Description as per Jan 16
I love the little hamlet of Ratlinghope. From there there are so many possibilities. It’s also got facilities, a Youth Hostel, a campsite and a little further down the road the Horseshoes pub at Bridges.
This walk offers fantastic views of many of the iconic hills in South West Shropshire; the Stiperstones, the Mynd, Earls Hill, the Lawley, the Caradoc and even the Wrekin further over. The route described is 8.5 miles but can easily be extended. Muddy and uneven terrain with a couple of severe non doggy friendly stiles but it is mainly tracks and minor roads and bridleways so contains gates in many places. Sheep country so dogs under close control.
Park in the hamlet of Ratlinghope by the church. Take the track to the right, which runs round the church (through a property) and then through a gate down to the Darnford Brook. The stream is forded but there is a footbridge. Go straight ahead and up the hill. When you reach the saddle carry on through the gate and along the track down the other side.
Cross the main road onto the minor road (just off to the left), beware the road you are crossing is not a busy road but traffic is fast! Follow the road up hill to ‘Near Gatten Farm’. If you are wondering what all the signage is for, this is the site of Farmer Phil’s Festival which takes place annually in August. Find more information here.
Go straight through the property and you are looking for a bridleway on your left. This is however, a little tricky to find. It may be simpler to follow the track straight ahead and up hill and then immediately turn left once through the gate out of the property. Follow the fence line and you will join the bridleway you were looking for where it turn to climb slightly through some majestic trees. Here, we were treated to an aerobatics spectacle between a Red Kite and a Buzzard.
Follow the bridleway as it skirts the hill until you reach Far Gatten. Turn left down their drive and then turn right onto the minor road. The great thing about these roads are there is really very little traffic on them but when its wet it gives relief from all the mud. As the road bends right somewhat and after you have passed the drive for ‘The Hollies’, take the wide track on your right (through the gate). You are now on the Shropshire Way. Follow this for some distance on a slight down hill until you pass the private drive to Leasows Bank Farm on your left. You are now heading for the main road you crossed earlier. This stretch of the Shropshire Way offers magnificent view of the Stiperstones Ridge and even Earls Hill and the trained eye will even pick up the interesting shapes of the Monastery of St Antony and St Cuthbert, nestled under the ridge. This former miners cottage is now a hermitage and more details can be found here.
The main road crossing is another slightly off-set one, to the left this time where a track climbs steeply up the side of the hill, through rough trees and gorse. The stile at the top is a severe one, dogs would have to jump it up hill and the space on the other side is narrow, uneven and muddy. We managed to find a gap under the fence a little to the left of the stile. As you emerge from the gorse take a moment to turn round and look back to where you came from. If you know where to look you can trace your path way off into the distance.
You are now about half way and if you are stopping for refreshments, why not do it with this view! Otherwise, carry on up to the top, past the tree and springs and follow the faint grassy track around and over. Cross the fence line at the stile (next to the large hunt jump); you will find the sheep netting either side has many holes for any dogs (hounds) to get through. Cross the field you are now in towards the stile (another nasty one for dog jumping) onto the minor road at ‘the Thresholds’.
There is a footpath through this property but it may be easier to just take the road (turn left from the stile) round it and the small wood before turning off to your right. This, at first tarmac route eventually turns into a grassy/stony track and is the ancient Port Way. Imagine that this way is 5,000 year old and was once used by Neolithic traders. Find more interesting information on these old ridge ways here. You will be treated to the most amazing view of the Shropshire Plain, the Caradoc, the Lawley and even the Wrekin .
You will pass the trig point on Betchcott Hill (on your right) and look out for the single standing stone too. Not long past these you will go through a gateway and then immediately turn right towards the stile. Follow the path further down the hill to the footbridge. Then climb back up on the other side bearing left round the house to the gate onto the minor road.
Follow the road past the other two Darnford farms and you will return back to your car. And if you wanted more, extend it up onto the Long Mynd either by continuing on the Port Way or by a loop between Middle Darnford and Ratlinghope (near Catbatch Brook).
Find a route map and some pictures below.
walkingbuddies 