TRIP 9: THE HILLS

I knew there were hills in Shropshire - I had heard of The , and – but that was about it. This trip put that right, showing me three sets of unusual hills with very different feels to them. I spent five days wandering from pub to pub ( to Bridges to to Wentnor and back to Church Stretton). I found four spots worth telling you about and have constructed four shortish trails from ground I actually covered but not necessarily in the order presented. I trust all this qualifies them as “trails less trodden”.

Photo 2117: map of , The Long Mynd and The Stiperstones (Crown copyright 2015, Ordnance Survey FL-GV 166842)

107: Above Gaer Stone, Hope Bowdler Hill, Church Stretton

This spot and the next are on a trail that follows a beautiful U-shaped ridge just outside Church Stretton, the town that lies in the middle of the . Starting from the railway station, turn right to join the B 4371 and cross the bridge over the railway. Follow this road for just over 1k until you leave the houses and reach a crossroads at the top of the hill. Turn left towards Gaerstone Farm on a farm road. Soon you have a choice: a steep path goes uphill to the right after about 100m towards the rock you can see on the hillside; alternatively, you can continue on the less arduous farm road past the farm to turn right after a gate and right again at the top of the field. Both paths bring you to a point just to the west of the Gaer Stone. From the field, there is a good view of the cwm that lies in the middle of the U-shaped ridge and past it to Caer Caradoc, where you are heading (Photo 1947). The hills surrounding the cwm are beautifully shaped and you get the best view of them from here.

Photo 1947: over the cwm to Caer Caradoc

Start climbing the ridge from the Gaer Stone. At the top of the first rise, you reach my favourite spot on the ridge:

South-West to West – looking down the ridge to the Gaer Stone with Hazler Hill and Ragleth Hill greening beyond; to the right, Church Stretton fills the hollow in front of the undulations of The Long Mynd

North-West – over the rest of Church Stretton and wooded Helmeth Hill to The Long Mynd (it’s very long)

North – over the cwm to the south-west ridge of Caer Caradoc that you will be descending later

North-East – the ridge of Hope Bowdler Hill with Willstone Hill off to the right; in the dip between Caer Caradoc and Hope Bowdler you see The Lawley, shaped like a mini-version of Caer Caradoc, 4k away

East and South-East – over a shallow and the wooded slopes of Wenlock Edge to the higher ridge of the in the distance; just to the right of the Clees you can catch the outline of the , 50k away South – past Wenlock Edge to the flat expanse of the Onny Valley towards and

Being halfway up the height of the ridge, you get a good perspective on the scenery all around you, a delightful mix of green hills above you and tree-patterned valleys below.

Photo 2125: map for spots 107 & 108 (Crown copyright 2015, Ordnance Survey FL-GV 166842)

108: Pond on top of Caer Caradoc

As you continue up the ridge of Hope Bowdler Hill, the views become more extensive; you pass some rocks and a rounded hill-top from where you get a clear view of The Lawley and The Wrekin to the north-east. The path then descends to a fence behind a line of trees where you turn left to cross the cwm onto the eastern slopes of Caer Caradoc. At the road, you can go straight ahead up a steep path or turn right and take the next path left which ascends the slope more gradually, first going diagonally right then turning to the left up a broad track which looked to me like the original way into the hill-fort that covers the top of Caer Caradoc. From these slopes you get a lovely view back towards the ridge you have just crossed (Photo 1963). Once you reach the ridge of Caer Caradoc, turn right past some large rocks and along the ramparts of the hill-fort towards the top (Photo 1969).

Photo 1963: Hope Bowdler Ridge from the slopes of Caer Caradoc

Photo 1969: the ramparts of Caer Caradoc

Just to the east of the top, you will come across a tiny pond with a large plant sticking out of it, like a shaving brush (Photo 1970). It’s a magical spot, out of the prevailing south-westerly wind with a comfy hollow to sit or lie down in. There are more extensive all-around views from the very top of Caer Caradoc but this is definitely my preferred spot:

Photo 1970: top, pond and rampart of Caer Caradoc

North-East – over the pond and rampart to The Lawley and The Wrekin, with the whole of North Shropshire spread out before you

East – over the southern end of the pond and the rampart to the plains of East Shropshire

South-East to South – over the rampart and the cwm to the Hope Bowdler Ridge with Wenlock Edge and the Clee Hills beyond

South-West – along the ditch behind the rampart

West to North – the rocky slope between you and the highest point of Caer Caradoc

After enjoying the pond, you will want to sample the views from the top – the best spot is about twelve paces west of the centre of the stony circle. From here, you can see most of what you can see from the pond plus views down into the Stretton valley and over to The Long Mynd (Photo 1983). However, your immediate surroundings are rather bleak and it’s usually windy – hence my preference for the pond spot.

There are two ways down: you can return to the point where you first gained the ridge and take a path south traversing the slope and into the cwm, soon joining the road; or you can descend the south-west ridge towards Three Fingers Rock and take a steeper path down to the road in a wooded valley. I chose the latter for its views of the hill-fort (Photo 1998) and into the cwm as you zig-zag down the steep section (Photo 2001).

