Countryside projects
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The Outdoor Recreation Service currently has a number of projects which officers are working on.
To find out more about any of these projects please follow the links on the page.
The Shropshire Outdoors Project
Shropshire Outdoors promotes health and well-being and engages with people who experience barriers to accessing the countryside. Over three years (from January 2008) the project is focussing on the needs of adults with learning disabilities, with physical disabilities and people that are experiencing, or recovering from mental ill-health.
Offas Dyke Interpretation project
2009 will see a new interpretation project on the Offa's Dyke national trail, to find out more follow the link on this page.
Shropshire Way North
A project is in the planning stage to extend the successful upgrade of the Southern sections of the Shropshire Way long distance footpath into the North of the County.
New routes will be added to take the trail around Oswestry and to the North West of the County for the first time. To see the proposed new routing follow the link on this page.
Parish Access Project
In February 2009 it was agreed that the parish access project would be extended for a further year with the project running until April 2010. Follow the link on this page to find out more about the project.
Parks and Countryside Sites
Walkmill Meadows: Market Drayton
Project funding is also being used to deliver access improvements at Walkmill Meadows. This includes the installation of a new boardwalk, steps and additional seating and has been carried out by local volunteer groups.
Rea Brook Valley: Shrewsbury
Improvements are ongoing as part of the Shropshire Outdoors project. A number of new benches have been installed along the brook, steps have been replaced and new handrails erected. This has been done with the help of local volunteers.
Colemere:
Colemere is a hive of activity at the moment with lots of improvements for access and wildlife being implemented.
A number of trees and bushes around the northern edge of the mere are being removed to benefit the growing requirements for the Least Water-lily. Colemere is the only site in England where this plant grows. In addition more of the invasive Rhododendron is being controlled in the woodland.
Work has begun to create a new path along the foot of the canal bank in Yell Wood. Once completed, this will enable wheelchair users and other less mobile people to complete the circular route around the mere without having to negotiate the obstacle of using the path along the canal bank.
2 new information panels have also been installed. Most of this work has been funded by Natural England. In addition to all of this adults with learning disabilities from Hartley’s Day Centre and Greenacres Farm have been learning how to lay a hedge and clear Rhododendron through the Shropshire Outdoors Project.
Rectory Wood and Field:
The lottery funded heritage project is now well underway. A Church Stretton based community history group has been established and they have begun researching the history of Rectory Wood and its surrounds. They have been helped by a study carried out by John Phibbs, an expert in Capability Brown historic landscapes. He has produced a report on the landscape history of the wood which will be used to commission and guide further research. John Phibbs has also led guided walks through the woodland to interpret some of the historical landscape features.
The community group have also worked with Hugh Hannaford, Shropshire Council Community archaeologist, to carry out investigations of the Ice House and Summerhouse on the site. A report has been produced.
Work has recently begun on restoring the Site Boundary Wall which had been pushed out of shape by trees growing adjacent to the wall.
We hope that work on the Ice House Pool Dam will begin soon.
Lyth Hill:
A new information panel has been installed towards the Bayston Hill end of the site and construction of the new toposcope at the viewpoint has begun.
Nesscliffe:
5 new information panels have now been installed at the main entrances to Nesscliffe Hill, Hopton Hill and The Cliffe. The local volunteer group are continuing their work in controlling the ever spreading Rhododendron on Nesscliffe Hill.