Pontesford, Pontesbury (Minsterley Motors)
576 Shrewsbury to Oswestry (Bryn Melyn)
738 Ludlow to Knighton (Arriva)
740 Ludlow to Knighton (Arriva
X11 Ludlow to Builth Wells via Knighton (Roy Browns)
A Long Mynd and Stiperstones shuttle bus runs from late April to the end of September on weekends and bank holidays. The circular route calls at Carding Mill, Church Stretton, Shooting Box (Long Mynd ridge), Bridges, the Bog visitor centre, the Stiperstones Inn, Snailbeach, Pontesbury and Dunkley Nap (Long Mynd ridge).
Looking down Ashes Hollow, the Long Mynd (Walk 20)
By rail
Arriva Trains Wales (www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk) provide services from Shrewsbury to Ludlow via Church Stretton and Craven Arms, and from Shrewsbury to Knighton via Church Stretton and Craven Arms.
By taxi
If you’ve travelled to the region by public transport you may find yourself in need of a taxi to get to and from the more remote start/end points covered in this guide. Below is a selection of the area’s taxi companies, with whom you can arrange pick-up and drop-off:
Oswestry Cabs, tel 01691 661663
Ultimate, Telford, tel 01952 813636
A1 Taxis, Telford, tel 01952 414141
AAA, Shrewsbury, tel 01743 244555
Woodhouse, Church Stretton, tel 01694 723105
Arms Cars, Craven Arms, tel 01588 672734
Bridgnorth Taxis, tel 01746 765000
Ludlow Taxis, tel 01584 876666
Knighton Taxis, tel 01547 528165
When to go
You can walk in Shropshire at any time. Winter, when the snow has fallen on the hills, gives the hills a new dimension and most sogginess in the ground will be replaced by a crunch under your feet. When the sun is out the atmosphere is often crystal-clear and you can see for 50 miles in every direction. Some of the vegetation will have died back, making progress along the paths easier. Woodland paths may however be slippery at this time.
Spring is a delightful time, when nature is vibrant with new life and colour. The bracken is still red, and in the woods the vivid chrome green of the new leaves contrasts with the abundant spring flowers, which have poked their heads up above last year’s leaves.
The Iron Bridge at springtime (Walk 31)
In summer the days have lengthened, making it possible to do much longer walks or evening walks, taking in the sunset. The ground at this time has dried out, although you’ll find that low-level paths may be a little overgrown. Make sure you take your waterproof leggings at this time for dew-drenched vegetation can soak you quite quickly, as can farmers’ crops, which might well be tall. Mid to late August is the best time to see the heather blooming on Stiperstones and the Long Mynd.
In autumn the nights draw in again, but the flame colours of the bracken and the woods add great beauty to the landscape. Bilberry leaves have turned red and the heather to dark russet. Together they mix with the grasses to create a tapestry of colour any tweed designer would be proud of.
Bases for the Shropshire hills
The range of accommodation available in Shropshire is wide. However, accommodation providers are always changing and so it would be impractical to provide a complete listing here. A selection of campsites, hostels, the long-established inns and hotels is provided in Appendix B, and up-to-date accommodation lists and availability can be found at www.trivago.co.uk, www.laterooms.com and www.booking.com.
Ludlow
Ludlow, in the south of the county, has good road links to Knighton and Craven Arms and good bus and train links with Craven Arms, Church Stretton and Shrewsbury. The market and tourist town has plenty of shops, a large supermarket, several hotels, inns and B&Bs and two campsites. It’s well known for its restaurants, has a theatre, and you can visit the castle and the museum. With riverside walks and so much of interest, this is a great base for southern Shropshire.
South-west Shropshire
There are no sizeable accommodation centres for those wanting to explore the Clun and Teme valleys. The biggest is the market town of Knighton just over the Welsh Border. Knighton has quite a few shops, a handful of B&Bs (including a couple of inns), and is on the Heart of Wales railway line with links to Ludlow, Craven Arms, Church Stretton and Shrewsbury. The next largest centre with a couple of inns and B&Bs is Bishop’s Castle.
Bridgnorth
The historic market town on the banks of the River Severn has good road links to Telford, Ironbridge and the Wenlock Edge and bus links to Much Wenlock, Ludlow and Telford. The town has many hotels, inns, B&Bs and shops, including a large supermarket. There’s a campsite on the hillside at Stanmore, just over a mile to the east. The town is crammed with history and things to see and do, including the Severn Valley (steam) Railway.
Church Stretton
Deservedly the most popular base for the Shropshire Hills, Church Stretton is a busy little town surrounded by characterful hills, including the Long Mynd, Ragleth Hill and Caer Caradoc. There are regular buses and trains along the valley to Shrewsbury and Ludlow and there are plentiful inns, B&Bs and one hotel. There are campsites at nearby Leebotwood and Little Stretton.
Church Stretton and Caer Caradoc from the Long Mynd ridge (Walk 22)
Much Wenlock
Much Wenlock lies on the northern end of the Wenlock Edge just five miles south-west of Ironbridge and the Ironbridge Gorge. This splendid small market town has quite a few small shops for stocking up and a few pubs and cafés. It has a really good campsite (the Sytche) and several inns and B&Bs.
Stiperstones region
There are no real walkers’ centres for the Stiperstones area; just a handful of small villages and country inns. See Appendix B for contact details.
Telford (including Ironbridge)
The new town of Telford is known for its by-pass, its roundabouts and its huge shopping centre. It has several large chain hotels, which can, if booked in advance, work out to be inexpensive. Bus links are quite good. Ironbridge in the Ironbridge Gorge is far nicer though, and there are many cafés and shops here in addition to the inns and B&Bs. A visit to the museums highlighting the area’s fascinating industrial heritage is a must. There are lots of good short walks too.
Maps and GPS
