Severn Valley Country Park facts for kids

Severn Valley Country Park is a fantastic country park in England. It is located near Alveley in Shropshire. The park is about 8 miles (13 km) from Bridgnorth. It is also 7 miles (11 km) from Kidderminster. This park is right in the middle of the beautiful Severn Valley. It covers a huge area of 126 acres. You will find woodlands, meadows, and riverbanks here. The park offers amazing views over the River Severn. It has even won a special award called the Green Flag Award!

Discover the Park's Past

This area was once a very busy coal mine. Coal was dug here for over 400 years! Deep shafts were first made in Highley in 1870. The coal was then moved using the river and later by train. A new mine shaft was built in Alveley in 1935. Coal production started there in 1938. By 1940, all coal mining moved from Highley to Alveley.

The coal was taken to the Severn Valley Railway using a special ropeway. This ropeway went across the River Severn. The mine finally closed in January 1969. It was no longer making enough money. Work began in 1986 to clean up the old mine site. The park officially opened to visitors in 1992.

Explore Park Features

Severn Valley Country Park has many great places to walk. You can walk around the visitor's centre. There are also paths next to the river. You can explore the open meadows and quiet woodlands.

Visitor Centre and Amenities

The visitor's centre is a helpful place. It gives you information about the park. You can also find a café there for snacks and drinks. Toilets are available for visitors. A picnic area is located very close by. There is also a large car park for your vehicles. You can find another picnic spot near the river. Another one is in a meadow at the top of the woods.

Fun Activities for Kids

Severn Valley Country Park offers many fun things for children.

• You can get Bird Spotters Packs to find different birds.
• There are Bug Hunting Guides to discover tiny creatures.
• Butterfly Spotters Packs help you find beautiful butterflies.

Groups can also enjoy special activities.

• Organised Dinosaur Days are exciting.
• You can join Fossil Hunts to find ancient remains.
• Pond Dipping Groups explore life in the water.

The park also has educational activities.

• Learn about pond life with Pond Dipping.
• Try Orienteering to practice your map skills.
• Go on Mini-beast Hunts to find small animals.
• Join River Study events to learn about the river.

Paths and Scenery

Before you reach the car park, you will see a lake. There is also a special bird-hide there. This is a great spot to watch birds without disturbing them. The main path goes all the way down to the riverside.

The woodland path stretches down to the river. Much of this path is a boardwalk. This makes it easy to walk on. A small brook also runs through the woodland. You can also walk along the entrance road. This leads to a large meadow. The meadow has a lake and another picnic site. This path then connects to the woodland path.

Railway Connection

You can cross the bridleway bridge over the River Severn. On the other side, you will find the Country Park Halt railway station. This is a station on the Severn Valley Railway. It was built in 1996. It stands on the site of the old coal mine railway sidings.