Shropshire Way Car Free Walk 8: White Grit to Bishops Castle

Walk directions

1. Start

   You start this walk at the Old School House on the A488 (near the turning for White Grit).

   Follow the concrete drive behind the Old School House and go left at the fork along the drive to Gritt Farm. Turn first right as you approach the farm buildings and head through a barred gate. Head straight across this field to a double stile and wooden bridge.

2. Step 2

   Continue in the same direction to a stile (next to gate) at the top of the bank. Climb over and continue down in the same direction to a second stile.

3. Step 3

   Drop down the bank and head to a stile to the left of the woods. Once over continue ahead with the woods on your right, Shelve Pool now becomes visible. Bear slightly left down to cross a footbridge.

4. Step 4

   Continue left and up to a double stile/gate and join the track to a waymarked post on the bank. Follow the way-markers to a double stile/gate and cross the field down to a footbridge and over a stile. Bear left over the next stile, then cross the field and over a stile in the top right corner next to a gate, heading towards Stiperstones.

5. Step 5

   Bear right to a double stile and bridge and continue straight across to the woods and over the stile onto the track. Turn left to join the wide track alongside the wood and follow this straight to the Bog Visitor Centre (around half a mile).

6. Step 6

   On reaching the tarmac lane, turn right towards Linley/More , pass the mine and climb up past the ‘Old Miners Arms’ (no longer a pub) for half a mile to a car park at Nipstone. Turn left here and walk through parking area and two gates. Cross the stile immediately on the right and the path skirts to the left of the rocks. At the end of the rocks, bear left and across the heather to find a more prominent path. You are now joining the Shropshire Way which you follow all the way to Bishop’s Castle.

7. Step 7

   Turn right here and follow this wide path along the hillside to cross a stile. Then descend to the right of The Rock to a waymark post where you go left. The track bends to the left beneath the outcrop and drops down the hillside through gorse to a gate, offering magnificent views before it dips into the trees and exits onto a road. Go right and immediately left over a stile into the field. Walk down the field to the footbridge and cross the stiles to enter a wood and rise right and up steeply to a stile and onto the road.

8. Step 8

   Go right on the road and you will soon pass Ridge Farm. Go left through the second barred gate on the left. Climb steeply up with the fence on your left to reach a stile by woodland. Keep ahead alongside woodland. Cross the second stile beyond a field gate. Join a green way to the brow of the hill and by the wonderful trees on Linley Hill. Pass through a gate/stile and ignore the bridleway gate to the left but keep ahead to pass through another gate.

9. Step 9

   Ease away from the tree line slightly right to cross a stile. Then go ahead to another gate to join the magnificent trees known as the Linley Beeches where there are excellent views across the upper Onny Valley. Descend through the avenue of trees to a gate/stile and through the edge of the woodland to a lane where you turn left.

10. Step 10

    Follow this down to a T-junction. Turn right and walk along the road passing Linley Lodge on the left and turn left at the road junction heading towards More. Half a mile down the lane, take the gate on the right. Bear left to the far end of the field and cross two stiles then ahead in the same direction to exit onto road at the edge of More hamlet.

11. Step 11

    Cross the road and enter a field where you walk ahead through the remaining earthworks of an early motte and bailey castle. Bear left at the mound to cross a footbridge and keep ahead across a field and beneath an oak mid way. Go through a kissing gate into the next field and proceed ahead to another small gate to Lydham village hall car park and the main road.

12. Step 12

    Cross this busy road and turn left to walk along the verge until you reach a wide farm track bearing off right. Follow this until you reach a large set of gates on the left. Go through and walk up alongside the wood and through a gate to then proceed through the woodland. Continue ahead to rise up alongside a hedge and look for a marker post. Turn right here to dip down into a field. Head diagonally across it to a stile and enter road to the farm on your right.

13. Step 13

    On reaching the road go right to walk down to a junction. Look for steps on the left of the main road. Walk up the field with a hedge and wood to your right. On reaching the top corner of the wood keep ahead crossing an open field to a stile in a hedge. Cross this (now entering Foxholes Campsite) and continue ahead alongside the hedge to your left. You reach a gateway where you cut through left and then turn right in a small enclosure to pass through two gates and the path bends left to another gate. Walk across the field to a point to the left of the corrugated iron barn.

14. Step 14

    Leave the field through a small gate and the path now runs between hedges where it opens up through rough ground, bear left through a gate to exit onto the road between houses. Turn right and straight onto a junction into Castle Street and then soon left between houses, just after Cross Keys Cottage. Pass by Bishop’s Castle Bowling Club and straight on down the steep footpath onto Bull Street. Turn right and this leads into the main street which you walk down to the bus stop opposite the Boar’s Head Pub.