Local Attractions
The Stiperstones National Nature Reserve (NNR)
The reserve includes the major part of the Stiperstones ridge, near the Welsh border. In the lower areas of the reserve heather and gorse heath is dominant, while ling and whinberry predominate on the uplands. The site supports common lizard, brown hare and common frog. Birdlife includes curlew, red grouse, skylark, meadow pipit, stonechat, buzzard, pied flycatcher, wood warbler and recently Red Kite. Invertebrates found here include Grayling and green Hairstreak butterflies, and fox and emperor moths. The best time to visit the site is in late summer, when the heather and gorse are in bloom. There is open, and well used, public access to the reserve but it still retains a wild and unspoilt character that has been captured by writers such as Mary Webb, D H Lawrence and Malcolm Saville. The NNR lies within the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is an Environmentally Sensitive Area. This is a perfect spot for long and short walks alike.
The Snailbeach Mine
Snailbeach was the biggest lead mine in Shropshire and it is reputed to have yielded the greatest volume of lead per acre of any mine in Europe. Underground mining ceased here in 1955 but it is thought to date from Roman times, the surface buildings are the most complete set in the district and probably the country. Although the miners mainly extracted lead ore (galena), smaller quantities of Barite, Calcite, Fluorspar, Silver and Zinc were also obtained. Snailbeach mine has been preserved by the County Council and managed by the Shropshire mines Trust who keep the site open at weekends throughout the summer. Photographs and information on the mines can be found in the bar.
Tankerville Pottery and Gallery
With Roy Evans' hand-made pots and paintings by Pat Evans, Philip Petford and graphic art by Noel Evans, the Tankerville gallery has something to offer everyone. Originals and prints are on sale at the gallery and prints of local scenes can be seen in our lounge and restaurant and are available to purchase at the bar.
The Bog Visitor Centre
The unfortunately named Bog Visitor Centre, is an old school-house and one of the last remaining buildings from The Bog Village, demolished in 1972. The centre is the only visitor facility for the Stiperstones upland region. It provides a wealth of information about its mining history, its people, and the current work to restore the surrounding landscape. The centre is staffed by a team of volunteers, who have set themselves up as the Bog Visitor Centre Volunteer Group. Members of the group are from the local community and they give a warm welcome to visitors, providing tea and home made cakes as well as selling locally produced crafts. The Bog Visitor Centre with its old school interior and gas lighting still retains that air and charm of a bygone age. Tell the bog ladies that Phil recommends the Pennerley Apple Pie, that way they might just send me a free slice back with you, Yum... Lara loves the even more unfortunately named Bog Bake. (www.bogcentre.co.uk)
Minsterley Ranges
Located at The Bog, Stiperstones, this is one of the largest privately owned Shooting complexes in the UK. They offer a wide range of Shooting related services, including a Home Office approved shooting club with firearms storage facilities, clay grounds and deer stalking training. The have friendly and entertaining instructors for corporate entertainment, special events and shooting lessons. We have only done this a few times but have had loads of fun in what feels like a safely run environment, we recommend booking in advance of your stay as the ranges can get really busy.
_______________________________________________________________
Walking & Hiking
This is truly beautiful walking country with walks of all lengths and difficulty levels right on our doorstep, so whether you want a gentle stroll or something along the lines of the Long Mynd Hike (50 miles), this is the perfect base to begin from. There are walks in all directions from the pub and many of these are covered in a small yellow walking booklet (written by a local author) which is available from the shop next door for £1.50. We do recommend that you also take an Ordnance Survey map with you on any long walks or hikes as it is very easy to wander off down one of the sheep paths by mistake.
Lara is always happy to give advice on walking in the area and is usually up-to-date on the seasonal condition of the paths, the location of herds and which paths are suitable for dogs. Being a keen walker herself she can often be found shepherding stray walkers towards the Inn.
Walking the Stiperstones ridge is a must!
The Stiperstones is a very distinctive range of hills, its quartzite ridge was formed some 480 Million years ago. During the last Ice Age the summit stood out above the glaciers and was subject to constant freezing and thawing which shattered the quartzite into a mass of jumbled scree mounds surrounding several residual rocky tors. At 536 metres above sea level it is the second highest hill in the county, surpassed only by Brown Clee Hill (540m).
The five-mile (8km) long summit ridge is crowned by several jagged quartzite tors The principal ones are named as follows, from north-east to south-west:
Shepherd's Rock
Scattered Rock
Devil's Chair
Manstone Rock
Cranberry Rock
Nipstone Rock
The Rock (how's that for descriptive)
Manstone Rock is the highest of these at 536 metres, and is topped with the trig point. The Devil's Chair is the largest and best known and is the source of many legends. In fact the area around the Stiperstones is rich in myths and folklore, according to one legend, the ghost of Wild Edric (a Saxon Earl who held lands that were confiscated after 1066 and successfully defied the Normans, for a time at least) rides the hills whenever England is threatened by invasion. One story of Edric can be found in “Shropshire Ghost Stories” a book by local storyteller Sally Tonge (available at the bar).
