The Olympic Trail

In 1889-1890, Pierre de Coubertin crossed the Channel to meet Dr. William Penny Brookes, a humanist and visionary educator from the small English town of Much Wenlock, in Shropshire.

Brookes, founder of the Wenlock Olympian Games in 1850, already advocated moral and physical development through sport. This encounter would profoundly influence Coubertin and inspire the creation of the modern Olympic Games a few years later.

Today, a marked 2km trail invites visitors to discover the iconic sites of this Olympic history, including:

• The Much Wenlock Museum, where documents, medals and personal objects are exhibited retracing the Wenlock Games and their direct link with Coubertin.
• The Guildhall, the city's former civic heart, evokes the life and work of Dr. Brookes.
• The statue of William Penny Brookes, erected in 2012 in homage to this pioneer of modern sport.
• Gaskell Field, the historic site of local Olympic competitions, is still home to the Wenlock Olympian Games, living heirs to Brookes' ideal.

Route maps are available at the Much Wenlock Museum, the Guildhall and the Wenlock Tourist Information Centre.

🕒 Duration: approximately 1 hour – Distance: 2 km