Walking with Offa 13: The Bog & Stiperstones

Walk directions

1. Step 1

   Start from The Bog Visitor Centre, SY5 0JN. The walk crosses grassland and follows tracks with eighteen stiles.
   From The Bog Car Park follow the road uphill. At the sharp bend right in the road go through field gate ahead which leads onto a fenced grassy track uphill. Follow this track, through gates along the edge of the Stiperstones National Nature Reserve. The wide view to your left looks into Wales across what was referred to during a period of mining activity as the ‘Land of Dereliction’. This is difficult to imagine now looking at the lovely rural landscape.

2. Step 2

   When you reach a cross roads in tracks continue following track ahead. When you reach an information board turn left through a gate onto bridleway and walk straight across field to bridleway gate. After going through gate descend steep slope with care and continue down valley. Bear slightly left when you reach a quarry face on your left and continue downhill on track through gates, and past some houses to reach the road at Tankerville Pottery.

3. Step 3

   Turn left onto the road and go slightly uphill for about 50 metres then fork right onto footpath. Here you can make a diversion to investigate Tankerville Mine. Continue on footpath ahead past stile then over a stile into an old hedged lane. Keep ahead through gate into pasture field where the path follows the hedge on right to a stile leading into a large field. Keep the fence on your left to fence corner and head for stile in fence slightly to your left. From stile head straight for large oak tree bearing slightly right to find a double stile before tree. Keep on the same bearing over the brow of hill and head down to a stile leading onto road.

4. Step 4

   Turn right and follow road through the village of Shelve, passing the holiday cottages at Lower Farm on your left. Continue past the church and the farm on your left.

5. Step 5

   Turn left and follow farm track which runs downhill. Follow this fenced lane until you reach an enclosed pen. Take the gate on the left hand side. Bear slightly left uphill to
   reach the top of Flenny Bank.

6. Step 6

   Pass a wood on your left hand side and keep along the ridge crossing stiles until you reach a stile on your right where you can see the remains of Old Grit Mine below you. Do not cross this stile but turn left down the bank to a stile to the left of Shelve Pool.

7. Step 7

   Follow the woodland boundary of the pool to a fingerpost then bear slightly left to a footbridge at top of field. Go ahead to double stile then rise up to stoned track and follow to tall waymark. Go ahead down to stiles by gateway.

8. Step 8

   You have now joined the Flenny Bank short cut and the Mucklewick Walk. Cross a sleeper bridge and aim for a stile in a fence ahead into pasture field. Bear left to another stile and continue in the same direction to a gate then bear right to a double stile in fence. Cross the field bearing left to a stile in corner of field leading onto stoned track. Turn left and follow the track back to The Bog Visitor Centre.