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Stanton Long Walk

Farming Villages

Map illustrated by Kendall Walford from Oldbury Wells School

Start: Wilderhope Manor seven miles south west of Much Wenlock off a minor road from the B4371 at Longville in the Dale. Grade: Moderate. Distance: Nine and a half miles. Terrain: Undulating on field and woodland paths, some over large cropped fields where line may not be clear on the ground. OS map recommended. Quiet lanes. Refreshments: Feathers at Brockton. Recommended map: OS Explorer 217 Long Mynd.

An Elizabethan manor house is the starting point for this energetic hill walk. Wilderhope Manor between Church Stretton and Much Wenlock is owned by the National Trust and used as a youth hostel. The route takes walkers through picturesque hill country to the farming settlements of Holdgate, Stanton Long and Brockton.

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The Route

(1) From car park go left on the track which runs immediately behind the manor. Keep ahead as the track bends left through gateway - ignoring a stile, right. Pass through another gateway and go right over a stile. Go forward on field boundaries (hedge right) crossing a stile. Cross a corner stile and head up the field bearing gradually right to join the hedge/tree line at the top.

(2) Ignore stile and go right on field edge keeping the trees and hedge left to eventually cross stile into woodland. Keep forward on path which follows the inside edge of the wood - ignoring a path, right, to eventually emerge at a stile. Cross and go right keeping to field boundaries. The route eventually makes a steeper descent with a farm over to the left. Towards the field bottom look for TV aerials in the hedge and follow the hedge right to cross a stile at a cottage. Go left over the stream and go diagonally left up to a stile and a road. Go left on the lane.

(3) At the junction go right a few paces and cross the road to a stile. Head down the field. In corner go right to cross bridge over River Corve. Go ahead on field edge ignoring stile, right. Cross corner stile and continue forward. In the corner go left to gate. Cross the road and over a stile going ahead as indicated. Cross footbridge in the corner go ahead on field boundary, over corner stile and ahead to exit on to road at the church in Holdgate.

(4) Go left on road for about half a mile. Short distance after second footpath sign, right, go left on a footpath (hidden finger post) which follows on unmade drive to pass the end of a row of cottages. Go left over stile and ahead through woodland to two stiles. Take the right-hand stile and go right and ahead on field boundary. Pass through gate, right, and diagonally left over field to pass through gateway. The route is forward over stiles to Stanton Long churchyard.

(5) In churchyard continue forward over the main path, down to the road and over a stile. Go forward on right-hand edge. Within a short distance when hedge goes right go half left down to far corner to cross footbridge. Go right and ahead. The walk goes forward over stiles, eventually with a pool, right, going on to exit on to a road. Cross and go ahead to Corfield Farm. When a hedge comes in, right, on approach to farm veer right with fence, right, to a gate. Pass through and ahead, hedge left, to eventually cross a facing fence-stile. Go ahead over field bearing left to cross footbridge.

(6) Go half right over arable field with coppice on left going forward to a stile in facing row of trees. Go ahead over another stile. The right of way goes ahead for a short distance to bear left to a stile Go half right over field to corner of trees. At corner go right to follow field edge round and ahead on enclosed path. Immediately before farmyard go left over stile and out on to road in Brockton.

(7) Go right on the road. At junction go left passing the school. At Ivy Cottage go left up the drive to go right through gateway and ahead up through woodland. At top of enclosed path ignore footpath left and go half right and forward over the field on right of way which follows the overhead power line. Pass through wide gap at wood corner. The path now goes ahead bearing slightly left up the field aiming for centre of clump of trees at top of rise. At the wood go left and ahead on boundary keeping trees, right, on path which makes descent. When ground levels out and with ruins of building in field go right over stile. Bear left and ahead on clear woodland path.

(8) At T-junction go right on track. Pass house and within short distance go left on drive to Fegg Farm, keeping forward to Wilderhope.