Travel

There are several problems when planning to walk a Long Distance Path over a period of weeks or months. Namely how do you get to specific points that may be far away from your home.

There are a few options:-

• Park your car at one point, and walk an 'Out & Back' route.
• Stop Overnight at a B&B or Youth Hostel and continue on the next day.
• Make use of Public Transport.
• Get dropped off at the start of a section, walk to the end and get picked up again, or make use of public transport to get home.
• Use two cars, and walk with a friend. 

I suspect that my own journey around the Way will make use of all of the above. 

I'm fortunate to live near Wellington Station, which allows me access to those parts of Shropshire that still have a station, namely; Whitchurch, Wem, Shrewsbury, Church Stretton, Craven Arms, and Ludlow.

However, the farther flung corners of the county, namely Clun & Bishop's Castle present a greater logistical challenge. There is a bus service, but this only operates on a Tuesday, and doesn't offer much of a solution to someone planning to do most of his walks on a Saturday.

Fortunately Shropshire County Council have recognised the need to assist walkers; in the form of the Shropshire Hills Shuttle. This is a bus service that operates on Saturdays between May Bank Holiday and the end of September.

For 2012 the service was extended to take in Much Wenlock & Wenlock Edge, and now for 2013 it has been extended further to include Bishop's Castle, Clun & Ludlow.

The service allows you to hop on and off at various points around the Shropshire Hills, or simply take a single journey to a destination point and then make your own way home.

More importantly, Dogs are welcome !