Planning

The inspiration for this Blog came after I had undertaken a series of LDWA Challenge Walking events in Shropshire, these being the Clun Valley Challenge and the Wistanstow Challenge. Upon these walks I came across signs for the Shropshire Way on many an occasion, which served to pique my interest.

Despite being born and bred in Shrewsbury, I had little comprehension of the Shropshire Way, and the area of my home County that it encompassed. I also did not know where it went, how long it was, and anything about it's history.

After investigating various websites on the Internet, I could find no single guide that would detail the Way in its' entirety. There is an excellent website that is maintained by Shropshire Council, but that does not cover the northern sections of the Way; particularly those around Shrewsbury & Telford.

There was also a guide book published by the Ramblers Association (as detailed in the introduction), but that is now sadly out of print, and my copy was purchased through Amazon Market Place, together with an earlier guide which was purchased through Ebay.

 

 

However, both of these excellent books are now out of date, as further sections have been added; a section linking Cleobury Mortimer and a new loop which encircles the north Shropshire town of Oswestry.

Therefore, the intention is to walk each section during 2013/4, perhaps depending upon time and weather I will tackle each section in both directions, and report my progress on this Blog.

I have set up a series of sub-pages, which list each section of the Way, with the exception of the Cleobury Mortimer link (rather frustratingly this feature will only allow a maximum number of sub-pages), and will endeavour to report upon my progress through out the year.

The Shropshire Way

"When the Shropshire Way was originally conceived by local members of the Rambler's Association, it was started from the north of the County, connecting with the Sandstone Trail near Whitchurch and continued southwards through Shrewsbury before taking a circular route around South Shropshire, finishing at Wem.

In preparing this guide the opportunity has been taken to present the Way as a round walk of 140 miles from Shrewsbury back to Shrewsbury and to incorporate into the main route that part in South Shropshire which was hitherto described as the Clun Extension.

The walk is divided into stages which most people should find easy to accomplish in a day and which end, either at Youth Hostels, or at other places where it should be possible to find accommodation.

From Shrewsbury, with its fine shops and historical buildings, the Way passes over the view-point of Lyth Hill and skirts the Long Mynd to reach Bridges. From Bridges, the route is via Bishop's Castle, and over much fine hill country including part of Offa's Dyke path to Clun where there is a Youth Hostel.

From Clun, the route is eastwards over Hopesay Hill, which offers fine views, to Craven Arms. Then passing Stokesay Castle, the best preserved and oldest surviving fortified manor house in England, the Way takes you South to Ludlow, a historic market town with a fine castle and many interesting buildings. 

East from there, through farming countryside and over Titterstone Clee Hill with its radar aerials, the next destination is Wheathill Youth Hostel *. Then heading north, the Way goes over Brown Clee Hill, at 1750 feet the highest point in Shropshire, to reach Wilderhope Manor, a Tudor House built in 1586, which is now owned by the National Trust but leased to the Youth Hostels Association.

From there, the Way takes you over part of Wenlock Edge, via Much Wenlock with its interesting houses and Abbey ruins, to Ironbridge, the centre of the eighteenth century iron industry. Thence, over the Wrekin, through farming country, to Wem where one can join the Northern extension. 

Finally, one walks south again, passing the ruins of Haughmond Abbey, to reach Shrewsbury and complete the round walk.

 * Now Closed

Introduction taken from the official guide book of the trail. 

Moore, R (1991). A Ramblers Guide to the Shropshire Way. Shrewsbury: Management Update Ltd.

© Shropshire Area of the Ramblers' Association

ISBN 0-946679-42-8