Local Directory > What to Do > Walking
A visit to Church Stretton would not be the same if you didn't sample some of the magnificent walks on offer in the town and surrounding hills. Why not buy a copy of Ian Jones' booklets describing and illustrating local walks and trails? Two walks that touch the edge of town are to be found in Rectory Wood and Rectory Field and a series of trails ith lovely wooden sculptures at the Longmynd Hotel at the top of Cunnery Road (both detailed below). Other magnificent local walks include many from Carding Mill Valley, (a local tourist honeypot well managed by the National Trust); the Batch from All Stretton; Ashes Hollow from Little Stretton; and Caer Caradoc from Cardington.
Come late summer the Long Mynd is a sea of purple and not to be missed. Along with the heather, a variety of other plants flourish here including bilberry (known locally as whinberry and like a small blueberry). The hilltops are also home to upland birds such as curlew, red grouse and merlin, and you will never be far away from a buzzard circling overhead. Keep your eyes peeled and you will probably see red kite as well. Climb Caer Caradoc and walk the ramparts of this impressive Iron Age hillfort. Sixteen Bronze Age burial mounds can be found on the Long Mynd and the Portway, a 5,000 year old ridgeway once used by Neolithic traders. The Shropshire Hills are believed to have the greatest variety of rock types of any comparable sized area in the UK.
Below you will find listed not only walking companies offering guided walks, fitness walks, boot fitting and more but also descriptions of some of our famous hill ranges with walks you can do on them which you can simply print off. It is important to remember that any hills can be dangerous in adverse weather conditions, so please ensure that you take appropriate equipment with you. Lastly, don't forget Church Strettton's Walking Festival held in the first week of June every year when the weather is truly ideal for walking - not too hot but frequently sunny and dry. It's a friendly festival, run by walkers - for walkers. If you want to find out more take a look on this website for more information.
List entries by: company name, star rating, price (low to high), price (high to low)
Secret Hills Walking Holidays
Comprehensive walking holidays.
All arrangements made. Full weeks, weekends, mid-week groups especially welcome
Long Mynd Walking
Caer Caradoc (3 miles)
Caer Caradoc stands out against the skyline when looking from Church Stretton as it is an impressive 1,506ft hill, just east of the Long Mynd.
It is a fantastic walk for those who like to admire a panoramic view from the top which has a marked walking route. You can walk to Caer Caradoc from Church Stretton and from the summitt you will have splendid views of the town and the Longmynd.
Click the 'information' button above to find out more...
Carding Mill Valley (less than 1 mile)
Only a five minute walk from Church Stretton town or as you park up at this Shropshire beauty spot, the children will be scrambling to get out of the car to play in the brook and climb up the grassy banks (don't forget a plastic bag or cardboard box so you can slide down the slopes!). In winter this is a sledgers heaven for all age groups with snowy gentle slopes for the young and old and steeper slopes to challange the best of the rest!
Jack Mytton Way
Picking Whinberries in Church Stretton
Shropshire Walking
The Shropshire Way Website
If you wanted to know about the best walks in Shropshire who would you ask? Click through to this Shropshire Way website because they have asked the real experts - The local walkers, the individuals and groups, historians, lovers of flora and fauna, the volunteers who look after the stiles, bridges and paths: all have contributed to this website which shows you all the walks that make up the famous Shropshire Way. Not only the finest route around the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, but also the best possible set of day walks.
The result is a unique achievement. Let this website and the writers who contributed be your guide. Who could be better equipped?The Stiperstones (6 miles)
Take a walk on the Stiperstones - This is a National Nature Reserve with a difference - being the second hightest hill in Shropshire, the views are magnificent, and the countryside on the west side of the Long Mynd is a patchwork of hedgerows having so far remained unaffected by modern farming methods - quite different from the east side. Folklore abounds on The Stiperstones. There is The
Devil's Chair, the northernmost tor, where His Infernal Majesty is
claimed to take up residence at times. A thunderstorm will immediately
occur should a human seek to sit in the place. There are several bronze age cairns
along its ridge.
The Stretton Hills
Two Walks from Cardingmill Valley
WALK 1 - A Ridge Too Far - strenuous
Walk 2 - Pools and Pipes - moderate
See more information...
Walking For Health
Walking is fun, free and can be done anytime, anywhere. You don't need any fancy equipment and there aren't any joining fees.
In fact, walking in the great outdoors has been proven to have positive effects on many aspects of our health, such as reducing stress or improving mental wellbeing.
Walking for Health encourages you to enjoy your local natural spaces and benefit your health by taking part in organised health walks. Founded by Natural England, the initiative aims to support people, particularly those who take little exercise, to do regular short walks in their communities.
Click on the website link button above to link though to the Mayfair Community Centre's website for more information about Walking for Health in this area.
Wenlock Edge
The National Trust, who manage seven miles of the Edge, has now restored some of the old lime kilns to preserve a part of the industrial heritage of the area. The limestone edge also provides ideal conditions for many rare flowers and supports ancient woodland on its slopes.There are stunning views of the surrounding Shropshire countryside from the Edge.
Wild Ponies in the Shropshire Hills
Geocaching in Church Stretton Area
Geocaching is an outdoor recreational activity, in which the participants use a Global Positing System (GPS) receiver or mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called "geocaches" or "caches", anywhere in the world. Click the more info button to find links to local geocaching trails.
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