Not The Long Mynd: the Other Side of the Valley

Robert Wine

You need to log in as a member of Walkingworld to access the details for this walk and have an active subscription. Please join, or log in above if you are already a member.

How often have you surveyed the splendours around you from the well-trodden summit up which you've just clambered and wondered about the neighbouring hills which look just as appetising? What am I missing? Well 'Not the Long Mynd' is one answer - the stegosaurus's back of steep, sharp mounds that fill the 'other' side of the Church Stretton / A49 Valley.

This route of four or five or six climbs gives you the chance to create a 27-kilometre circuit with over 1,100m of total ascent in several digestible 100m to 200m chunks; starting off with the straight line, ridge route of The Lawley; moving along to steep and sharp Caer Caradoc Hill with its ancient earthworks and impressive rocky outcrops; skirting wooded Helmeth Hill, nearest to Church Stretton itself; on to radio-masted Hazler Hill; and finally round-humped Ragleth Hill before changing direction and returning via Hope Bowdler Village and Hill.

From the top of most of these you'll get views of the smooth tops and steep-sided valleys of The Long Mynd to the west, The Wrekin standing proud way in the distance to the north-east, Brown Clee Hill and Titterstone Clee Hill with their masts and giant golf ball over in the south-east and closer in the same direction, Wenlock Edge.

At several points along the way, to shorten the loop and cut out some climbing, you can take a short cut either via a later stage of this walk or make your way along the country lanes. Five shorter routes are suggested:
Full: 27km, 1,100m ascent;
Short Cut 1: 14km, 625m ascent;
Short Cut 2: 17km, 775m ascent;
Short Cut 3: 20km, 880m ascent;
Short Cut 4: 22km, 990m ascent;
Short Cut 5: 23km, 1,050m ascent.

There are several possible starting points around the circuit. Just by chance I picked the most inaccessible.

England - Central England - Shropshire - Shropshire Hills