Author Topic: The Wrekin - worth a wander up?  (Read 4169 times)

Mel

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The Wrekin - worth a wander up?
« on: 23:21:59, 27/10/17 »
Ow dooz


Next weekend I'll be in Shropshire picking up family.  I want to sneak a crafty little walk in on my way down and have clocked the Wrekin out of the window as I'm barreling along the M54 in the past. 


Is it worth the diversion?  It seems very tree-covered so I'm wondering (hoping) it would make a nice, autumnal walk.


I've found a short walk up and over and around it which will suit me fine as I won't have loads of time but can anyone tell me the squelch factor involved? Will I finish the walk looking like I've been dragged through a hedge backwards or is it a fairly straightforward circuit?


Thanks in advance.


Mel  :)

Skip

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Re: The Wrekin - worth a wander up?
« Reply #1 on: 08:29:51, 28/10/17 »
The Wrekin is a lovely hill for a short walk.

There's plenty of car parking just south of the junction where the M54 becomes the A5. From there, it's an easy stroll up a very good path through the woods, increasingly clear of trees as you approach the summit and very extensive views southward from the top.

It is about a mile-and-a-quarter from the car park to the top and you gain about 750 feet of elevation. It takes about forty minutes up, thirty down IIRC.

There are no boggy patches on the main route.
Skip

adalard

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Re: The Wrekin - worth a wander up?
« Reply #2 on: 09:08:10, 28/10/17 »
As a side note for another time, Mel, we were walking in Shropshire a couple of weekends ago and we decided to head up Caer Caradoc after finishing our main walk.


It only took a couple of hours walking out from where we'd parked for the day in Church Stretton, though you could probably park closer. We thought the hill itself was great, some fascinating rocks on top (very Peak District-y!), earthworks from an ancient hill fort, and the views were stunning. Easy walking mostly, though a steep climb up the way we went - oh, and not boggy!


Might be worth bearing in mind if you're there again in the future...  :)

Pura Vida

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Re: The Wrekin - worth a wander up?
« Reply #3 on: 18:30:39, 28/10/17 »
The Wrekin is my local hill. Plenty of people walk, run, cycle up there everyday. Loads on a weekend. The main track will take vehicles (4x4) nearly all the way to the top. The vehicle track is to service the antenna on top. No muddy bits, a few damp bits.  :) :) :) 
The topograph onto show the magnificant view from the top. You can see for miles.


The only thing to watch for is the dog poo in the first 200 metres  >:(


I recon on 35 mins up and 25 down.


There is a track "All around the Wrekin" but that can be very muddy in parts. Don't worry about the rifle range as that's not been used for years.


If you need a guide/company give me a shout. Ahh! Just re read your OP. I'm in the Lakes next weekend.


Enjoy
« Last Edit: 18:33:45, 28/10/17 by Pura Vida »
Show a man a route then he will have an Adventure; Teach a man to navigate then he will have many adventures

Mel

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Re: The Wrekin - worth a wander up?
« Reply #4 on: 23:36:58, 28/10/17 »
Brilliant, cheers everyone  :)   Some really helpful info there.  It sounds like it is a worthy leg stretch after a 2 or so hour drive and I'm glad to hear it's a simple walk...sounds like I won't end up muddy after all (I'll be in non-walking clothes  :-[  ).  Here's hoping for a clear day for those views eh?!!


Skip - hopefully that car park (or any others nearby) won't be too rammed full if it's sunny that weekend.


Adalard - Caer Caradoc is already on my radar but cheers for the heads up that it's worth keeping on my radar.


I'll watch out for the dog poo Pura Vida  ;D   Pity you're in the Lakes that weekend as local knowledge is always good.


Thanks again for the replies  :)


Skip

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Re: The Wrekin - worth a wander up?
« Reply #5 on: 01:47:05, 29/10/17 »
Skip - hopefully that car park (or any others nearby) won't be too rammed full if it's sunny that weekend.

There are various parking areas and laybys but t does get pretty busy there.That said, I've always managed to find an empty space.

Let us all know how you get on.
Skip

fernman

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Re: The Wrekin - worth a wander up?
« Reply #6 on: 10:09:08, 29/10/17 »
It's always worth turning off the M54 at Junction 6 for cheaper petrol at Tesco in the Wrekin Retail Park  :)

Mel

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Re: The Wrekin - worth a wander up?
« Reply #7 on: 21:24:43, 29/10/17 »
Thanks again Skip.  Hopefully I'll find a spot to park.


