Oswestry Cycle Rides Route 4: Ellesmere Explorer (26.5 miles)

This 31 mile ride, with optional short cuts, has fantastic views and the chance to visit two important market towns and some interesting villages. The area is renowned for its beautiful glacial lakes as well as the canals that survive the rail and car ages. This route is not suitable for young or inexperienced cyclists.

One of four routes from 13 – 31 miles (21 – 50km) following quiet lanes and country roads around Oswestry. There is a wealth of beautiful countryside, with stunning views and historically interesting green spaces including Oswestry Iron Age Hillfort, the Old Racecourse and Offa’s Dyke Path National Trail, all of which can be seen when riding these cycle routes.

Cycling code

Always follow the Highway Code
Be considerate to other users, and give way to pedestrians and horse riders
Take particular care at junctions, when cycling downhill and on loose surfaces
Ride in single file on narrow or busy roads
Consider wearing a helmet and high visibility clothing

Distance

26.5 miles

Difficulty

Difficult

Duration

3 hours 30 minutes

Start from

St. Oswald's Church
View a map

Nearest town

Oswestry

Parking

Oswestry Town Centre

Terrain

Quiet lanes and country roads

Circular cycle routes from towns

Historic towns and villages

Wildlife heritage and geology

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Places of interest:

Oswestry

Oswestry is an ancient market town located on the English/Welsh border, nestled in the foothills of the Welsh hills. Its position as a frontier town has given it a turbulent history.

This history is still visible in the encircling English and Welsh town walls and the foundations of the castle, which date back to 1086 and the town’s market which dates from 1190. The name ‘Oswestry’ is thought to be a corruption of ‘Oswald’s Tree’ or ‘Oswald’s Cross’, after the king of Northumberland who was killed in battle by the king of Mercia near Oswestry in 641AD. Most of the town centre is a designated conservation area.

There are lots of historically interesting buildings including the timber framed Llwyd Mansion, the Cambrian railway museum and St Oswald’s Church. Oswestry’s first school founded in 1407 is now the heritage and visitor information centre. The cycle routes in this leaflet start here.

There is a wide choice of places to eat, drink and stay as well as some great shops. The Cae Glas Park is beautiful to walk through when the flowers are in bloom.

Ellesmere College

Founded in 1884, Ellesmere College is now a coeducational public school for children aged 7 to 18. The school is a rugby academy and past pupils include former England rugby captain Bill Beaumont.

Ellesmere

Ellesmere is a quaint market town nestled on the banks of a glacial mere created following the last Ice Age. There’s plenty to see and do here from rowing on the mere to visiting the 15th century church or the wharf which formed the hub of the Midlands canal network during the 19th century. There are also plenty of places to stop for refreshments before returning to Oswestry.

Ride directions

Step 1
Start at St Oswald’s Church. Turn left over the traffic lights into Lower Brook Street and continue along this road. At the JT Hughes car dealership, turn right on to Salop Road (take care
Step 2
After the railway bridge, take the first right onto Maesbury Road towards Maesbury and Knockin.
Step 3
Follow this road to a junction with the A483 (take care). Turn right and immediately left towards Maesbury and Knockin.
Step 4
Continue through Maesbury and Maesbury Marsh, crossing the Shropshire Union canal at the Navigation Inn.
Step 5
Turn left at Woolston Bank (unsigned) then follow the road into West Felton.
Step 6
Turn right at the cross roads in West Felton next to The Punch Bowl pub, signposted Shrewsbury. Turn left after ½ mile signposted Wykey into Tedsmore Road. Then follow signs to Eardiston.
Step 7
Follow the road round to the right at Wykey’s phone box, then turn left signposted Stanwardine. Soon after, pass over a bridge built in 1887 with picturesque views of the River Perry. Then a fair climb up to be rewarded with great views of the Oswestry plains. Carry straight on following signs for Stanwardine.
Step 8
Turn left at the unsigned T-junction in Stanwardine. Soon after follow the road round an S-bend which is on a railway bridge, following the sign to Bagley.
Step 9
Turn left at the next T junction in Bagley. Although this looks like an unsigned junction, there is a signpost on the right in a bush, signposted left to Hordley, and immediately on your left at the junction is Poplars Farm B&B. Continue straight on through Lower Hordley, following signs for Rednal & Queen’s Head, until you reach Hordley.
Step 10
Turn left at Hordley towards Lower Frankton.
Step 11
Continue straight on passing over the canal at Lower Frankton.
Step 12
Turn left at the junction with the A495, signposted Whittington Take care and then shortly afterward turn right at an unsigned junction next to an old black and white building, which looks like an old chapel, and follow the road uphill.
Step 13
Turn left down the hill then after 150 metres turn right on left hand bend into an unmarked lane (40 metres before reaching A495) and continue downhill.
Step 14
At the end of lane rejoin main route and in 250 metres yards pass Mad Jacks to turn right at the T-junction in Hindford towards Iron Mills and Gobowen.
Step 15
Turn left at the next T-junction towards Gobowen (signposted Cycle Route 455). Continue to a crossroads with the B5009, at which point turn right and continue into Gobowen.
Step 16
Take the first exit at the roundabout in Gobowen then continue over the level crossing.
Step 17
Take the first right turn after leaving Gobowen, in the direction of Hengoed and Selattyn (signposted Cycle Route 455).
Step 18
Take the first left turning towards Pentre-Clawdd, then follow Cycle Route 455 towards Oswestry.
Step 19
Take the second exit at the roundabout onto Llwyn Road. Turn right at the next T-junction onto Gobowen Road and cycle into Oswestry.
Step 20
Return to start through town centre one-way system.

Route leaflet

Other nearby cycle routes

Shropshire Cycleway: North West (The Meres, Llanymynech-Whitchurch)
Distance
40 miles
Cycle Rides in Southern Oswestry: Morda Meander (4 mile)
Distance
4 miles
Cycle Rides in Southern Oswestry: Trefonen & Treflach Trail (3 mile)
Distance
3 miles
Oswestry Cycle Rides Route 1: Scenic Selattyn
Distance
13 miles

Oswestry Cycle Rides Route 4: Ellesmere Explorer (26.5 miles)

Cycling code

Distance

Difficulty

Duration

Start from

Nearest town

Parking

Terrain

Circular cycle routes from towns

Historic towns and villages

Wildlife heritage and geology

Places of interest:

Oswestry

Ellesmere College

Ellesmere

Ride directions

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7

Step 8

Step 9

Step 10

Step 11

Step 12

Step 13

Step 14

Step 15

Step 16

Step 17

Step 18

Step 19

Step 20

PDF information may be outdated

Other nearby cycle routes

Shropshire Cycleway: North West (The Meres, Llanymynech-Whitchurch)

Distance

Cycle Rides in Southern Oswestry: Morda Meander (4 mile)

Distance

Cycle Rides in Southern Oswestry: Trefonen & Treflach Trail (3 mile)

Distance

Oswestry Cycle Rides Route 1: Scenic Selattyn

Distance

Other circular cycle routes from towns

Shropshire Hills Cycle Rides 2, Route 2: Bury Ditches Dynamo

Distance

Church Stretton Cycle Rides Route 3: Long Mynd Loop

Distance

Oswestry Cycle Rides Route 4: Ellesmere Explorer (24.5 miles)

Distance

Wem Cycle Rides Route 3: To Cockshutt, Baschurch & Myddle

Distance

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