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church stretton |
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Beginning about ten miles south of Shrewsbury, the upland heaths of
the Long Mynd , some ten miles long and between two and four miles wide,
run parallel to and just to the west of the A49. This is prime walking
territory and the heathlands are latticed with footpaths, the best of
which offer sweeping views over the border to the Black Mountains of
Wales. Nestled at the foot of the Mynd beside the A49 is CHURCH STRETTON
, a tidy little place and one-time fashionable Victorian resort that
makes the best base for hiking the area. The village also possesses the
dinky parish church of St Lawrence , parts of which - especially the
nave - are Norman. Look out also for the fertility symbol over the north
doorway - it's a Sheila-na-gig comparable to the one in Kilpeck. In the
centre of the village near the church is the tourist office (Easter-Sept
Mon-Sat 10am-1pm & 2-5pm; tel 01694/723133), which stocks a wide range
of leaflets detailing local walks, hikes and off-road cycle routes.
Perhaps the most obvious hike is the short, half-mile stroll west up
along the National Trust's Carding Mill Valley to the Chalet Pavilion
tearoom and information centre (April-Oct daily 11am-5pm; Nov-March Sat
& Sun 11am-4pm).
Church Stretton is accessible from Shrewsbury and Ludlow by train and
bus . Most buses stop in the centre of the village; the train station is
a short walk from the tourist office just off the A49. There's no
shortage of good-value accommodation in and around Church Stretton, much
of it on farms overlooking the Mynd. One particularly good B&B is Acton
Scott Farm (tel 01694/781260; no credit cards; under £40; closed Dec &
Jan), a seventeenth-century building with log fires and a choice of
standard or en-suite rooms, three miles south of Stretton off the A49 in
the hamlet of Acton Scott. For a little more luxury, try the Jinlye
Guest House , on Castle Hill in All Stretton, one mile north, which
backs onto the Long Mynd and has great views (tel 01694/723243, ; no
credit cards; £50-60). Campers have a choice of several sites. These
include Small Batch (tel 01694/723358; £8 for caravans or tents; closed
Oct-Easter), one mile south at Little Stretton, which enjoys a lovely
situation but is small and pretty frugal, and the better equipped Ley
Hill Farm (tel 01694/771366; tents £5; closed Nov-Feb), deep in the
countryside near Cardington, with panoramic views of the surrounding
hills. Bike rental is available from Terry's Cycles, 6 Castle Hill, All
Stretton (tel 01694/724334).
The YHA hostel at Bridges Long Mynd (tel 01588/650656, ), five miles'
hike west from Church Stretton near Ratlinghope , is a splendid base for
walks, sitting between the Long Mynd and the Stiperstones , a remote
range of boggy heather dotted with ancient cairns and earthworks. It's
open all year, but bookings are required at least three days in advance
from November to March. Marooned amid gentler country east of Church
Stretton on the B4371, near Longville-in-the-Dale, Wilderhope Manor (tel
01694/771363, ; open Dec 22-26, but otherwise closed Nov-Jan) is the
area's other hostel. It occupies a charming Elizabethan mansion, set
deep in idyllic countryside. Wilderhope is popular with school groups,
so reservations are recommended.
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