Photo 1983: Church Stretton and The Long Mynd from the top of Caer Caradoc

Photo 1998: Caer Caradoc hill-fort from the south-west ridge

After leaving the wood, turn left on a path along the edge of a field. Do not be tempted to venture down the ‘holloway’ beyond a gate but rather continue along the edge of the field. The ‘holloway’ is much used by off-roaders and is a complete mess, even in dry weather – definitely not for walkers, unless you enjoy mud and twisted ankles. The path rejoins the road and the station is less than 1k of town-walking away.

Photo 2001: last view of Caer Caradoc (left) and the cwm from the steep descent

109: Between Townbrook Valley and Ashes Hollow, The Long Mynd

The Long Mynd is an unusual shape – rather like a flattened sausage stretching from in the north to Plowden in the south. On the east and north-west sides it is punctuated by steep, forking valleys, whilst to the west and south there is a steep escarpment falling straight down to the farmland below. Various long-distance paths cross it and other paths wind up its valleys, along its ridges and across its moors.

Photo 2130 (Crown copyright 2015, Ordnance Survey FL-GV 166842) This trail goes up a typical valley to a spot that typifies the best of Long Mynd scenery and then descends a ridge that offers great views of another valley and over to Caer Caradoc. The trail is not long (about 5k) but takes in a great variety of scenery in such a short distance. If you’d like more detailed directions, parts of it are covered in ‘Walk Three: Pole Bank’, the third leaflet of ‘Four Waymarked Walks from Church Stretton’, available from the Tourist Information Centre on Church Street.

Find your way to Rectory Field and choose a path through Rectory Wood to the Victorian Reservoir above it (there is a map at the entrance to Rectory Field from Church Street). I went via ‘The Grotto’, which turned out to be a quaint spot with a ‘ruin’, a pond, an ice-house and the remains of a summer-house, all created in Victorian times according to the then- current fashion (Photo 2002).

Photo 2002: ‘The Grotto’ – ‘ruin’ right centre

At the reservoir, go straight ahead up the valley for about 2k until you reach the top. It’s a pleasant walk up a green valley with the Town Brook to your left (Photos 2005, 2006).

Photo 2005: lower part of Townbrook Valley

Photo 2006: upper part of Townbrook Valley

From the top there is a great view down the valley to Burway Hill and Caer Caradoc (Photo 2008).

Photo 2008: from the top of Townbrook Valley

The path continues westwards towards Pole Bank, the highest point of The Long Mynd, following pink-banded posts. At the third such post after Townbrook Top, walk slightly uphill for 20m to the south-west where you will find a spot overlooking Ashes Hollow, the next valley to the south:

North-West – up the ridge where the path leads to Boiling Well and Pole Bank, which is just over the sky-line of The Long Mynd’s sausage

West – the ridge of Long Synalds descends between two arms of Ashes Hollow South-West – over Ashes Hollow and the lower slope of Long Synalds to Round Hill

South and South-East – down the ridge you are on to Grindle (hill); the lower part of Ashes Hollow are obscured by the ridge

East – down the path to Townbrook Top and Yearlet (hill) on the other side

North-East – across Townbrook Valley to Burway Hill and Caer Caradoc

North – across to Cow Ridge

It’s all rather bleak but gives you an all-round perspective on the folds and ridges of this side of The Long Mynd. If you are up for it, I would recommend climbing Yearlet from where I predict there would be a more extensive view of the area. I didn’t have time for that as I had to get to Bridges before my legs gave up on me.

If you are wondering if it is worth continuing to Pole Bank – Simon Jenkins in ‘’s 100 Best Views’ says it’s a boring view-point with heath in all directions and not much else to be seen – it definitely is worth it. The view on the day I was there was vast: much of the foreground may be flat heathland but in the distance you can see such landmarks as Cader Idris, 67k away near the Welsh Coast, , Pen-y-Fan, the Malvern Hills, the Clee Hills and The Wrekin; in the middle ground, you can find the Stiperstones Ridge, and Caer Caradoc; and even in the foreground you can find some interest – there is a plump clump of trees to the south and Ashes Hollow to the south-east. What’s not to like? I can only conclude that Simon Jenkins must have been up there on a misty day.

So if you’d like to extend my rather short trail, continue on the path with the pink-banded posts to Boiling Well from where it is a short hop to Pole Bank. Then you could return to Boiling Well and take the path down Ashes Hollow, which I have seen described as the most beautiful valley in The Long Mynd. You end up in Little Stretton from where there is an afternoon bus back to Church Stretton at 25 past the hour from the Ragleth Inn if you don’t fancy the 2k road-walk (June 2015). As you may guess, I thought about doing this but didn’t. Or you could return via the Burway road, which is a little tedious until you reach the car-park mentioned below.

