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Walking the Severn Way

215 miles from the River Severn's source in Powys to Severn Beach near Bristol

ISBN

9781786311405

Availability

Published

30 May 2023

Edition

Third

Pages

176

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x .90cm

Weight

200g

Delivery & Returns

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Guidebook to walking the Severn Way, a 215 mile (344km) walk through the Welsh borders. Beginning near the source of the River Severn in Powys, mid-Wales, and finishing in Bristol, the history-rich route is described over 22 stages (ranging from 3 to 14 miles), passing through the counties of Powys, Shropshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire.

Seasons

May to September should avoid the usual periods of flooding and the muddy aftermath they bring.

Centres

main centres are Worcester and Gloucester. Other centres are Newtown, Welshpool, Shrewsbury, Bridgnorth, Stourport and Tewkesbury, plus numerous small villages and hamlets.

Difficulty

a regular walker should find no difficulty following the Severn Way. Once descended from the Hafren Forest and the upper Severn, easy river walking ensues all the way to Severn Beach. Equipment and clothing for day walking is adequate.

Must See

flowing through the most superb landscapes and past appealing towns and villages, the River Severn pulls together threads of history, trade, commerce, civil war and the lives of ordinary folk. It is the longest river in the UK.

ISBN

9781786311405

Availability

Published

30 May 2023

Edition

Third

Pages

176

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x .90cm

Weight

200g

Delivery & Returns

Overview

A guidebook to walking the Severn Way between the River Severn’s source at Powys and Bristol. Covering 344km (215 miles), this long-distance walk through the counties of Powys, Shropshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire takes around 3 weeks to hike and is suitable for all reasonably fit walkers.

The route is described from north to south in 22 stages, each between 6 and 23km (4–15 miles) in length. A variant route to the source of the river via Plynlimon and a link route from Severn Beach to Bristol city centre are also included.

1:50,000 OS maps included for each stage
Detailed information on facilities and accommodation on route
Advice on planning and preparation
Highlights include Hafren Forest

Table of Contents

CONTENTS

Map key

Overview map

Introduction

The Severn: Source to sea

About the route

Weather and when to go

Getting there and transport

Accommodation

Preparation and fitness

Equipment

Suggested itineraries

Maps and GPS

Using this guide

1 Powys

Stage 1 Rhyd-y-benwch to the source

Variant start Eisteddfa Gurig to the source via Plynlimon

Stage 2 Source of the Severn to Llanidloes

Stage 3 Llanidloes to Caersws

Stage 4 Caersws to Newtown

Stage 5 Newtown to Welshpool

Stage 6 Welshpool to Crew Green

2 Shropshire

Stage 1 Crew Green to Montford Bridge

Stage 2 Montford Bridge to Shrewsbury (English Bridge)

Stage 3 Shrewsbury (English Bridge) to Atcham

Stage 4 Atcham to Ironbridge

Stage 5 Ironbridge to Bridgnorth

Stage 6 Bridgnorth to Upper Arley

3 Worcestershire

Stage 1 Upper Arley to Stourport-on-Severn

Stage 2 Stourport-on-Severn to Worcester

Stage 3 Worcester to Upton-upon-Severn

Stage 4 Upton-upon-Severn to Tewkesbury

4 Gloucestershire

Stage 1 Tewkesbury to Gloucester Docks

Stage 2 Gloucester Docks to Upper Framilode

Stage 3 Upper Framilode to Frampton-on-Severn

Stage 4 Frampton-on-Severn to Sharpness

Stage 5 Sharpness to Oldbury-on-Severn

Stage 6 Oldbury-on-Severn to Severn Beach

Stage 7 Bristol Link: Severn Beach to Bristol

Appendix A Route summary table

Appendix B Useful contacts

Appendix C Facilities along the Way

Updates

August 2023

Page 29

The following replaces the corresponding paragraph on p29 of the 3rd edition:

The continuation to the source of the Severn crosses difficult moorland, following the Cambria Way (joined on the summit of Plynlimon Fawr) along a fenceline in an east-north-easterly direction to cross grassy Pen Pumlumon Arwystli – site of three large Bronze Age stone cairns. The Way then descends beside a fence and treks across rough ground northwards to intercept a path coming up from the source of the Severn. Here, by a stile, turn right to follow a paved path through low peat mounds of bracken and heather to the ‘official’ source, marked by a large post.

By Terry Marsh

Lancashire-born writer and photographer Dr Terry Marsh specialises in the outdoors and travel. He is the author or revision author/editor of over 100 guidebooks, including the award-winning Cicerone guides to the Coast to Coast Walk (first published in 1993), The Shropshire Way (1999) and Great Mountain Days in the Pennines (2013). Terry has a PhD in Historical Geography and is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (FRGS). He is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (FRGS), a Life Member of the Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild and Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland (FSA (Scot)).

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