The bus climbs the Long Mynd with its panoramic views of the hills from Snowdonia in the north to the Malvern Hills in the southeast. The view from the bus is exceptional, and not without thrills, with sheer drops on both sides of the road. From the Mynd, the bus descends to the charming villages of Ratlinghope and Wentnor, passing some of the finest pubs in the area. From here it climbs again to pass the jagged tors and purple heather of the Stiperstones National Nature Reserve and the Bog, with its unique community run visitor centre in the restored Victorian school. From here it’s a winding road that threads along the edge of the Stiperstones, passing the Stiperstones Inn, famed locally for its excellent Sunday lunches. A few miles on, it turns at Snailbeach Mine Heritage Site to return to Church Stretton.
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...
The summit of Caer Caradoc is crowned by an Ancient British Iron Age or late Bronze Age hill fort. It is this which the hill is named after - Caer Caradog in Welsh meaning Caradog's fort. Local legend has it that this was the site of the last stand of Caractacus against the Roman legions during the Roman conquest of Britain, and that after the battle he hid in the cave near its summit. Others say his last stand was in the locality but that this was one of his fortresses.
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!
Church Stretton is a historic Market Town situated in the heart of the South Shropshire hills on the English/Welsh border known as The Marches. It is the only town in the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The area provides fantastic opportunities for walkers with a range of routes to suit all tastes and abilities.
The town of Church Stretton and the adjacent All Stretton and Little Stretton have a host of great cafes, pubs and shops to keep you refreshed and satisfied before or after your walk.
We don’t do chain stores in Church Stretton, just lots of independent, locally-owned businesses which can help complete a magical visit to our lovely town. And as we are blessed with a beautiful natural environment, we have a strong commitment to looking after and cherishing our place. Help us keep it in good shape by taking note of our motto: ‘Take only Memories; Leave only Footprints’
Find more information on places to stay, eat and shop on our website. Get your boots on and explore!
These 8 short walks have been updated and tested by Friends of Church Stretton Library. The sketch map is not to scale and should be used with the text. Reproduced by kind permission of Ian R. Jones’ family in support of Church Stretton Library.
Click next page to find maps to download and descriptions
The Shropshire Hills are great terrain for fell running and are popular for both recreational running and through regular races open to all levels of runner.
Rectory Wood was once given 10/10 and voted the least stressful location in England in an article in The Independent newspaper! Prolific writer and commentator John Walsh wrote..."By a series of twisty byways and capricious diagonals, I'd discovered the least stressful location in England: its name is Rectory Wood, Church Stretton." You can click the link on the 'more info' page to see extracts of the article.
The Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) was designated in 1958 and covers a quarter of Shropshire. Church Stretton is the only town to be found in the Shropshire Hills AONB but there are other remote villages, strong and active communities and many opportunities for both locals and visitors to enjoy walks and outdoor activities which respect the area's amazing qualities...
There is something here for everyone, whether you want a half hour easy stroll in Rectory woods or Carding Mill valley, or a strenuous whole day walk exploring the Shropshire Hills with a stop for lunch at a local village pub.
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 ’Walking for Health Scheme’ aims to improve the health and fitness of more than a million people, especially those who do little exercise, by encouraging them to walk regularly.
Church Stretton is a wonderful base for a walking holiday as there are so many footpaths that can be taken to explore both sides of the valley it sits in.
Wenlock Edge is a limestone escarpment created 400 million years ago when Shropshire could be found just south of the equator and boasted a Caribbean type of environment. Its ancient woodlands have excellent walks and are popular for cycling and riding. There are many fossils hidden in the area's rocks including ancient corals, crinoids and trilobites. The limestone of Wenlock Edge has been exploited for many years. The first use was for building material and for burning in small lime kilns. 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.
