Walks you can reach from Cosford by train

Town streets, woodland tracks, steep ascent to The Wrekin summit with panoramic views over Shropshire and beyond.

Warnings: Steep climb to summit; can be windy on top.

Walk details: Wellington Walkers Are Welcome.

Town streets, field paths, woodland, Lodge Hill viewpoint, Wesley Brook valley and Shifnal Manor.

Time: 1h

Warnings: Steep steps on the descent to Wesley Brook.

Walk details: Shropshire's Great Outdoors (PDF).

Largely paved paths, pavements and canal towpaths through residential streets, industrial estates, a nature reserve and a former-railway path. Route follows a section of the Monarch’s Way long-distance footpath. Well-served public transport returns to the start.

Time: 2h30–5h

Warnings: A quarter urban. Footpath across wasteland between Walsall and Wolverhampton is ill-kempt with fly-tipping; gap-in-fence section near the mound is tricky to navigate.

Walk details: Walk Midlands (tips, photos and local insights).

Recommended: A level, well-surfaced canal towpath walk with no locks, easily wheeled and with a residential section at the Coseley end and pavement along a main road in central Wolverhampton. Can be a little overgrown in places in summer. Follows the Birmingham Canal towpath. Lots of waterfowl along the canal, including herons, mallards, swans, moorhens and coots. No facilities until the Wolverhampton end. Trains and buses at both ends.

Waterway: nine tenths along the Birmingham New Main Line Canal.

Time: 2h–3h30

Warnings: A quarter urban.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Exhilarating and elemental, beautiful, magical final stage. A long, beautiful walk through varied countryside, agricultural land and country lanes, skirting the A49 but often feeling far from the road. Many stiles, lots of them flooded or boggy after rain, with wide open fields, a nature reserve covered in wild garlic and a magical final climb into the hills above the Strettons before dropping down. Follows the Shropshire Way out of Bayston Hill and passes through a nature reserve covered in wild garlic; passes the churches at Stapleton and Dorrington.

Time: 7h30–15h

Lunch: Pubs at Dorrington and Leebotwood.

Warnings: After heavy rain many fields, stiles and footbridges flood and become boggy, though generally still passable. Some middle sections are overgrown with crops and poorly waymarked, with one section impassable and needing a road detour. Care crossing the busy A49 at Sleights Bridge. Can be muddy.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Time: 4h30–9h

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Time: 4h30–9h

Walk details: Slow Ways.

A thoroughly relaxing, safe and direct route, the bulk along canal towpath (three canals and two junctions) with linking pavement, alleyway and park walks. The towpath is narrow and unsurfaced beyond The Droveway; mostly surfaced and in good condition elsewhere. Some steps and avoidable with a short detour. Follows the Birmingham, Staffs & Worcs and Shropshire Union canals, passing interesting bridges, locks and boatyards at Autherley and Aldersley junctions. A pleasant detour through Wheel Field Park. Two shops in Bilbrook.

Waterway: two thirds along the Birmingham New Main Line Canal.

Time: 2h30–5h

Lunch: Two shops in Bilbrook mid-route.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

A generally easy-to-follow walk with more road walking than ideal, across fields and horse paddocks and a section of the Monarch's Way. A few cross-field paths shown on the route are not evident on the ground. Follows a section of the Monarch's Way (with a recent waymarked diversion between Beckbury and Heath House Farm not yet on OS mapping).

Time: 7h–14h30

Lunch: There is a pub in Beckbury; Albrighton has plenty of pubs and cafes, and there is even a pub at Codsall station.

Warnings: A couple of cross-field paths supposedly on long-distance routes are not evident on the ground, accessible at one end only.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Time: 7h–14h

Walk details: Slow Ways.

A very long rural route across open Shropshire countryside and country lanes, following the Shropshire Way, the Telford T50 trail and the Hutchison Way in places and with woodland near Telford and a short urban stretch through Wellington. Field crossings can be muddy in winter and some are ploughed or under crops; quite a few stiles and a few short uphill sections. Follows the Shropshire Way, the Telford T50 50 Mile Trail and the Hutchison Way; can be split at Wellington, which has rail and bus links.

Time: 7h30–15h30

Lunch: Wellington at the mid-point has many cafes, pubs and takeaways; benches by the church at Roddington make a good picnic spot.

Warnings: Quite a few stiles. The path around the base of Haughmond Hill can be badly overgrown with brambles and nettles. A short section of the Shropshire Way by the River Severn in Shrewsbury floods in winter (avoidable via NCN 81). No pavements along the busy main roads, so road walking is on quiet lanes. Can be muddy.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Time: 9h30–19h

Walk details: Slow Ways.