About twenty years ago we had a few nights bed and breakfast in Church Stretton and spent a day walking on the Long Mynd. I have vague recollections of the walk but it isn’t one that has stuck in my memory. What I do know is we didn’t visit any trig pillars, or if we did we didn’t take any pictures. It was well before my trig bagging adventures started so I probably wouldn’t have taken any notice of a lump of concrete on a hill.
Today I have plotted a route visiting two trigs, giving us the chance to reacquaint ourselves we these stunning Shropshire hills. The starting point for our walk is the National Trust car park in Batch Valley, All Stretton (SY6 6JW). There are two small car parks and we manage to secure a place in the first one close to the All Stretton Bunkhouse. We start our walk by heading west along the track from the car park.
Soon we cross a stream on a footbridge beside a ford.
We now stay with the track as it goes up the valley by the stream. At another ford and footbridge on our right we ignore a gate in front of us and cross the stream again to follow a track heading north.
After just over 100 metres we leave the main track and take a footpath on the right, this goes steadily uphill and is soon alongside the fence to a property.
The path heads up to Jinlye where we reach a crossing of paths and turn left on a broad track heading northwest to reach Jonathan’s Rock where we pause to take in the stunning views.
Now we keep heading in a westerly direction and after approximately 750 metres reach a junction of paths close to a fence line. We ignore the paths to our left and continue along the fence line to reach a minor road close to a cattle grid. We cross the road and take the track on the opposite side.
After going through a gate we continue along the track through fields. After passing a pond to our right the track becomes grassy and continues through fields heading towards Betchcott Hill.
As we near Betchcott Hill the path goes through a couple of gates and continues along a grassy track with the fence line to our left. In the field on our left I soon spot an old stone gatepost with a very distinctive Ordnance Survey Benchmark carved into it.
At the top of the hill I make a quick diversion from the track and climb over the fence and walk the short distance in the field to visit the Betchcott Hill Ordnance Survey trig pillar, this is the 461st trig I have visited.
After bagging the trig I return to the footpath and we continue along the track and then as the track descends we turn left on a footpath that goes through a kissing gate and descends into Golden Valley on the route of the Shropshire Way.
After crossing a stile we continue on the path as it heads towards Lower Darnford.
Just after taking a footbridge across a stream we reach a kissing gate and go through, staying with the Shropshire Way as it goes through another kissing gate and then a field to reach a gate onto a farm track. The track descends towards farm buildings but before reaching Darnford Brook we take a footpath on the right, still on the route of the Shropshire Way.
The footpath now goes along the valley alongside Darnford Brook. The Shropshire Way is a 200-mile, long-distance trail which has a north loop and south loop, both centered on Shrewsbury. Over the years I have walked short sections of this path, but have not previously visited this area.
When the path reaches the edge of Ratlinghope we ignore the first path into the village and stay with the Shropshire Way until we reach a crossing of tracks. Here we turn left and take a footbridge over Darnford Brook to walk into the village.
We stay with the road to reach the entrance to St Margaret’s Church. This church was established in 1209 as a priory church attached to the Augustine abbey at Wigmore. It underwent restoration work in 1905.
The interior is very tidy with the hassocks neatly laid out.
The graveyard has been allowed to become a wildlife area personally I think this is preferable to a manicured area. Later I read that the churchyard contains the grave of the last known Sin-Eater in this region, he was a chap called Richard Munslow and he was buried in 1906. A sin-eater was usually a poor man, who was paid to eat bread and drink beer or wine over a corpse in the belief that he would take on the sins of the deceased.
Apparently this practice, which was not approved of by the church, was common in the Marches, the land on the England -Wales border, but was rarely found elsewhere. I wonder why!
From the church we head south out of the village and pass Brow Farm and then turn left and head steeply uphill until we reach the driveway of Belmore Farm, here we go through a gate beside the drive and head uphill. We stop at an information board to read about the initiatives being introduced on the farm to encourage the wildlife habitat. It is also a good opportunity to take in the view.
