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Brown Clee Walk

The High Point

Map illustrated by Kendall Walford from Oldbury Wells School

Start: Picnic site on minor road - signed Abdon and Tugford - on eastern flank of Brown Clee about a mile and a quarter west of Cleobury North off B4364 Bridgnorth - Ludlow road. Grade: Energetic. Distance: Five and a quarter miles. Terrain: Energetic hill walk on clear paths and estate roads but gradients are gradual with exception of one short steep ascent. Parts can be muddy. Recommended map: OS Explorer 217 Long Mynd.

The highest point in Shropshire is Brown Clee Hill. The hill has two summits - Abdon Burf and Clee Burf. This walk is to Abdon Burf - the higher of the two at 540 metres. A steady climb is rewarded with panoramic views across the Shropshire hills. The hill still bears scars and reminders of an industrial past of mining for coal and ironstone - as well as communication masts of today's hi-tech age.

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The Route

(1) From the roadside parking area go through the single bridle gate with finger post adjacent a double gate on a forest trail which bends right - ignoring stile left - and heads uphill. The clear path enters woodland and meets a forestry road. Go left on the roadway for a short distance.

(2) At a marker post go right through a single gate and up through the forest on a well-worn path passing through a gateway to enter open access land. Go forward, crossing a wide track, on a path which, initially, is indistinct but soon becomes more obvious as it makes its gradual ascent up the hill. The final stretch of the path involves a short steeper climb to join a service road. Go left on the road to the summit trig point.

(3) Standing at the trig point, with the masts to your right, go forward making a gentle descent on a wide well-walked path making for the facing fence-line. At the fence, at a marker post, go left and ahead keeping the fence on your right. When the fence-line goes off right continue forward on a wide grassy path heading towards a line of trees, ignoring a crossing path, to arrive at a gate. (A short detour left just before the gate will bring you to a plaque in memory of 23 allied and German airmen killed in flying accidents on the hill).

(4) Pass through the gateway and go ahead bearing left to a gate and marker post at the tree-line. Do not go through the gateway but go right and forward on the boundary keeping the trees on your left. At the wood corner go left over a fence-stile - ignore the stile left - and proceed ahead. Keep forward as the path runs to the right of a fence. Pass through a gateway and go right on a stony track to arrive at Boyne Water.

(5) A few paces before a gate across the track go left at a marker post and walk forward with the water on your right. The path goes ahead between wire fencing. When this ends continue forward towards the trees. The path eventually bears right touching the tree-line as it starts a descent.

(6) Pass through a gateway to leave the access land and go forward down the grassy slope towards the tree-line on the right. Continue downhill with a fence on your right. When this fence bends right continue forward with a small fenced fir coppice left following faint wheel tracks down to join an estate road opposite a stile and marker post.

(7) Go left on the roadway with views of Burwarton House to the right and passing a memorial pool. Keep this estate road for a mile and a half, going forward at a junction and ignoring all roads and footpaths off. When it joins a lane continue forward back to the start.