A pictorial stroll along the River Severn

Ironbridge, Shropshire UK, 25th May 2022

Ironbridge, Shropshire UK, 25th May 2022

Iconic view from the Ironbridge itself and down upon the river Severn as it gently rolls through the gorge. Picture taken today, 25th May 2022 (Author’s Collection).

Being as I am a verbose speaker and writer of rambling words, this edition to my bulging archives will be radically different. They say that pictures speak a thousand words, so here’s my brief raison d’etre for this article on a quite beautiful part of our world:

(1) I’ve written extensively on my love affair with Ironbridge and so I’ll encapsulate it here thus: I first saw this toytown world within a world two decades ago and if I hadn’t been a naïve twenty something I would have moved here rather than the town house I’d already committed to.

(2) I lived in Ironbridge for 4 years a decade ago and miss the tiny heavenly hamlet more than I ordinarily or cognitively should.

(3) I played the part of an unpaid tourist guide as I took up daily residence on a certain riverside bench and had the very great pleasure of talking to hundreds of human beings from all corners of our quixotically titled earthly globe. On the sunniest of days I lived through the eyes of wonder of the human ships passing me by in the daylight and it was a beautiful way of wasting the best of times.

(4) Ironbridge, as well as the surrounding areas either side such as Coalbrookdale, Jackfield and Coalport have auras and individual atmospheres all of their own. Simplistically, sitting alongside the river as the church bells toll their timely chimes can transport you to not just another world but another time, another place and another century.

(5) Ironbridge is a spiritual home of mine and the following images represent a simple riverside stroll along the river Severn that never grows old.

All images from hereon in were captured today and added with a simple colour commentary.

The museum of the gorge and infamous duck feeding area! The river itself runs alongside the museum and behind it in this picture on it’s way to Coalbrookdale and in the other direction towards the iron bridge. During flooding season, the river rises several feet to above the steps and laps onto the road (Author’s Collection).

The river Severn winding it’s way toward Coalbrookdale (Author’s Collection).

Winding in the opposite direction toward the iron bridge itself (Author’s Collection).

“Ironbridge Square” (Author’s Collection).

Just hum the tune to “The Exorcist”. You’ll be okay! (Author’s Collection).

View from the top of “Church Hill” overlooking Ironbridge and an unusual view of the bridge itself (Author’s Collection).

Ironbridge Church today (Author’s Collection).

The World War(s) commemoration statue and the grand old lady herself (Author’s Collection).

The beautiful and grand old lady of Ironbridge (Author’s Collection).

Atop the stairs that lead to the viewing platform beside the bridge (Author’s Collection).

From the viewing platform and quite the view on a sunnier day (Author’s Collection).

From the viewing platform and back toward toytown! (Author’s Collection).

“Stephen’s Bench” and a perfect place to hold court with strangers who become fleeting friends from around the world (Author’s Collection).

View from the other bench on the viewing platform (not as good as “Stephen’s Bench”!) (Author’s Collection).

The river Severn winding it’s gentle way back toward Coalbrookdale and from whence we came (Author’s Collection).

View from the very centre of the bridge and back toward the world heritage site and tiny hamlet of Ironbridge itself. I always, without fail, turn toward this view on my way away from Ironbridge, if only to remind myself of such a timeless beauty (Author’s Collection).

Thanks for reading. Please see the links below to my most recent articles published and to my archives for over 200 articles from sports to existentialism, film criticism to the madness of social media:

Rhetorical Questions Round a Rectangular Dining Table
Vol.15 Does anyone buy books anymore? Anyone want to buy my book? And what am I going to do with myself?medium.com

“I just miss hearing your voice”
and other reasons for wanting the telephone to ringmedium.com