Red grouse are common on the heather moors, as are ravens and buzzards, and the blackbird-like ring ouzel can be found here too, along with skylarks, meadow pipits and redstarts. Well camouflaged grayling butterflies can be found on the heath, along with green hairstreaks and emperor moths.
Peacock butterfly seen on Wenlock Edge
Red Kites, whose UK population was for over a century confined to a small area of Mid Wales, have been re-introduced to the Shropshire Hills and are a common but beautiful sight. The author counted over a dozen in the skies above the Bury Ditches one day.
Mat grass, which is so unpalatable to sheep, is found on poor acidic grounds of the Long Mynd and the Clee Hills. The batches or small valleys that penetrate the western side of the Long Mynd have been overgrazed and the bracken and gorse have spread across sheep-shorn grass slopes. On the shady side of the batches you may well be able to spot wood sorrel and rare oceanic liverworts. Dippers can be seen bobbing up and down across, and diving into the streams of the batches.
The Wenlock Edge and the hills around Oswestry are of limestone, often ravaged by quarrying and mining. Here, herbs such as wild thyme, wild basil and marjoram flourish. On or near the coppiced woodlands of the Wenlock Edge you’ll see not only bluebells and garlic but herb Paris, violets, the yellow bird’s-nest, primroses and orchids – including the quite rare bee orchid.
Getting there
Covering an area of 3,487 square kilometres (1,346 square miles), Shropshire is the largest of England’s inland counties and, as such, routes to Ludlow in the south of the county would be very different to those to Llanymynech in the north. For people coming any distance, the transport infrastructure of the region is based on Shrewsbury, which is used in the following sections as a hub.
By bus
The 410 National Express service runs from London to Shrewsbury via Birmingham and Telford. See www.nationalexpress.com for timetable and ticket details.
By rail
London Midland (www.londonmidland.com) run direct trains from Birmingham New Street to Shrewsbury via Telford. The Heart of Wales line (www.heart-of-wales.co.uk) runs from Swansea to Shrewsbury, stopping at some of the smaller towns along the way. Arriva Trains Wales (www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk) run regular direct trains from Manchester to Shrewsbury, as well as direct trains from Chester to Shrewsbury via Wrexham.
By car
From the north west there are two ways. The first uses the M6 and M54 motorways via Telford, then the A5 to Shrewsbury. The second – better at busy times – leaves the M6 for the M56, M53 and A55 around Chester, followed by the A483 and A5. From the north east you would take a combination of the A1M and A1 to the M1, which you would leave near Nottingham for the A50, A38 then the A5 just south of Lichfield. From the south east the M40 and the M42 take you south of Birmingham to Bromsgrove, where the A448 Kidderminster road followed by the A442 take you to Bridgnorth and then the A458 continues to Shrewsbury. The M5 serves the south west well. Leave this at Junction 6 north of Worcester, where the A449 joins the south east route at Kidderminster.
Getting around
Like most rural areas, Shropshire’s bus services are sketchy. Links between the major towns of Shrewsbury, Ludlow, Bridgnorth and Telford are frequent and villages in between such as Much Wenlock, Church Stretton, Craven Arms and Ironbridge benefit from this. However, the out-of-the-way places such as Stiperstones and the Clun Valley are not so well served. A car or taxi would be a distinct advantage, especially outside the summer months. Detailed travel information can be found at www.travelinemidlands.co.uk
By bus
The following services cover the larger settlements featured in this book:
1 Oswestry to Shrewsbury (Arriva)
88 Telford to Much Wenlock (Arriva)
96 Shrewsbury to Telford (GHA/Bryn Melyn)
99 Bridgnorth to Telford via Ironbridge (Arriva)
141 Bridgnorth to Ludlow (R&B Travel)
292 Ludlow to Kidderminster via Clee Hill (Diamond Buses)
435 Shrewsbury to Ludlow via Church Stretton, Craven Arms (Minsterley Motors)
540 Shrewsbury to Cardington via Church Stretton (Boultons)
552 Shrewsbury to Stiperstones via Pontesford and Snailbeach (Minsterley Motors)
553 Shrewsbury to Bishop’s Castle via 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