Up the Ashes!

On 29 Mar 2019 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, Walks1 Comment

…to Pole Bank. Thursday 28 March – the sky is cloudless, we need an outing to enjoy this weather. Haven’t been to the Long Mynd for a little while, so we’ll go for the old favourite – up the Ashes Hollow, to its stream’s source in the Boiling Well (which is neither), on to the highest point of the Mynd at Pole Bank, then back along the ridge which eventually brings us back to Little Stretton by Small Batch (which is aptly named, a batch being a valley). Despite the weather, we have the hills almost to ourselves – I think we saw more wild ponies than people.

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Mothers’ Day in Minton Batch

On 26 Mar 2017 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

…and Ashes Hollow. It’s another fine sunny day (though the sunshine will become hazy later), so we’re stretching our legs on the Long Mynd. We haven’t been up Minton Batch for some time, so we walk down the very quiet lane from Little Stretton to Minton and just beyond, then up the valley to the top of the Mynd, just along from the gliding field. The road along the top isn’t quite so quiet, but it’s a pleasant stroll and it’s easy enough to dodge the odd car (youngish men taking women old enough to be their mothers out for a drive. Odd, that). Reaching Pole Cottage, we remember there’s chocolate in the camera bag (it’s what they’re for) – perfect for a brief halt before heading off down Ashes Hollow and back to the car.

Gliding field, and Radnor Forest skyline

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Packetstone and Ashes

On 26 Apr 2015 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

Having made a plan, one should adhere to it… This walk was going to be “Callow Hollow and…”, but when we’d followed the route through the plantation to gain access to Callow Hollow, we looked at the descent, then looked at the steep but inviting ridge ahead – and continued up the hill instead. The good path which we joined on reaching the plateau gradually fizzled out, and we eventually gained the road after struggling through tussocky heather. There is, of course, an excellent track on the southern flank of Packetstone Hill, but I’d forgotten about it…

We had debated leaving jackets in the car – although the air was cold, the sunshine in Little Stretton was comfortably warm. We got this decision right – we were glad of them on top where, when the sun dodged behind the clouds (few and far between) the breeze became a bitter wind. Dropping down into Ashes Hollow, we were out of the wind, and the late afternoon sunshine was very pleasant.