Fernman, cheers for that heads up.  It's always good to know of places with cheaper petrol than the motorway services.  Plus, Tescos does a rather nice Tuna Crunch sarnie as well  O0

barewirewalker

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Re: The Wrekin - worth a wander up?
« Reply #8 on: 12:18:27, 30/10/17 »
If you have time, walk over the Wrekin. The easy way would be up the east ridge, enjoy the view, descend the west, steeper ridge and walk back to the start along north side of the base, great variety of trees so should be in peak condition at this time of year. My preference would be to reverse this route but finding the beginning of the ascent might be difficult as there seems to be some changes going on. Now I would not dream of accusing the Raby Estate of harbouring anti-walker tendencies, but the last time I walked there some of the old routes did seem a little difficult to pick up.
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Mel

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Re: The Wrekin - worth a wander up?
« Reply #9 on: 22:10:55, 30/10/17 »
Sadly, given the timings of the "there and back" route by Skip and Pura Vida, I don't think I'll have time for my original plan of an up and over and around walk  :(


I feel like I'm not going to do this hill justice with this titchy walk!




Mel

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Re: The Wrekin - worth a wander up?
« Reply #10 on: 18:30:13, 06/11/17 »
Well, Plan A (as above) didn't materialise due to last minute changes.  So Plan B was borne.  Seeing as I'd "allocated" the day to travelling to Shrewsbury anyway I thought I'd still travel down there and give this hill a more substantial wandering along than Plan A. 


So Plan B didn't exactly go to plan either  ;D   Yep, I got there.  Yep I got parked in a layby near the start of the main route up.  I had a little meander to the Ercall unconformity as the geology fascinated me then retraced my steps to start my walk "proper".  Up that human motorway of a path I headed... stopping frequently to admire the views of course  ;)  .  Then I decided it would be a really good idea to take a smaller path which skirts the South Eastern flank.  A lovely, undulating walk through mixed woodland which is sporting full autumn plumage.  I took a well maintained permissive path off to the right near the southern end with a cunning plan to go up to the top from that end instead. 


 ;D   ;D   ;D :2funny: :2funny: :2funny: :2funny: :2funny:


I got to the junction where the permissive path joins the Shropshire Way and, I'm sure, in summer, after about a month of no rain, that route up would be okay.  IT IS STEEP.  And muddy.  After travelling about 20 metres almost vertically and having to stop twice to get my breath  :-[  I decided that way up wasn't such an inspirational idea after all.  So, I returned to the permissive path and continued my "wander around the Wrekin" (as I certainly didn't get to the point).  Plan C was formed en-route and I decided to walk up to the top via the main route after all, only, I reached the firing range sign which heralded a path up to join the main route and noticed the time and worked out that, at my speed (or lack of), by the time I made it to the top it would be getting dark.  I toyed with the idea of watching fireworks from the top (bonfire night and all that) but decided I was too chicken to then walk back down to my car via the main, very clear, very impossible to get lost on path I should have just walked up in the first place  ::)


Having admitted to that failure, what I did have though was a lovely 5.5 mile walk in beautiful old woodland in autumn, trees dripping with the rain of earlier on and the damp, misty air reflecting sparkles in the now sunlight.  The wonderful, earthy smell.  The mossy old tree stumps and rocks.  The squirrels.  The birdsong.  The snatched glimpses of the Shropshire(?) plain and Welsh hills beyond.  And, I have to say, walking that end of the Wrekin, you don't hear a squeak out of the traffic roaring along the M54.


I will be back  :)


Skip

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Re: The Wrekin - worth a wander up?
« Reply #11 on: 18:52:43, 07/11/17 »
Summits aint everything - you obviously had a great walk :D
Skip

RogerA

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Re: The Wrekin - worth a wander up?
« Reply #12 on: 17:22:58, 29/03/18 »
Having just walked up and around the wrekin yesterday for the first time its definately worth a visit. Easy free parking just off J7 M54 (Forest Glen car park between the Wrekin and Ercall)
The short route to the summit is only 1.5 miles the first half mile is steep though - I should have paced myself better on that.
It was foggy, cloudy and hailing by the time I got to the top but still nice to get there. I took a longer more circuitous route back still all on dedicated paths rather than trogging across fields.
I'm definately going back hopefully on a sunnier day soon.

(as an aside on the way up while I stopped to catch my breath I was passed at speed by a 70 year old if she was a day lady with nordic poles who put me to shame - I just stared in disbelief at her fast disappearing heels ... )

Tin

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Re: The Wrekin - worth a wander up?
« Reply #13 on: 20:57:02, 29/03/18 »

Some cracking views according to the viewfinder site.

http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/panoramas/ENG/WREKIN.GIF


I've added it to my list if I ever find myself in the area.

Hillhiker1

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Re: The Wrekin - worth a wander up?
« Reply #14 on: 22:09:30, 29/03/18 »


"trees dripping with the rain of earlier on and the damp, misty air reflecting sparkles in the now sunlight.  The wonderful, earthy smell.  The mossy old tree stumps and rocks.  The squirrels.  The birdsong.  The snatched glimpses of the Shropshire(?) plain and Welsh hills beyond"


Magical! O0 Wonderful mental image there Mel..For me this is a big part of the walk - The sensory extras that accompany and combine with the physical effort... Brilliant!

 

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