Shropshire’s Ten Peaks Challenge

This holiday is based in the centre of Church Stretton and uses several local guest houses – excellent accommodation and lovely breakfasts. Rooms en suite and no single supplement

We eat at the excellent eating houses in the town – varied cuisine – and we eat together each night.

We have not included the charge for evening dinner in this holiday cost – giving you the opportunity to select your own choices- and as Church Stretton hostelries like to feed you well- managing three courses might be yet another “peaky” challenge for the week.

We stay for five nights. Sunday/Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday and Thursday.

Lunches either at one of our local pubs/cafes or in this holiday – there may be a packed lunch.

Flexibility

We offer you the opportunity  to add additional nights to this holiday.

Getting to Church Stretton

By train – Church Stretton is the nearest station,  right in the centre of Church Stretton. See http://www.nationalrail.co.uk

 Full detailed journey instruction will be sent with your Joining Details prior to the holiday.

The holiday starts after lunch time on arrival day – we meet in Church Stretton  for a light lunch, to introduce ourselves and to your other guests- then we walk up Ashlet and Yearlet -466 metres to their  summit and return.

We then access your accommodation in the Church Stretton area in the town’s guests houses. We dine together in one of Church Stretton’s superb hostelries and prepare for the next four days of excellent walking.

Day two– We take in Caer Caradoc– 458 metres, The Lawley  377 metres and Hope Bowdler Hill 426 metres in the Stretton Hills

Day three – Travel to the flanks of Brown Clee Hill and we walk the Clee Hills –Brown Clee 540 metres  and and Titterstone Clee Hill 533 metres

Day four – We walk the Long Mynd – Haddon Hill  467 metres,  Pole Bank 516 metres  along the long ridge of this iconic moorland hill country. Into Small batch and to Little Stretton for lunch -in the afternoon we ascend Ragleth Hill – 401 metres- and return to Church Stretton town.

Day five– Travel to the iconic quartzite ridge. The Stiperstones Natural England reserve is our walking target- we walk along the Stiperstones Ridge – highest point 536 metres and Black Rhadley Hill 402 metres

Walking starts each day at 9.15am and except for day 2, we will be back at our accommodation at 5.30pm. On day two – likely to be 6pm.

NOTE – WE WILL OFFER A WALK ON FRIDAY – YOUR CHECK OUT DAY AS AN EXTRA BONUS. IT WILL FINISH AT ABOUT 1PM. TO ALLOW HOMEWARD TRAVEL THIS WALK IS NOT OBIGATORY BUT FOR THOSE WHO ARE AVAILABLE TO WALK.

GRADES AND DIFFICULTY

Walking – Grades and difficulty

Walking Grades

The paths in the Shropshire Hills are exceptionally good underfoot. There is an active Footpaths Group which regularly surveys paths and reports problems. This keeps the standard extremely high which makes walking in this area a real delight. You don’t have to worry about wading through waist high crops or stumbling over worn out stiles, you can simply relax and enjoy the views.

Our walks are usually between 10-11 miles. We don’t rush because we want you to have time to enjoy the amazing views and take those photos as mementos. Yes, you will be going up hills –  with the ascents challenging for short periods. Descents are steep for short sections.

The walks on this trip are rated as Moderate but each day involves a fair amount of ascent and descent. The trip requires a reasonable amount of fitness, ideally with previous hill walking experience.

You need good walking footwear, preferably waterproof walking boots with good soles for protection. You may find that walking poles will aid your enjoyment of this land.

Exclusions

Although our leaders are well trained and experienced in dealing with different capabilities of our walking clients, if they have any concerns about any clients ability or suitability to undertake safely any walking activity we plan or they feel that participation of an individual may affect the groups safety and cohesion, then they have full permission to exclude that client from an activity.

They will try at all times to provide an alternative suggested activity, though this may involve the client in additional local cost.

We rarely have to enforce this above recommendation, but it is a sensible and necessary protection for the individual client, the group and the leaders.

The Local area

Church Stretton is an historic Market Town situated in the heart of the South Shropshire hills on the English/Welsh border known as The Marches. It is the only town in the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, The area is renowned worldwide for its geology, with some of the oldest rock formations in existence.

Church Stretton and its picturesque surrounding villages forms an excellent base for the country lover and sportsman alike at all times of the year whether hikers, horse riders, mountain bikers, or naturalists . The Long Mynd rising above the west of the town is renowned for gliding, hang gliding and paragliding, and boasts the second highest golf course in England. The beautiful countryside, with its wild uplands and breathtaking views, features prominently in the books of Mary Webb, A E Housman, and Malcolm Saville.

Church Stretton is very well situated to act as a base for visits to many local attractions. At the heart of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, there are market towns & villages, castles, hill forts and much much more nearby.

It’s not just the stunning scenery that will captivate you, but the people and places, its history and heritage, the walking and wildlife, its food and festivals.  Combined they offer magical experiences. Such magic is best summed up by the Independent newspaper review in 2009 which claimed Church Stretton to be “England’s ultimate retreat”.

Near Church Stretton

Within a short car or train journey, you have  the iconic Ironbridge Gorge, picturesque  Shrewsbury – its castle, gardens and medieval centre, Ludlow and its foodie centres, the Wrekin,  Mid Wales coast line, Powys Castle, historic Chester, the Dee Valley, the Severn Valley, its railway and Bridgnorth town. All are well worth a visit.