s important to be safe and wear a helmet.
Find out more about river gradings >>
After negotiating the rapids, it was all trees and lush fields, with the occasional pub and footbridge.
The only company is the wildlife and the sheep popping down to the water to take a drink.
With the water so still, it was an ideal time to have a bit of lunch.
After passing under Coalport Bridge we continued on to Bridgnorth where we got out.
Once we got changed, and packed all of our kit away, we headed back to Ironbridge to sample some locally baked cakes.
Ironbridge and Access
Paddle UK has secured legal access to a key entry point to the River Severn, Coalbrookdale, Ironbridge (further up from our start point).
In 2018, Paddle UK, formerly British Canoeing, learned that access to a long-used River Severn entry point in Coalbrookdale, Ironbridge was being challenged.
Paddlers were being discouraged from using the access point.
However, Paddle UK, with the support of John Teuwen, a volunteer, initiated a process to legally confirm this access as a public right of way.
Access has since been successfully secured in perpetuity.