Circular walks from the Inn to the Devil's Chair can take anywhere between one and two hours, however some of the the runners of the “Dash and Dawdle” race which takes place here on Boxing Day (26th December) can make it to the Chair and back (five steep kilometres) in just over 20 minutes.
Weather
On clear days the views from the top across either the Long Mynd, Corndon Hill, The Long Mountain or the open expanse of the Shropshire Plain are truly stunning. Mists and fogs can seem to appear from nowhere at the top of the hill and are usually the result of some low flying cloud having a rest on the Devil's Chair. Legend has it that when you can't see the chair from the bottom of the hill, the Devil himself is in his seat. A few people have been hit by lightning in bad weather so it is best avoided in storms. In winter blizzard conditions are also possible (but rare). Lara once looked down to zip up her coat at the first flake of snow – when she looked up she was in a complete white out. Snow can leave the already rocky and uneven paths in a more icy and treacherous condition, as can heavy rain, so decent footwear is always a must.
________________________________________________________
Towns Nearby
Shrewsbury
The town centre with its steep narrow streets and alleyways is packed with timber-framed black & white buildings. It boasts over 600 listed buildings including the Castle, now a regimental museum along with the world-famous Shrewsbury Abbey, home of the fictional Brother Cadfael. Charles Darwin was born and educated in Shrewsbury and all around, you will find reminders of his association with the town. The River Severn forms a loop around the town centre offering gentle riverside walks. The historic centre is a shopper's heaven packed with designer shops, smart new malls and an amazing range of independent retailers (but its really difficult to buy mens clothes). There is a number of beautiful churches in the town, which are all worth a visit as they differ so much in style and ornamentation, I recommend a visit to St. Aulkmond's and St. Mary,s which are very close together, and the unusual, round church of St. Chad's, where you can view the gravestone of Ebanezer Scrooge.
Church Stretton
The historic market town of Church Stretton is situated in the heart of the South Shropshire hills on the English/Welsh border. The Long Mynd, which rises above the west of the town, is renowned for gliding, hang gliding and paragliding, and boasts the second highest golf course in England. The Carding Mill Valley is a popular area, with excellent facilities for all, includes part of the Long Mynd. With stunning views across the Shropshire and Cheshire plains and Black Mountains. This is excellent walking country with much of interest to the naturalist. The Chalet Pavilion in Carding Mill Valley offers information about the area, as well as a tea-room and shop. Church Stretton is a great town for antique and charity shop lovers alike.
Bishop's Castle
Bishop's Castle is much loved by visitors who want to experience unspoilt countryside dappled with small villages and hamlets. It's a place to get away to and enjoy the peace and tranquillity that is rapidly departing from other parts of England. There are no motorways and few traffic lights; you'll be deafened by the silence broken only by the calls of circling buzzards (possibly because the general population is so old). The shops in the town are a delight in their individuality and independent nature. No IKEA, M&S or Boots here - the majority of shops are locally owned and managed and this makes for a very special visit. Bishop's Castle sometimes feels like the heart of Hippydom on Earth. The town has 2 banks, a post office and 3 grocery stores. Add to that a wonderful deli, several interesting cafés and 6 pubs . . . not to mention the 2 breweries, which are both used by The Stiperstones Inn. We recommend that you call in and see Big Nev at the Six Bells Pub and Brewery, a huge gentle bear of a man, who will keep you entertained and may even show you around his brewery.
Ludlow
Dating from the 12th Century, Ludlow is a market town, perched on a cliff above the River Neme and surrounded by the countryside of the Marches. Many of its fine houses have survived and today the town boasts nearly 500 listed buildings. The parish church of St Laurence, dating from 1199, is one of the largest churches in the country, the climb up the narrow staircase onto the top of the tower is exhausting but I think it's worth it for the photographs. For centuries the town has been dominated by Ludlow Castle. Dating from the 1086, the fortification was one of a line of castles built along the Marches to keep out the Welsh (they failed). Once a royal palace, the now ruined Ludlow Castle continues to play an important role in the life of the town. As well as an important tourist attraction the castle is also a venue for festivals, open-air theatrical performances and other events throughout the year. We love to visit the open air Shakespeare performances in the castle grounds, which really is the perfect setting for the plays and our picnics. Ludlow is famous as the gastronomic centre of Shropshire and has more restaurants with Michelin Stars than any other town in the country. The town also has a traditional market with many speciality food shops. The intriguing history of Ludlow and its castle is illustrated at the Ludlow Museum in Castle Square.
Photographs by Philip J Jones
www.PhilipJJones.co.uk
| HOME |