Stourbridge Holiday Fellowship Rambling Club
From the archive, first published Thursday 20th Nov 2003.
Among the regional population The Wrekin is arguably the best known of the Shropshire hills.
Although not the highest on the county, it may assume a greater role because its mass so dominates the surrounding countryside.
Ten walkers set off under grey sky from Wellington and headed south along Limekiln Lane which led into Limekiln Wood.
The path eventually led to the foot of The Wrekin which was shrouded in mist. Legend has it that the devil was deterred from damming up the Severn, thus flooding Shrewsbury and dumped his shovelful to form The Wrekin instead.
The company skirted the height in true `all around The Wrekin' fashion and tackled the height from the south beside Small Hill.
The route was straightforward - straight and forward. At the surprisingly rocky 1,365 feet summit, the views were reasonably good considering the low cloud cover.
The party descended through Heaven Gate thence Hell Gate and returned to Wellington by way of The Ercall Nature Reserve. How many other hills enjoy such a reputation as to give rise to the toast to `all our friends round The Wrekin'?
Sunday's walk was along a more level course, but nonetheless interesting route of 12 miles.
A foray into Herefordshire saw fifteen walkers set off from Little Hereford church that stands beside the River Teme - and many miles away from the county town.
All walks have aspects and interests to the keen observer. Apart from an abundance of mistletoe, this walk's notable feature was the number and size of properties.
These were not smallholdings or country cottages but buildings that had been established, expanded and probably lived in by generations of the same family.
Hand-me-downs take on a whole new meaning!
The route ran south to Lower Upton - where the party observed the Remembrance Day silence - and then passed the impressive Elizabethan manor house of Nun Upton.
After re-crossing the Teme to take a path along the northern bank, the walkers reached the hamlet of Middleton and went on to the ruined but still serviceable Stoke Bridge - in the middle of nowhere and a distance away from Stoke Court - before returning to the start.
We welcome enquiries from persons wishing to join any of our walks (Phone 0121 550 4517). Further information also may be found on our website: www.shfrc.org.uk
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