Hills & Dales Hike – Shropshire Hills Discovery Walks

Walk directions

1. Start

   From the Centre take the main path towards the meadows and turn left before the Community Garden to take the path to a gate and into the hamlet of Newton. Keep ahead and then fork right along the lane to reach the white metal bridge over the River Onny.

2. Step 2

   Cross the river. Head straight across the field, close by the electricity posts, to reach a metal kissing gate in the opposite hedge. Please keep your dog on a lead and keep away from any livestock in the field.

3. Step 3

   Go through the gate and follow the path that runs along the field edge ahead, before bearing left at the bottom to bring you out to the Corvedale Road. Take care crossing the road as traffic can be travelling fast.

4. Step 4

   Go through the kissing gate in the hedge opposite. Follow the field edge as you climb the slope to reach another gate in the field corner.

5. Step 5

   Climb up the hill straight across the field to another gate. Through this, go straight ahead up the hill and into Halford Wood.

6. Step 6

   Climb up the steep bank under the trees bearing right to reach the top of the hill.

7. Step 7

   Turn left along the hill top and then veer right and down the hillside to the lane at the bottom of the field where there is a stile by the gate in the corner. A view of Flounder's Folly emerges above the woods on your right. Cross the stile and turn right onto a lane.

   This is where you can take the SHORT CUT to return to the Discovery Centre – jump to point 15.

8. Step 8

   Follow the lane downhill, ignoring the first left turn. Take the next left fork to climb up to Lower Dinchope.

9. Step 9

   Head right at the T junction to the stile ahead beside the field gate. Cross this stile and go through the field gate beyond. Follow the left hand field edge to the corner, then continue on across the field heading slightly right towards the junction of the hedge ahead and the remnants of an old hedgerow.

10. Step 10

    When you reach the hedge turn right and climb up the hill to a kissing gate in the top corner of the field.

11. Step 11

    Turn left and follow the path for a short distance, then look for a waymark by a sharp right hand turn uphill. Climb up the track following waymarks. Turn left, continue ahead and then the path zig zags up to the top left hand corner, into thicker woodland.

12. Step 12

    The path continues into the trees climbing gently and then more steeply. Watch for the point when the path starts going downhill and look for a flight of wooden steps off to the right soon afterwards. Climb these.

13. Step 13

    Pass the tower and follow the grassy track beyond, gently downhill. This takes a sharp left hand turn and descends the hill, eventually reaching the road at the bottom, past a metal barrier.

14. Step 14

    Turn left and follow the lane for about a mile back to Lower Dinchope again. Go right and down the hill, retracing your steps to point 8 above Ireland Cottage.

    From here you can either go back along the route you came out on over Halford Hill or continue through points 15–20

15. Step 15

    Go through the gate on the right and skirt round to follow the left hand field edge round the top of Berrymill Wood. After a while you reach a stile on the left leading into the wood. Note the view back to Flounder's Folly.

16. Step 16

    Cross the stile and descend through the wood where there are swathes of wild garlic in spring. Keep to the faint path downhill to reach a gate at the bottom of the wood.

17. Step 17

    Through the gate in the field follow the right hand hedgerow to a stile into a field with a pool on the left. Follow the right hand hedgerow over the hill, to eventually follow a track curling left to a stile in the hedge ahead on the right.

18. Step 18

    Cross the double stile and follow the left hand hedgerow to Halford Lodge. Head right at the fence to find a stile, left, onto a path that leads between the lodge and the old school house to the road, where there is a final stile.

19. Step 19

    Go left and follow the lane through the village past the church (worth a look) to reach the Corvedale Road. Turn right.

20. Step 20

    At the bridge cross the road and go left through the gate. Follow the river back to the white bridge and then back through Newton to the Discovery Centre – where well deserved refreshments await!