Big Wood

Wood, Forest in Shropshire

England

Big Wood

Cold War Museum Mig-21, Cosford. The business end of the MIG-21 on display in the Cold War Museum at RAF Cosford. — Cold War Museum Mig-21, Cosford. Credit: Peter Evans

Big Wood is a forest located in the picturesque county of Shropshire, England. Spanning over a vast area, the woodland is a prominent natural feature in the region, attracting numerous visitors throughout the year. The forest is characterized by its dense canopy of towering trees, primarily consisting of oak, ash, and beech varieties, which create a sense of tranquility and provide a haven for various wildlife.

The wood is home to an abundant array of flora and fauna, making it an ideal destination for nature enthusiasts and wildlife photographers. The forest floor is carpeted with a diverse range of wildflowers, including bluebells, primroses, and wood anemones, adding vibrant colors to the landscape during the spring and summer months.

Big Wood offers a network of well-maintained trails, enabling visitors to explore its beauty on foot or by bike. These paths wind through the forest, providing glimpses of serene ponds, babbling brooks, and occasional clearings where sunlight filters through the foliage.

Given its size and seclusion, Big Wood offers a peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle of urban life. The forest is a popular spot for picnics, family outings, and recreational activities such as birdwatching, nature walks, and orienteering.

Furthermore, the wood has a rich history, with evidence of ancient settlements and human activity dating back centuries. Archaeological sites within the forest have yielded artifacts and remnants of past civilizations, adding an additional layer of intrigue to this natural wonder.

In conclusion, Big Wood in Shropshire is a magnificent forest that captivates visitors with its towering trees, diverse wildlife, and tranquil atmosphere. Its scenic beauty and rich history make it a must-visit destination for nature lovers and history enthusiasts alike.

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Big Wood Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 52.657235/-2.3350421 or Grid Reference SJ7706. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Cold War Museum Mig-21, Cosford.

The business end of the MIG-21 on display in the Cold War Museum at RAF Cosford.

Peter Evans

Farmland near Tong

Stephen Richards

Neachley Lane near Tong (1)

Behind the wall lies a field and then a pumping station.

Stephen Richards

Pumping station near Tong

Neachley Pumping Station, probably dating from the 1950s or 1960s.

Stephen Richards

Neachley Lane near Tong (2)

Heading towards Shifnal through a small, unnamed wood.

Stephen Richards

Part of the car park at the RAF Museum, Cosford

The car park is large and operates on a pay-and-display basis at a fairly nominal rate that makes a longer visit reasonable value for money. Entrance to the museum itself is free. There are a few planes exhibited out-of-doors as there still isn't room for every single plane, especially the larger ones, to be displayed inside the museum's excellent award-winning buildings. The museum site covers some 35 acres in all and comprises a visitor centre and three to four hangars for the exhibits.

Jeremy Bolwell

External exhibit at the RAF Museum, Cosford

As visitors walk between the hangars housing the internal exhibits they pass beneath several planes on display out-of-doors such as this Dutch Navy (Kon. Marine) Lockheed Neptune, as the name suggests, an anti-submarine aircraft.

Jeremy Bolwell

Inside part of the RAF Museum, Cosford

The scale of the site is very impressive, covering 35 acres and comprising four large hangars, one of which is a purpose-built modern structure housing the Cold War era exhibits, the size of some of the individual planes on show is also impressive to say the least; here visitors are dwarfed by a Lincoln bomber (a late in the war follower of the more famous Lancaster bomber). The significance of some of the exhibits is also staggering and include a Polaris nuclear missile, a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, a Gloster Javelin, a MIG 21, a Vulcan, Valiant and Victor, Spitfires and Hurricanes...in fact the list is too long, I could simply just go on.....and on....

Jeremy Bolwell

The National Cold War Exhibition building at the RAF Museum, Cosford

It takes a pretty amazing building to house a pretty amazing exhibition covering a key part of recent history and this building is certainly fit for purpose. It is an arresting sight and architecturally the structure seems to echo the theme of the Cold War era; it is twisted, warped and emanates a coldness on a December day that stops you in your tracks. This building protects exhibits that survived that era.

Jeremy Bolwell

Part of the display inside the National Cold War Exhibition at the RAF Museum, Cosford

A Vulcan bomber hangs inside the massive building. Top marks to the people who evolved this display, it has something for everyone from ex-service personnel to anoraks to boffins to school groups, even the totally disinterested will become engaged and informed.

Jeremy Bolwell

The roof of a display inside the RAF Museum, Cosford

It looks as though many school parties leave the museum with at least a basic appreciation of the principles of flight...

Jeremy Bolwell

The Visitor Centre at the RAF Museum, Cosford

The Visitor Centre greets all visitors to the 35 acre site which comprises four further buildings. It offers all the expected amenities with the addition of very friendly staff, good food and on the day of my visit in December, a choir of carollers in very fine voice.

Jeremy Bolwell

M54 west of Junction 3

Colin Pyle

M54 south of Vauxhall Farm

Colin Pyle

M54 westbound near Timlet Bridge

Colin Pyle

M54, eastbound

The M54 is a 23 mile east-west motorway in Shropshire and Staffordshire. It is a two-lane dual carriageway for the majority of its length, with sections of three-lane. The M54 spur connects the M6 motorway near Essington, Staffordshire with the A5 trunk road at Wellington, Shropshire. The motorway forms part of the route to North Wales, roughly following the path of the Roman Watling Street and the A5 north-westwards, towards the port of Holyhead.

N Chadwick