Category: Shropshire hills

Dingles and dereliction

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Easter Monday: an exploration of land within two or three miles of home, not normally accessible to the casual explorer. In order gain access, the permission of the various farmers and others had to be sought in advance (many thanks to Myra for doing the – er – groundwork, and to the family for wonderful and timely refreshments).

It’s unbelievably soggy underfoot, following a night of heavy rain (did I mention it’s a bank holiday?) – after seeing the forecasts earlier in the week, we’ve done remarkably well to stay fairly dry. As well as the mud, there are atmospheric remnants of the rain – a general murk and mist in the trees, adding to the melancholy of the sad, abandoned dwellings we encounter, remote from civilisation and “mod cons”. The dingle is a delight – with the added interest of a flow of natural bitumen part-way down the faint path.

Into the woods

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A short walk from Ludlow. We’ve parked facing the well-known view of the town, with the castle and church prominent against the backdrop of Titterstone Clee. A cloud is casting deep shade over the castle, though the rest of the town is floodlit. Perhaps on our return?

Our walk takes us a short way along the old A49, then up to the woodland past Hucksbarn and Starvecrow. There are some fine views on this clear afternoon – until we enter the woods, by which time the cloud has thickened and the sunshine gone. There are thick plantations of conifers at first, but as we descend towards Ludlow the woodland becomes more varied and interesting.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=350060&Y=273470&A=Y&Z=120

Nesscliffe and The Cliffe

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The road through Nesscliffe village is much quieter since the A5 bypass opened, though up on the hill the traffic noise from that bypass is somewhat intrusive. As we wander on around this little group of low sandstone hills, away from the road, the sound fades. It’s quiet here – although the afternoon is dry, it’s grey and gloomy, and there are few others about. Nesscliffe Hill is wooded, with few viewpoints; The Cliffe is more open, and though of insignificant height (157 metres – that’s 515 feet) the views are extensive. That is, they would be, on a clear day…

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=339110&Y=320151&A=Y&Z=120

 

Rain, hail and snowdrops

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We needed to call into the shops in Ironbridge – “We could walk down, have lunch and walk back the long way”. We did! It’s not warm, but we soon warm up, and it feels pleasant after last week’s Siberian snowfall. There’s a possibility of showers, apparently, maybe of hail or snow – and yes, there’s hail (which bounces off) and a little rain (which doesn’t). After the rain, the skies clear – to reveal more shower clouds approaching. We’d better not hang around.


View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=368730&Y=301831&A=Y&Z=120

Coalport cakes

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They were an unexpected bonus – we hadn’t realised the hostel cafe was open, and despite the cold, there was enough sunshine and shelter for us to sit outside. Other than the café, a couple of lambs and some catkins, there are few signs of spring. We’ve got some cold weather to get through before things warm up.

opentopomap.jpg

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=369350&Y=301556&A=Y&Z=120

 

Up the dale

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Saturday 17 Feb: It was cold, but clearly it was sunny too – just a day later, before looking through the photos, I’d remembered the weather being dull. Memory plays tricks! We’re walking in the Ironbridge area, following mostly quiet roads away from the Wharfage, which is always busy. There’s always something to catch the eye in this part of Shropshire.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=367260&Y=304311&A=Y&Z=120

A cold day in Callow Hollow

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Monday 12 Feb: The wind felt stronger (and colder) and there was more cloud than the forecast had suggested, but it was still a good day (sandwiched between some pretty awful days) for an outing. We thought there might have been some shelter in Callow Hollow – and there was, beside the little Oakleymill waterfall, sufficient for a lunch break. The flurry of snowflakes waited until we were moving again – then, as we reached the summit plateau, the sky cleared, and suddenly the world was colourful once more. Given good weather, the top of the Mynd is a great place to be.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=343480&Y=292591&A=Y&Z=120

A Witchend Walk

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The Ordnance Survey – and almost everyone else, I suspect – calls it Priors Holt. It’s barely a hamlet, just a couple of houses nestled at the foot of Nut Batch, one of the lesser valleys on the eastern side of the Long Mynd. However, Malcolm Saville seems to have had the place in mind when he wrote his “Witchend” children’s series, so that’s how we’ll think of it. Whatever the name, it’s a quiet spot, despite its popularity with muddy cyclists (we must have seen at least six of them), and the gentle slopes of the forestry roads (ideal for the bikers) make for an easy walk to the Mynd’s summit plateau. The trees are also good shelter from the wind… The forecast said “dry, bright and windy” – it was accurate, though we arrived a little early for its first two elements. By the time we were on the Port Way, walking south along the western edge of the Mynd, the “dry and bright” had arrived, providing us with some dramatic lighting for the extensive views of the border hill country.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=340845&Y=290136&A=Y&Z=120