Cyclists launch new Much Wenlock cycle rides leaflet

To celebrate Love Your Bike Month and to launch a new leaflet showing cycle routes from Much Wenlock , a free guided family bike ride took place in good weather on Sunday 28 October 2012. 

Led by Ray Hughes of Shropshire Council, Jill Barcroft and Yim Lo of the Wenlock Weekly Cycling Group, 16 riders left The Square in Much Wenlock at 10am and headed out to Barrow and Broseley, before arriving at National Trust Benthall Hall for a welcome tea stop before returning to town. 

Nick Swankie and Heather Marsh of the National Trust provided a very warm welcome and prepared a ‘cyclists special’ – coffee and cake at the tea room, opened especially for the riders. 

The Much Wenlock cycle rides leaflet is a new addition to Shropshire Council’s market town cycle rides series, and it contains maps and route descriptions for three circular cycle rides from Much Wenlock, plus a ride around Ironbridge Gorge more suited to families and children. 

Simon Jones, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member with responsibility for cycling, said:

“Cycling is a fantastic, cheap way for families to get out and have fun together and to explore our beautiful county.  Shropshire Council’s new leaflets (Much Wenlock and Oswestry) will help residents and visitors to find new suggestions for places to discover on their bikes.” 

Milner Whiteman, Shropshire Councillor for Much Wenlock, said:

“It is good news about this new initiative, and Much Wenlock is an ideal place to use as a base for cycling in this lovely part of Shropshire.” 

Ray Hughes, Shropshire Council’s Travel Shropshire manager said:

“A fantastic new cycling scene is emerging in Much Wenlock.  The Wenlock weekly Wednesday evening cycle rides, which ran between May and September, proved very popular, and we look forward to starting up the rides again in the spring when the days start to draw out again.  In the meantime, we hope to organise some more rides at the weekend and will advertise them on the Travel Shropshire website.” 

The new leaflets are available to download or order from the Travel Shropshire website; they will also be available free of charge at local visitor information centres and libraries. For more information about the leaflets visit www.travelshropshire.co.uk/love-your-bike or call 01743 253008.