Sticking to my trail, return to Townbrook Top and take a path heading north-east straight towards the car-park you can probably see – if it’s not too misty and there’s a car parked there. From the car-park, a path goes over a rise to join the road lower down. By the way, I never did find out what or where the ‘Devil’s Mouth’ is. Follow the road downhill for a bit – it provides good views into both the upper and lower reaches of Carding Mill Valley, the next valley to the north (Photos 2090, 2089). Soon after a right-hand bend, a path forks off to the right, above the road and shows you most of Carding Mill Valley – and why I avoided it, with its coaches and National Trust Centre and other amenities (Photo 2091). After the path rejoins the road, you are practically back in Church Stretton.

Photo 2090: upper Carding Mill Valley

Photo 2089: lower Carding Mill Valley

Photo 2091: Carding Mill Valley 110: By the Devil’s Chair, The Stiperstones

The Stiperstones is a ridge about 6k north-west of The Long Mynd. Its main claim to fame is the series of rocks sticking out along its 6k length. The highest and most scenic part of the ridge is the 2.5k from where the crosses the minor road above The Bog (marked 429 on OS maps) to Shepherd’s Rock.

Photo 2109: (Crown copyright 2015, Ordnance Survey FL-GV 166842)

This trail starts and finishes in the village of Stiperstones which nestles beneath outlying hills of the Stiperstones ridge and has a very agreeable pub with shop attached (Photo 2076).

Photo 2076: Stiperstones village from the field at the start of the trail Take the Pennerley road out of the village and look for a somewhat hidden path to the left after ½ k that goes straight up the right side of a field to a gate (or was it a stile?) at the top. Here, take the middle path to continue up the ridge through woodland onto the moor. When the ground levels out, you come to a track which you can follow along the contour of the ridge, with views of the rocks up to your left (Photo 2077). A couple of grouse flew up from the undergrowth about here – I recognised them from the whisky ads. This is apparently the furthest south that you will see them.

Photo 2077: the Devil’s Chair – you can just see him getting up out of his chair

After about 1.5k of level walking, you come to a choice of three paths – take the left one, heading towards the 429 on the map, where you turn left up onto the ridge. It’s slow going, unless you are a goat, because the path is rocky and uneven. If you want to survey the scene, stop – there is on average one broken ankle a month up here. The path weaves along just to the west of the line of rocks with enticing views along them (Photo 2023).

Photo 2023: looking north from Cranberry Rock One of the smaller rocks is shaped like a cannon – and it was pointing towards to keep the marauding Welsh at bay (Photo 2029).

Photo 2029: ‘cannon’ pointing towards Corndon Hill (which is in Wales)

After all that excitement, you come to Manstone Rock, the highest point on the ridge, with its eccentric trig point perched on top (Photo 2032).

Photo 2032: Manstone Rock from the south-east At its northern end, there is a rhino-tusk rock opposite the outline of a face in the rock (Photo 2036).

Photo 2036: face and rhino-tusk in Manstone Rock

Next in line is the Devil’s Chair, a jumble of rocks, amongst which I could not work out which was the actual chair. I thought maybe it was some rocks with a hollow in them (Photo 2047) or maybe it was a dip between two sharp points on a ridge (Photos 2050, 2051).

Photo 2047: Devil’s Chair No.1 – Manstone Rock in the distance

Photo 2050: Devil’s Chair No.2 from Devil’s Chair No.1

Photo 2051: Devil’s Chair No.2 – again you can see the Devil in his chair

I couldn’t decide which was which so sat down to have my lunch. This turned out to be the spot that best typified the Stiperstones ridge for me and had a little magic about it:

South – between two rocky outcrops to the Manstone Rock

South-West to North-West – over a saddle between two rocky outcrops to the plains of West Shropshire and the hills of Wales (Cader Idris on a clear day)

North – past the pointed rocks of Devil’s Chair No.2 to the northern part of the ridge North-East to East – over the plains of North Shropshire with The Wrekin in the distance

South-East – over the intervening valleys to The Long Mynd

Being surrounded by the Devil’s Rocks (wherever his Chair might be) and commanding wide-ranging views, I couldn’t find a better spot anywhere on the ridge.

Follow the rocky path down the ridge, stopping occasionally to look back at the rocks you have just left. After a while, it becomes apparent (at least to me) where the Devil’s Chair is, namely in the green hollow between the encircling rocks behind the sharp ridge already shown in Photo 2051 – this Devil obviously has a large bum (Photos 2062, 2068).

Photo 2062: Devil’s Chair No.3

Photo 2068: Devil’s Chair No.3 from below Shepherd’s Rock The path leads down to Shepherd’s Rock cross-paths where you turn left to descend a steepish valley called Perkins Beach to a road and some pretty houses where the flowers were blooming and the bees were buzzing. The next little valley has an even better name: Mytton Dingle. I was too tired to explore it so had to content myself with a view of Mytton Hill from my room at the Stiperstones Inn.

That’s it for the Shropshire Hills. I’d just like to end with a view from Pole Bank, not on any of my trails but representative of the views to be enjoyed from all over these special hills.

Photo 2011: Corndon Hill from Pole Bank – Cader Idris in the far distance