Walking with Offa 4: Red Kites & Curlew on Prolley Moor

Walk directions

1. Step 1

   Start – Wentnor Stores, Rock Close, SY9 5EP. With ‘Wentnor Stores’ on your right, proceed along road and take gravelled drive on left. Take the stile to right of, or pass between stone pillars. Continue along drive and take kissing gate on the right. Pass right of house and bear left across field to kissing gate in corner. Keep left and pass through a gap/gate on left. Turn right and climb field to exit via gate at top of bank into tarmac lane.

2. Step 2

   Turn left to junction. Ignore first but take second gate on right into field. Follow right boundary. As field descends leave boundary and keep ahead through kissing gate at bottom of field. Cross this field and through another gate. Keep right and take second gate on right to exit on to a track to left of ‘The Moorhouse’. Keep left of farm buildings and stay on wide track to exit on to a tarmac lane. Turn left as far as the signs for Holly & Yew Tree Cottages, and take gate on the right.
   The ‘Red Kite’ is a graceful bird of prey and unmistakable with its reddish-brown body, angled wings and deeply forked tail. It was saved from national extinction by one of the world’s longest running protection programmes. The ‘Curlew’ is the largest European wading bird, recognisable on moors by its long, down-curved bill, brown upperparts, long legs and evocative call. Both species are monitored and ongoing conservation work is needed to support their survival.

3. Step 3

   Follow track passing three cottages. Following the left boundary cross stile ahead and continue on to cross two small footbridges and stiles. Stay with left boundary up field to the left of a copse of trees to exit via stile on to tarmac lane. Turn right and follow lane for 1/3 mile to road junction. Continue straight along ‘No through Road’, passing farm and through gate to reach a stone/dirt track.

4. Step 4

   Follow this enclosed (often muddy) track for ½ mile. On reaching farm buildings turn right onto tarmac
   lane and continue down to T-junction. Turn left and soon cross stile in right hedge. Follow left boundary
   to pass through a wide gap in ‘oncoming’ hedge into an open field. Bear right, head to stile in the centre of
   right fence line. Cross metal stile and descend steps to cross footbridge. Bear left to cross large open field
   towards a visible stile in fence. Cross stile and continue in same direction towards some trees. Ignore stile and footbridge on right, instead cross stile in the fence line to the left. Near this spot lies a saline spring, known for its healing qualities.
   A hundred years ago there were ambitious plans to turn Church Stretton into a spa town by pumping this ‘water-cure’ the four miles to the Hydropathic Establishment, now known as the Long Mynd Hotel. Amongst other problems one thing stood in their way, the Long Mynd itself and so the project failed.

5. Step 5

   Turn left to cross brook via footbridge and continue straight on rising up the field. As you near the top bear right to join fence and exit through gate into adjacent field. Turn left and follow fence to top and exit via kissing gate into tarmac lane. Turn right and leave lane where it bends left at ‘Long Mynd View’ to continue straight on along track as it narrows then widens and bends left to reach the Crown Inn car park. Pass pub to exit onto road running through Wentnor Village.
   A detour left will take you to Wentnor Church. Inside the church under the tower is a gravestone marking the tragic Hurricane of 1772 that destroyed a house and killed its seven occupants.

6. Step 6

   Turn right and follow road passing the quirky ‘Travellers Rest’ and turn left at ‘Welcome to Wentnor’ sign through gate on to public footpath. Descend field to kissing gate in hedge at bottom. Continue down to left corner and exit via kissing gate and then carefully down the steep bank onto road. Turn right and in a few minutes you will be back at the start.