On our way to Wilderhope Manor YHA we stopped of at Ironbridge which is said to be the birth place of the industrial revolution.
It is home of course to the Worlds first iron bridge built by Abraham Darby in 1779. It would seem that a considerable loss was made by Darby on the venture having agreed to build the bridge for a cost of £5k when costs exceeded this he became liable for the rest.
Darby had perfected a means of smelting iron with coke rather than more expensive charcoal.
The River Severn had abated from the worst of the flood conditions that had arisen just the previous week but there was evidence of a number of shops that had closed due to flooding here. There wasn’t time for us but there are 10 museums to visit here which would make a good day trip.
Running in Suffolk 