Nearly Knowledgeable

  To wander through Benthall Edge woodland is to truly be immersed in nature. Indeed, there is a certain magic to this place, particularly in spring and summer, when the leaves are stained glass, blanketing the floor with innumerable shades of green. The birds sing sweetly whilst you wander and it becomes hard to imagine that this woodland could have been anything but the way it seems now, a quiet corner of tranquillity away from daily life. The woodland itself is a SSSI (site of specific scientific interest) and worth a visit. Its abundance of trees includes one of Britain’s rarest – the large leaved lime which is scattered across the forest, with oak, birch, rowan, and holly for company (Interestingly folklore emphasises the importance of all these trees, suggesting they have significant protective power). Geographically, Benthall Edge runs along the southern slopes of the Ironbridge Gorge and rises 100 meters to a plateau above the River Severn. It follows the river to meet the pi