[1] Leave the Youth Hostel and turn left at the road and walk up towards the Shakespeare public house. Carefully cross the road near a Finger Post and pass through a gap in the direction of Silkin Way. The way upwards follows a zig-zag path and continue up until you reach a 'T' junction with the Silkin Way. Turn right here at the Finger Post signed Coalport Bridge and continue along until after about 200 yards you arrive at a cycle route Finger Post. Here turn left in the direction of Sutton Hill. Go through a gate and take the left hand path slanting diagonally uphill. Ignoring any side paths continue rising gradually to arrive at a gate and pass through. Continue on same path line to reach a way mark post on your left . This post should have Monarch's Way way mark arrows on it. At this point you may wish to continue upwards a short way to a gate ahead. Pass through this gate and you can view the Hay Incline Plane from the top. However, a better view is seen from the bottom towards the end of the walk.
(A) The Hay Inclined Plane transported boats up and down the hillside between Blists Hill and Coalport from 1792 to 1894. The 63m change in levels was achieved using both gravity and steam power.
[3] Turn right at the Monarch's Way post along a grassy path that is a little uneven and narrow. You may be able to see another way mark post further on at the edge of the wood. Pass this post and go through a gate into the wood. Follow the way marked path through the wood, ignoring a path and gate on the right. Our path gently rises to pass through trees to arrive at a wide path. Turn right here and continue until you reach a junction of paths at a Finger Post. Take the right fork signed Coalport Bridge and continue downhill until you arrive at a gate into a field.
The Monarch's Way is a long distance footpath that traces the route of King Charles II after the battle of Worcester in 1651. It starts at Powick near Worcester and finishes at Shorham on the south coast near Brighton.
Pass through the gate and descend down a field along the field hedge until you reach a gate at the bottom of the field. Pass though the gate to reach a well surfaced track. Go down this to a 'T' junction to rejoin the Silken Way. The Silkin Way is a walking/cucling route that passes through Telford and is named after Lord Silkin who when in parliament as a Labour MP was responsible for the legislation that enabled Telford New Town to be developed. Turn left onto Silkin Way and pass under a bridge and at a T junction, by a house, turn Left. After a short distance bear right at a bench and memorial and walk along Cycleway 55. Follow the track to Coalport Bridge turn right at the road and cross over to the opposite bank.
(B) Coalport bridge is a cast iron bridge similar, to the famous one at Ironbridge. Built in 1818 it still carries road traffic although in only one direction at a time. It was renovated and strengthened in 2004.
[3] On the other side of the bridge turn right onto Cycleway 45 to go through a gate and continue along this path through the woods for about a mile. Ignore the Finger Post signed for Jackfield Bridge and continue onwards. Eventually the Cycleway meets a road. . Cross the road and take a lower road heading towards the river signed for The Half Moon public house. . At a sharp right hand bend pass through a gate that leads into scrub land. Follow this uneven path until you reach a gate near a road. Turn right onto this road and walk along past St Mary the Virgin Church on the left to the road end.
(C) Jackfield Tile Museum and Craven Dunnill Jackfield factory are well worth a visit if time allows. The factory has been making wall and floor tiles for over 140 years. The museum shows off the history of tile making using exhibits in the former sales rooms.
[4] At the end of the road turn sharp left into Salthouse Road. Continue along this road with the Tile Works on the right until you reach the junction of roads at WP7. At the junction follow the road ahead leading to a large factory - Maws Craft Centre.
During the development of this route it was noted that the area between WP3, and 4 contains the beginnings of civil engineering works that will entail an extensive piling of the banks along side the route and, when this is finished, the construction of a new road along the footpath near WP9. The route of the road will take that of the footpath so the route direction will not alter but users will need to take care until the works are completed. In the interim it would be best for path users to omit this route and turn towards the Maws Caft Centre at WP5
(D)The Maws Craft Centre was formerly the Maws Tile Factory and began production on the current site in 1883 but closed in 1970. The craft centre houses a number of arts, craft and design companies as well as an excellent tea room.
[5] At a finger post turn left down a ramp to pass the entrance to the craft centre. At the bottom turn right to follow the path between the centre and the river Severn to reach Ferry Road. Continue along here until you reach a footbridge across the river on the left and the Boat Inn on the right.
(E)The Footbridge was opened in 1922 as a memorial to the 26 men from both sides of the river here who lost their lives in the Great War. The money for the bridge was raised through public donations and it replaced an old ferry that operated at this point. The Boat Inn has been on this site since 1840 and regularly floods. Flood levels are shown by the entrance door.
Cross the footbridge and turn right along a disused canal, note the Hay Inclined Plane. Cross a small footbridge and turn right again to return to the Youth Hostel and the end of the walk.