Walks with a Camera © Geoff’s Pages 2011
We've walked up the Mynd from the eastern side many times - the
deep-set valleys are an attractive prospect, though they can feel
rather closed in. Here's a walk in a different vein, from the
western side.
The Horseshoe Inn at Bridges is a great place to start - and an
even better place to finish... A narrow and very quiet road leads
to the farm at Coates - from where a rough track leads more-or-
less due east to the Shooting Box. The lane rises gently, and the
views on this morning of big skies improve all the way, especially
when the need arises to pause and look back.
The road over the Long Mynd passes Shooting Box, and here we
began to meet other people, strolling along the very easily graded
path. Lunchtime had arrived by the time we arrived at the summit
at Pole Bank - but so had lots of others, so we walked on down to
Pole Cottage (just a square of trees on the otherwise featureless
moorland) and found a perfect spot beside the pools to the west.
Lunch disposed of, we set off down the hillside to Medlicott, at
first along a narrow path through the heather, then down the lane
from Medlicott Cottage. A narrow farm track connects the hamlet
to an even smaller settlement at Adstone.
Here, a long low hill runs northwards - back
to the Horseshoe Inn, where a quiet pint
beside the river East Onny was well
deserved. A very pleasant stroll - and some
sunshine in a week of rain and dull grey
skies.
Dramatic skies - a walk to the top of Shropshire's Long Mynd from Bridges - 7 miles - May 2008