Leaving the field we go through a gate and continue ascending onto Wild Moor.
On this fine September day it is hard to imagine how this moor got it’s name. There is a chill to the wind, but nothing an extra layer can’t address. However, during winter this can be a bleak spot and there are tales of folk getting into difficulty up here. Back in January 1865 The Reverend E Donald Carr set off from his rectory at Woolstaton on the east side of the Long Mynd to conduct a service at Ratlinghope on the west side of the moor. His horse soon became stuck in snow so he continued on foot and it took him just over two hours to cover the 4 miles. After conducting his service he set off home. The storm got worse and he lost his footing and plunged into a ravine, there followed a catalogue of events which almost cost his life.
The following day a search party was sent out and they discovered the body of another man and assumed that it would be impossible to survive a night on the moor in such conditions. So Rev Carr was presumed dead, later he was found wandering in Carding Mill Valley and was transported back to his home where he arrived 27 hours after leaving Ratlinghope.
Even with modern technology and tracking systems this area has the potential to be extremely challenging in adverse weather conditions.
At a junction of tracks at the top of the moor we turn right and pass a Bronze Age tumuli. This is one of dozens on the Long Mynd.
Now heading south-west we cross a road and follow a clear path along the ridge.
Soon we see on the horizon Long Mount Ordnance Survey Trig Pillar on Pole Bank. After bagging the trig we wander over to the nearby toposcope and identify the peaks in the distance.
From the trig we continue to head south and reach a minor road and follow this to pass the entrance to a car park. Almost immediately after the car park we take a path on the left. After two hundred metres on this path we meet a broad grassy path and turn left to head south-east.
We soon reach a Bronze Age barrow marked by wooden posts.
As we head towards the east side of the Long Mynd there is some cracking scenery. This is a fantastic spot to consolidate my map reading skills, using the contours to identify our location.
The route takes us on the north side of Round Hill with Ashes Hollow below us and fine views out towards The Wrekin.
The route descends onto Barrister’s Plain and then goes uphill again on a path on the south side of Grindle. Once again I stop to look at the contours, this is an area I will definitely be returning to for an explore.
Lynnie is well used to me stopping and looking at the map and uses it as an opportunity to press on. Generally when we walk I am quicker going uphill and downhill, whereas Lynnie is faster on the flat. Occasionally we walk together!
After passing Grindle Hollow we go on the north side of Callow and then start a steep descent towards Little Stretton.
On reaching a gate we go through and pass Small Batch campsite. Just after crossing a footbridge by a ford we take a footpath on the left, going over a stile.
This path goes steeply upward to reach a kissing gate and then continues up as it heads along the side of a field.
After descending through trees the path reaches the Ludlow Road, here we turn left and almost immediately take a bridleway on the left heading steadily uphill.
We stay with this lane when it becomes a residential road, Cunnery Road, and starts to descend into Church Stretton. Just before reaching the Ludlow Road we turn left into Church Street and pass St Laurence’s Church.
On reaching The Burway we cross and join Longhills Road staying with it until we reach a footpath on the right. This takes us downhill to a lane where we turn right and then almost immediately left along a lane signposted to All Stretton.
The path passes properties and then goes through woodland to reach a lane on the south side of Nover’s Hill. There’s a choice of paths here, we opt left going around the left side of the hill, however, this has a steep descent to the car park and the path is very challenging in parts. I strongly recommend that anyone following this route opts for the path which goes on the east side of Nover’s Hill. (The GPX file downloadable from the link below will take you to the east of the hill).
To follow my walk you will need Ordnance Survey Explorer 217 – The Long Mynd & Wenlock Edge
You can view this 14 mile walk on OS Maps and download the GPX File Here
24th September 2024
© Two Dogs and an Awning (2024)
All information on this site is provided free of charge and in good faith and no liability is accepted in respect of damage, loss or injury which might result from it. To the best of my knowledge the routes are entirely on public rights of way or within areas that are open for public access.
Walking can be hazardous and is done entirely at your own risk. It is your responsibility to check your route and navigate using a map and compass.