In this peaceful, scenic valley of the River Severn there awaits a delightful countryside experience. Green Flag award-winning Severn Valley Country Park offers 126 acres of beautiful countryside and wonderful views, spanning both sides of the longest river in the country. The woodlands, ponds and meadows in the park are full of many species of plants and animal, some of them quite rare.
A full events programme is available is available throughout the year. These include guided walks, school holiday activities for children and family events.
The park boasts a fantastic visitor centre and plenty of information about the history and wildlife of the area. The park acts as a gateway to the excellent footpath network through the woodlands and meadows of the Severn Valley, between Bridgnorth and Bewdley. Bring a map, don your boots and discover an ancient sandstone cross, babbling brooks, historical ferries and fantastic geology and wildlife.
History of the Park
Now an oasis of peace and tranquillity, this part of the Severn Valley used to be a centre of industry. Sandstone quarried from this area was used to build part of Worcester Cathedral and would have been loaded onto trows on the river. Coal mining started in Highley in 1878. Production was switched to Alveley in 1936. At its peak the mine employed 1000 men and produced 3000,000 tonnes of coal a year. It shut down in 1969.
Following the closure of the mine, the spoil heaps and land lay derelict until 1986. Shropshire County council and Bridgnorth District Council embarked on an ambitious project to reclaim the land, installing drainage ditches, re-grading the spoil heaps and planting trees. Severn Valley Country Park opened in 1992 and is now managed by Shropshire Council.
