Wart Hill Wander: Long 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. Step 13

    Go through the kissing gate and follow the permissive path to the left which climbs up to the top of Wart Hill, bear right to the summit. Pass the trig point and take the path on the left of a large tree down onto a track and turn right, downhill to a T-junction. Go left along the forestry track to eventually reach a sharp right hand bend downhill.

14. Step 14

    Continue downhill to reach another junction. Take the middle track, heading downhill, then climbing steeply zig-zagging uphill to turn left up a surfaced track to the road at the top.

15. Step 15

    At the road turn left and then immediately right to follow the track down the hill. You will pass through several gates.

16. Step 16

    Pass the small cottage on the left and stay on the track until it goes through a gateway and swings right. The path cuts diagonally up across the field to a gate and stile. Over the stile, follow the track down the hill to a T-junction.

17. Step 17

    Turn right, back into the wood. At the top of the hill take a path on the left, steeply downhill. Descend to a stile. Go to the left of the shed ahead, over two stiles, then cross a field to another stile.

18. Step 18

    The route goes ahead over the rise and descends to a stile in the far right hand corner of the field. You may have to detour round high growing bracken in the summer. Cross the stile and turn right to follow the path down to the river and turn right onto a muddy track. This is the Onny Trail which follows the line of the old Bishop’s Castle Railway.

19. Step 19

    Follow the trail along the old rail track, keeping the river on your left, under a bridge and across several stiles. At a second, ruined bridge, follow the path left, away from the rail track, along the riverbank and over a stile. You reach a kissing gate onto a small track and a footbridge.

20. Step 20

    Go left over the bridge and follow the track up to the road. Cross the main road carefully and take the lane opposite towards Wistanstow and to a T-junction. Turn left to pass the Plough Inn (now closed)  on your right.

21. Step 21

    Take the next right turn and follow this lane over the railway and down to the very busy A49 road. Cross very carefully. Take the stile opposite and follow the right hand field edge to cross a small bridge.

22. Step 22

    Go on, heading slightly left to a bridge over the Quinny Brook. Go left to cross a third bridge, on the right and then go on ahead to a stile in a hedge. After this, follow the path across fields heading for Berrymill Cottage.

23. Step 23

    Pass the cottages on your left, following a track ahead to a stile. Head right, across the field, following a faint track round the left of a clump of trees. By the trees cut left away from the track to find a small metal gate into the woods ahead. Follow the narrow path round to a kissing gate.

24. Step 24

    Go straight on through the gateway on your right to follow the left hand hedge to a stile on the left. Cross and go right to pass the Old School House at Halford where there are two stiles. 

25. Step 25

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

26. Step 26

    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.

27. Step 27

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