Shropshire April 2013 - The Longmynd

Callow Hollow

Monday brighter and warmer than Sunday , though enough cloud and breeze for it to be generally comfortable walking. Cool in wind on hills.

A49, busy single carriageway - slow horse boxes, lots of lorries. On the way back school minibuses.

Church Stretton- flat valley , Church Stretton Fault on hillside to east, above the valley.

Lingering snow patches

Leaving the main road through Church Stretton, we parked in the lower car park at Carding Mill Valley. Followed the stream up valley path on to ridge, the valley became steeper and narrower. Still a few patches of snow above about 400m, on north facing slopes. Also noticed a few patches near the top of the Clee Hills on Sunday.

Climbing up to the Longmynd from Carding Mill

View west towards the Stiperstons

At the top of the valley path, we came out onto the ridge and turned left to head west, following the path over heather moorland, crossing a narrow road. A mound (Tumulus) on our left. From there, on to the trig point and view marker at the top (516m). Though there was a fair bit of cloud about, visibility was good. Could see all the Shropshire Hills and west to the Welsh Marches. Immediately to the west of Longmynd was the Stiperstones Ridge and the highest point here, the Devil's Chair. Further west, into the Welsh Marches, a valley, Corridon Hill and Heath Mynd. In the north, the Wrekin (Neoproterozoic volcanics). Beyond Wenlock Edge to the east, the Clee Hills.  Between Wenlock Edge and Church Stretton, some smaller hills around the 400m mark, including Caer Caradoc, with the hill fort.

View west towards Corridon Hill

From the top of Longmynd, we carried on along the ridge, to the tree lined border of Pole Cottage - more like corrugated iron garage than a cottage - and took a path to our left, just beyond the car park here. After a brief sandwich stop, this took us eastwards, above Callow Hollow and Round Hill. In Callow Hollow flat sheets of rock and small trees, gullies on the slopes down to the hollow, rivulet in the hollow formed pleasing abstract patterns. Continued on down the hill towards Little Stretton, coming out near the campsite and a ford. Took a path left and up a bit again, through woods, above the road. This came into Church Stretton behind the ostentatious looking hotel on the slopes of the steep sided valley. Lots of large Victorian / Edwardian houses. The roads on the steep slopes looked  tricky to negotiate in winter snow /ice.

Callow Hollow

By the time we got down to the village centre, taking the road parallel to the main road past the church, we were both well in need of a cuppa. Found one - also scones - in the Acorn Cafe, down an alleyway and upstairs, once inside. After our cuppa, we walked the last bit back to Carding Mill Valley and the car park, sheep with lambs now grazing around the stream.

Geology notes

Near Lower Stretton, looking NW towards Caer Caradoc

BGS 1:625000 Solid Geology, South Sheet (2002) has a useful cross-section, running from Anglesey to Beachy Head, via London, passing through the Longmynd and Brown Clee Hill. Longmynd is an inlier - older rock (Neoproterozoic ) surrounded by younger rocks - Stiperstones and Wenlock Edge ridges both Ordovician. Also some Neoproterozoic volcanics close to the Church Stretton Fault to the east of Longmynd and the Pontesford-Linley Fault to the west. The sedimentary rocks comprising the Longmynd ridge form a steeply folded syncline.