The River Severn
Years ago, on the windswept slopes of Mount Plynlimon in Wales, three water spirits (sisters in fact), met to discuss the weighty problem of how to reach the sea. The first decided to head westward and became the river Ystwyth; the second sister made her way through valleys and became the River Wye. But the remaining sister Sabrina (we like to think the more intelligent of the three), decided against short-cuts and took a meandering route through Shropshire and became the River Severn.
Of course the river influenced the location of the places she loved so much; The River Severn has been important for trade since probably before the coming of the Romans, and particularly for the export of wool in medieval times. It cuts deep into the Shropshire countryside, linking the iron and coal fields of the Midlands with the Bristol Channel. Its important role during the Industrial Revolution is reflected by the innovations at Ironbridge and Coalbrookdale that took place on her banks.
Bridgnorth dates back to Saxon times and was established as a strategic crossing place on the River Severn. Indeed Bridgnorth itself is actually named after a bridge across the river. Once a bustling port, there are numerous steps and passageways that linked the river and the barges loaded with goods and the townsfolk on the hill. Today as you walk along the river it's the wildlife that dominates the scene.
In the county town of Shrewsbury, also a key port town and an easy drive away, you can enjoy the Severn at its best by taking take to the water - catch the riverboat Sabrina, and journey between the bridges as the river loops around the town and alongside the beautiful quarry park. Idyllic.