Wart Hill Wander: Short Route

Walk directions

1. Start

   Start in front of the Discovery Centre and turn left out of the car park to cross the main road (A49) at the pedestrian crossing. Go along Dodd’s Lane opposite, between houses, and keep ahead to meet a track which leads under the railway bridge. Follow this track and cross a stile above a gate.

2. Step 2

   Turn left to follow the left hand hedge up the field to a stile. Cross the stile and turn right along the hedge to Sallow Coppice wood where, through some bushes, there is a stile into the wood.

3. Step 3

   Keep on along the edge of the wood, until you descend to reach a small road, on which you turn right.

4. Step 4

   Follow the road under the railway bridge to the main Clun road. Carefully cross this road to reach a stretch of old road. Walk along this to reach the new road and look for a fingerpost for the Shropshire Way off to the left.

5. Step 5

   Follow the footpath past some new houses Keep left to find a kissing gate and follow the fence and hedge line to a stile. Keep ahead on the same line along the hedge until you reach a gateway with a stile on the left. Go through the gateway and head right at an angle across the field, over a small footbridge and on to the top of the field and a stile in the hedge ahead.

6. Step 6

   Cross the stile onto the lane and cross the double stile opposite. Head diagonally left across the large field, past a waymark and on to a kissing gate to the left of Sibdon Castle. You can take a detour right, up the driveway, and turn right to reach the interesting Sibdon Carwood church.

7. Step 7

   Go through the kissing gate opposite and cross to a small, gated bridge and stile into a large open field. Head straight across this field, past a waymark, and aiming to the left hand side of Bird’s Cottage by the trees ahead.

8. Step 8

   Cross the stile behind the cottage and go straight up to follow a sunken lane a short way up the hill. Head left away from the hedge diagonally across the field towards some tall pine trees to reach a gate and stile in the far corner of the field.

9. Step 9

   Over the stile follow the track up to the left along the edge of a wood.

10. Step 10

    Keep going to turn left by a derelict red brick building to come to a gate and stile. Continue along the field edge which is usually very muddy, to reach a stile which leads onto Hopesay Common.

    You may wish to continue straight on for a short way to the stand of larch and pine trees. The view across the valley of Hopesay village west to Burrow Camp Iron Age hill fort above the valley is worth the detour.

11. Step 11

    Turn right and follow the field edge to the reach the corner of the Common. On your right you will see a stile with an inscription on the finger post. It’s a quote from a 19th century poem the Rubalyat of Omar Khayyam, but why it’s here we have no idea!

12. Step 12

    Pass the stile and continue through the gate to follow the track down through another gate to the road. Go left to reach a gate with a small gate on the right.

13. 13a

    Go across the clearing, keeping right to meet a track heading downhill. Take the second turning on the right, steeply downhill.

14. 14a

    Follow the track to eventually turn right at the T-junction going downhill. Pass through the metal gate with a large pool on your right and turn right. After another 100m bear right and cross a muddy ford. Cross the footbridge to climb to a stile into the fields. Head across the field bearing right up the slope, close to a line of mature trees.

15. 15a

    Go left along a rutted track downhill to a field gate and stile. Follow the track, keeping the hedge on your left. Ignore the first gate on your left and continue to the second gate where your turn left and drop down left, past Castle Farm.

16. 16a

    Follow the lane ahead to Cheney Longville, turning right onto the lane through the village.

17. 17a

    Continue over the crossroads until you find a gate and footpath on the right leading diagonally across a field. Follow the footpath as it kinks right, then left at an ancient oak tree to a further hedge. Pass through and bear right to a wide hedge line masking the railway line and the crossing point.

18. 18a

    Use the footbridge to cross the railway line and then bear right across the next field to a gate by the busy A49. Carefully cross the road and then the stile opposite. Follow the footpath over stiles around the back of Newington Farm and then turn left to reach the river. Go over the river bridge and through the gate to follow the surfaced path across the field. Go right after the next gate, up the lane to the Old School House.

    Go left at the lane and follow it through the village, past Halford Church to meet the main Corvedale road.

    Go right to the bridge and cross the road carefully to a gate on the bridge. Drop down  into the field and follow the river to reach a while metal bridge.

    Cross the bridge into Newton and go straight on to reach the Onny Meadows. Go right in the meadows, back to the Discovery Centre.