How to get there - Coming from Shrewsbury on B4380 (old A5) either left just before the old road bridge at Montford (The Wingfield Arms) or right just after (Severn House campsite). Please ask owner's permission in either case; the camp site owner used to work for the Environment Agency and is river-friendly.
For those with SatNav the postcode is SY4 1EB
Get a map with driving directions to start or end (enter the postcode of your starting point at A)
Suggested Launch Site - From either of the above down a fairly steep slope to the river.
General
Description - A downriver trip of about 12 miles, with a surprisingly fast current assisting even in low water conditions. A very shallow section just after river Perry confluence (1.5 miles from Montford); best to get out and wade on left to prevent being swept under trees on right. A 'Canoeist's Guide to the River Severn' by Sue Drummond tells you which side of islands to go (see links for downloadable version).
The river forms a great loop round 'The Isle', with the river taking some 6 miles to do 1/2 mile as the crow flies. More wooded, with 'hanging' woods on river cliffs, than the upriver section from Crew Green, but with the same variety of wildlife. We saw a buzzard being mobbed by two magpies.
Land at public slipway, right bank just by Frankwell footbridge on outskirts of Shrewsbury, next to public car park in Frankwell.
Return to Montford Bridge on Arrive service 70 from Shrewsbury bus station, just across footbridge from Frankwell. You could make a long day out and do Crew Green to Shrewsbury in a day, taking 6 hours or so paddling.
Comments on this trip
Bruce Roberts 20 Sep 2011
Lovely trip. We launched from the pinic area. The guy in the cafe said he couldn't let us launch from the car park but if we left and went under the bridge we might find that launching was possible there! A steep access point which could be a bit dodgy in the wet.
ed beaumont 17 Apr 2011
just spent two nights at severn house. under new management, very canoefriendly and new jetty built for easy launching,lovely trip
Nigel Smith 31 May 2010
An alternative entry point for Montford Bridge is the picnic area on the A5 (see map). Its just up stream from the pub easy access there. We have used both in the past. Just be careful as last time my mate took a dip when we launched. It can get muddy!
Jim Thornton 23 Oct 2007
I'm sure the Severn House campsite is nice, but we've always stayed at the Wingfield Arms (now called the Old Swan) - opposite bank just upstream of the bridge. It seemed to us slightly less regimented and more canoe-friendly. It also has a somewhat easier gently sloping launch point just by the bridge.
