Walking with Offa 6: Brown Hares & Buzzards on Oakley Mynd

Walk directions

1. Step 1

   Start at the Boar’s Head pub, Bishop’s Castle, SY9 5AE. Proceed along Station Street to the left of the Boars
   Head pub, stay on the right pavement to find narrow walled footpath between Castle Cars and No.24. After a short distance turn left between conifer hedges and bungalows into Bowling Green Close (not signed). Turn left and at the last bungalow on right follow footpath to the right for short distance. Turn left through gate and follow path behind houses to main road.

2. Step 2

   Carefully cross this busy road and through kissing gate. Bear slightly left to cross field to kissing gate towards the centre of oncoming hedge. Continue straight over to kissing gate on corner of dogleg in the hedge. Head across large field towards right of farm buildings. Cross ditch at a wide gap in hedge and continue straight across field. At the top head towards stile and exit through small copse of trees onto farm track.

3. Step 3

   Turn left and follow track, then right through kissing gate opposite Oakeley Farm. Proceed with hedge on your right then
   bear left up steep grassy track to enter wood via stile/gate. Continue up the well-defined woodland track to emerge via stile into field. Bear left up hill to cross stile in fence. Bear slightly right to cross field to next stile. Continue in same direction to cross another just right of woods. Traverse the sloping field to far end to cross a stile in top right hand corner of hedge. Cross a second fence/stile then straight over this
   wide open field. Look out for Brown Hares as they lie low in their forms on these open fields and enjoy the panoramic views of the hills; from left, Roundton above Churchstoke, Corndon,Heath Mynd (with it’s caterpillar of trees), Linley Beeches, the Stiperstones and the Long Mynd.
   On the horizon is the Brown Clee with its communications masts, Shropshire’s highest hill standing at 1772 feet / 540m above sea level. Continue through wide gap in oncoming hedge and bear slightly left to descend field to cross stile, track and stile. Descend the field to the right of a small-pitched roof building, to exit via kissing gate on to lane. Turn right and continue up the lane to T-Junction.

4. Step 4

   Cross lane, through gate opposite and down field keeping fence on your right. On reaching corner turn left, keeping hedge to right and continue down passing stile. Soon after pass the stile into trees. Ignore the path down and bear right into field. Now bear right diagonally across large open field (often cropped) to far corner, aiming towards the right end of the village. As you meet the hedge coming in from the right continue on to corner to exit via metal gate, down steps, across a footbridge and turn left along a track/road, which bears to the right and joins the road, continue along into village. Explore the village and rejoin the route at point 5.

5. Step 5

   From Lydbury North Primary School head back towards village hall and first left and straight ahead to start of a green lane. Climb up the sunken lane for ½ mile to exit over stile at top into a field. Keep right and take kissing gate to left of a metal farm building. With hedge on left continue up the hill to pass through kissing gate to the right of two farm gates and then on up the left hedge to another kissing gate at the end of Long Nursery Wood.

6. Step 6

   Go straight ahead over brow of hill and to stile on opposite side of field. Cross stile, keep right and continue down to exit through kissing gate to farm track at Conery. Turn right along concrete track and cross stile on left then keep right descending to exit via a gate and steps which brings you out to on to Stank Lane. Follow the lane down to junction with main road. Carry straight on the road on right footpath for ½ mile to reach crossroads. Carefully cross this busy main road into Brampton Road and head for the Church on your left and the Six Bells Pub. Turn right into Church Street and head back to the start.