Description as per Jan 16
The Stiperstones are fab but can get a little crowded. This walk takes in the lovely sunken tracks either side of the main ridge and is just 8 miles but can easily be extended. Muddy and uneven terrain with a couple of non doggy friendly stiles at the start but the rest is mainly bridleways so contains gates. Sheep and ground nesting birds so dogs under close control.
Park in the large Bog car park and turn towards the old school (yummy cake in summer) and take the track to the left of it. Then take the right hand fork (its someone’s drive) and just before the house, leave the track and cross the stile into the field. Into the next field and then turn right at the field boundary and join the bridle way along the edge of the field. You may come across some inquisitive horses here. Leave the field through the gate and follow the drive to the road. Go straight across down the next track (another drive) until it joins the next road. Turn left along the road and almost immediately right down another track (drive…). Look out for the stone in the wall by the old Zion Chapel.
Follow this bridleway all the way to the top of the ridge. You will join it past the Devils Chair (its the large rock ‘pile’ on your right). At the cairn turn left and follow the path down the ridge until it turns into a sunken road. Take the left hand fork (don’t go through the first gate) but go through the next one (by the cottages). If you need a brew stop here is a fine spot, there is even a loo behind the shed (a double loo actually).
Take the tree-lined track at the back of the shed and go through the gate out onto the open hill again. Go straight ahead until you join the bridleway, turn left and follow it as it descends down the hill. This sunken road takes you past a number of enclosures, heaps of stone remains of old cottages, gnarly old trees, all in the ‘shadow’ of the ridge.
This part can be extremely wet and muddy and there are several gates but it eventually takes you to a gate with a Stiperstones sign where you can re-join the ridge. You have several options here, follow the general ‘straight on’ direction past the farm and the wood and you eventually come out in the main Stiperstones Car Park (muddy at first but then via the accessible path). You can turn right, go through the gate onto the ridge and follow it along (left) past the Devil’s Chair, Manstone and the other rock formations, or at the cairn go straight over and re-trace your steps to where you entered the ridge on your outward journey.
Our intended route was along the top of the ridge but as the wind was so fierce and biting we decided to drop over the side and take the latter option. We then turned left at the green metal hut and followed the track (through several gates) until it joined the road (at a sharp corner) just above the car park.
If you do this walk in summer, dont forget to call into the old school house for a brew and some cake.
A selection of pics below. A route map here.
walkingbuddies 