Newcastle on Clun Walk

Offa’s Dyke Path Circular Walks

2. Newcastle, old stories Five walks on the Shropshire border - Newcastle on Clun walk

The name ‘Newcastle on Clun’ should tell you all you need to know about this valley. The conquering hand of the Norman overlords controlling this corridor into the Welsh heartland is clear. But what of Offa? The intimidating Dyke across the Clun marked his territorial intentions. ‘I am King of Mercia, do not defy me,’ it said. Farming in the valley may have erased the Earthwork’s crossing, but Fron Motte has stood the test of time. Its roots pre-date even Offa by more than a thousand years.

Start/ Finish 5 Cross over the road and keep 8 Turn right and follow the road OS Explorer 201 & 216 following Offa’s Dyke Path to to just past Hollybush Farm. where it turns north. From here follow Newcastle on Clun community the signs for the Shropshire Way (a 9 Take the road on the left that centre car park (SO 249823). Buzzard) up the bank past an old quarry crosses the ford and then uphill to the junction near the Graig. Full route on the right. Head straight across the field to the stile by the gate. Go down Distance: 14¼km (8¾ miles) Turn left past the Graig and along the field edge past the gate and stile on 10 the track to follow the right-hand Time: 5 – 5½ hrs the left to the stile in the fence. Follow track up and along to where the double the field edge downhill through the gate Medium route hedges finish at a gate and stile. and along the double-hedged lane to the Distance: 11½km (7¼ miles) road. (To follow the short route from here Follow the hedge on the left to Time: 4 – 4½ hrs 11 see below right.) the track from the right and head towards two sets of gates. Go through DIFFICULTY  Go straight on from the stile, up 6 the right-hand gate. Turn left to retrace the road, ignoring the turnings your route back to the church. on the left and right. Go on through the START by turning right past the 1 gate and up the sunken track following To go to Fron Motte follow the school and right again out of the the Shropshire Way over the Cefns. 12 village towards the church. Continue track to the right of the church up the hill. along the road as far as Bryndrinog Just after the stile and small pond Cottage to meet Offa’s Dyke Path. 7 on the left, leave the Shropshire Short route Way and bear right down the side of Leave the Shropshire Way (6) turning Turn left up the steps and over an old hedge for a short distance. Go 2 right past the farmhouse and up the the stile, crossing over the track through the gap, and then descend right road to the wicket gate on the left. Go to climb up the hill. across the steep hillside to a stile in the through and down the bank across the hedge/fence. Continue in the same The post here celebrates that this track to a second wicket gate. Follow the 3 direction downhill to the corner of the is the half-way point of Offa’s fence to the left passing through some field, left of the water trough where there Dyke Path. There are really good views gates and another wicket. Continue with is a stile and gateway hidden by a fallen from here. (If you have downloaded the hedge on the right to where the track tree. A little further on there is another the podcast - play it here). Stay on bends around to the left, drop down stile in the fence on the right. Cross this the Offa’s Dyke Path following the Dyke past an old ruin and through the gate, and drop down the hillside towards to eventually reach the road at Hergan. turning right down the track to the road. Whitcott Keysett, along a short section of Head straight on at the “T” junction, hedged track, through a gate to the road. 4 To follow a much shorter route from turning left over the ford then right up here follow the path to the right to 10. the road to rejoin the main route at the Graig (11).

Offa’s Dyke Path National Trail • T: 01597 827580 • E: [email protected] • www.nationaltrail.co.uk/offasdyke Shropshire Council Outdoor Recreation • T: 0345 6789000 • E: [email protected] These guides and the podcasts are also downloadable from www.shropshirewalking.co.uk Primary Shropshire Council logo, full colour. Primary Shropshire Council logo, spot colour. Primary Shropshire Council logo, black. Light Blue Pantone 7 4 61EC Light Blue Pantone 7 4 61C Dark Blue Pantone 281EC Dark Blue Pantone 281C Black only

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Hergan

Three 6 UTE RO Gates RT SHO Broneth

Myndtown

Mount Bank Swinbatch Upper Mount Mardu Quarry Farm (dis) Mardu Cefns Bridge Farm 4 10 Graig 9 Hollybush Upper Barn Bryn- Graig Hill coch Cefn Bronydd

M a rd u L Reservoir a 7 n Bryn-y- e Cratch Maesyrhaime 3 11 Whitcott 8 Keysett Wellfield

Fort Fron Fron End 2 N d oa R ch 12 Chur Bryndrinog Newcastle 1 Little Hall START/FINISH B4368 1 mile

Middle Spoad 1 kilometre The Yew Tree Offa’s Dyke Path Circular Walks

2. Newcastle, old stories Five walks on the Shropshire border - Newcastle on Clun walk

KEY Cwn Farm Golly Main walk route Coppice Skeltons Bank Short route Alternative 5 shorter route Roads Hergan

Tracks / paths Three 6 UTE RO Gates Offa’s Dyke RT SHO Broneth Offa’s Dyke Path Shropshire Way Myndtown Bridleways Footpaths

Byways Mount Bank Swinbatch Woodland Upper Mount Mardu Quarry Farm (dis) Mardu Cefns Bridge Farm 4 10 Graig 9 Hollybush Upper Barn Bryn- Graig Hill coch Cefn Bronydd

M a rd u L Reservoir a 7 n Bryn-y- e Cratch Maesyrhaime 3 11 Whitcott 8 Keysett Wellfield

Fort Fron Fron End 2 N d oa R ch 12 Chur Bryndrinog Newcastle 1 Little Hall START/FINISH B4368 1 mile

Middle Spoad 1 kilometre The Yew Tree LA Licence No. LA100049049.2010

Primary Shropshire Council Banner logo, full colour. Light Blue Pantone 7 4 61EC Dark Blue Pantone 281EC

Primary Shropshire Council logo, single colour. Secondary Shropshire Council logo, Secondary Shropshire Council logo, Light Blue Pantone 7 4 61C single colour. white reversed. KEY Dark Blue Pantone 281C White over secondary colour/image Main walk route Short route Alternative shorter route Roads Tracks / paths Offa’s Dyke Offa’s Dyke Path Shropshire Way Bridleways Footpaths Byways Woodland