It’s the highest point (577m or 1893 feet) of the line of hills north of the Dee, between Llangollen and Carrog. Yesterday’s walk took us from the Ponderosa, at the top of the Horseshoe Pass, along the ridge to the col between Moel y Gamelin and Moel y Gaer, then back along a path following the contours back round towards the slate workings. Paths are not clear here – we ended up on the wrong side of the quarries, but managed to find a way back round. Moel y Gamelin must be a tremendous viewpoint on a clear day…

A fairly bright, and very cold, afternoon – it would be good for a walk, if we could keep out of the wind,which was making 2 degrees feel like minus several. We walked along the old GWR railway line to Coalport, across the bridge, and up the other Coalport railway line (LNWR) as far as Blists Hill. Here, a path climbs up to the edge of the gorge, above the trees of Lloyd’s Coppice. The view would have been better if there had been one or two gaps in the trees… At the far end of the coppice, a path leads down to Wesley Road, then New Bridge Road provides a route to the Free Bridge, and the right side of the river for our return to the car.

Yesterday we were walking on Hergest Ridge – Kington’s hill. Today we’re much closer to home: Wellington, in Shropshire, has its own hill too – the Wrekin. It was busy – it’s half-term week – on this sunny, but very hazy, afternoon. Not a hill you’re ever likely to have to yourself, though taking a few steps away from the well-worn path to the summit is a good way of escaping the chatter of the crowds. Away in the haze, South Shropshire’s hill country looks inviting.

Residents of Kington, in Herefordshire’s border country, have their own hill – just the thing for a leg stretch on a fine Sunday afternoon – which it was, though the morning’s mist had only just cleared as we set off from the car. I have to admit that we (and several others) cheated, by parking near the top of Ridgebourne Road, saving a mile at either end of the walk. Put that another way – it’s an extra mile on the hill…

Music lovers of a certain age will, of course, associate Hergest Ridge (yes, it’s the same one) with Mike Oldfield, of Tubular Bells and Virgin Records fame. Released in 1973, It was Virgin’s first album, and a huge success. Who would be running our trains today, if it hadn’t been for Tubular Bells?