The
road from Clun winds its way up onto the Kerry Ridgeway before its
short descent to Kerry. There's small car park beside the ancient
track, just inside the forest. A dog walker, getting back into his
car, commented "rather you than me". We knew what he meant. It was
cold, with a biting wind, but the forecast promised a dry day, and the
sun should come out later on. We'd left beautiful warm sunshine in
Shropshire. We should have stayed there!
Well, maybe not. This was new
ground, and once we'd warmed up, we had a very pleasant stroll in this
high, bleak and empty country. Our route would take in the highest
part of the Kerry Ridgeway, which follows the high ground from
Bishop's Castle, and ends just a little way beyond, at the
temptingly-named Cider House. Significant country geographically too -
the sources of the rivers Teme, Ithon and Mule are within a mile or so
of the top, and the Clun rises only a couple of miles away.
|
  An
interesting recently-built stone edifice marks the highest point
at around 1660' (hardly a summit in the true sense). Resembling a
cross between a pulpit and a stone dodgem car, it bears coloured
marker boards describing the views. We needed the descriptions -
otherwise, the views would have had to be in our imaginations in
the murk. Nearby are "Two Tumps", ancient burial mounds. |
A
track heads south-east toward two low hills, the second, heather-clad
Cilfaesty Hill, would mark the highest point of our walk at 1723' (but
wouldn't require any "collar work"),
before the slow descent into the gentle grassy valley and Medwaledd
farm, and some respite from the wind. Time for a quick lunchtime
snack, before heading northwards back up to the ridgeway and the car.
Inevitably, the muddiest stretch of the whole walk (notwithstanding
the farmyard muck at Medwaledd) came in the last 100 yards or so.
Shame about the boots! - but a very enjoyable little exploration of
these quiet hills.
Books and Maps:- The walk illustrated is shown in its
entirety on both maps -
and
; "Kerry ridgeway - view NW")
; "More typical residents of the ridge")
; "Waterway on the ridgeway")
; "Just imagine the view!")
; "Glad we're not going that way...")
; "A rare glimpse of the sun near the source of the Teme")
; "Peaty pools and the sad remains of High Park")
; "Ancient enclosure walls")
; "Sheepy stampede - is it something in the turnips?")
; "Stream in the valley - lunchtime!")
; "Power lines and Beacon Hill")
; "Ancient wood in an old hedge, Medwaledd")
; "\"gentle grassy valley\"")
; "More of that elusive light in the distance - back on the ridgeway")
; "Last look back along the ridgeway")