Author Topic: Caer Caradoc  (Read 2212 times)

adalard

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Caer Caradoc
« on: 10:44:32, 13/11/17 »
Morning all,


I've written up the second of three walks we did in Shropshire one weekend last month. We hadn't planned on walking Caer Caradoc but it caught our attention on the Saturday morning when we were arriving at Church Stretton and we decided to do it on impulse. It turned out to be one of the highlights of the weekend and we really enjoyed our brief jaunt up to the summit.


A few pics below:


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Caer Caradoc.


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The summit in view as we climbed up.


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Three Fingers Rock.


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Looking east - Hope Bowdler Hill dominates the horizon with Willstone Hill and the Battle Stones on the left.


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Looking north west towards Wales.


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Hope Bowdler Hill.


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Looking back up to Caer Caradoc as we returned to Church Stretton.


As always, a full trip report with more pictures can be found at the blog:


http://www.occasionallylost.com/2017/11/shropshire-hills-caer-caradoc.html


Cheers,  O0

April

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Re: Caer Caradoc
« Reply #1 on: 11:18:17, 13/11/17 »
Great stuff adalard, looking forward to the Stiperstones report. I hope you enjoyed the pizza and wine  :)
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adalard

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Re: Caer Caradoc
« Reply #2 on: 17:06:40, 13/11/17 »
Great stuff adalard, looking forward to the Stiperstones report. I hope you enjoyed the pizza and wine  :)


Cheers, April.  O0


Oh yes, the pizza and wine went down a treat.  :)

Dovegirl

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Re: Caer Caradoc
« Reply #3 on: 21:47:36, 13/11/17 »
Enjoyed the TR and photos adalard     :)    What fabulous views

sunnydale

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Re: Caer Caradoc
« Reply #4 on: 21:59:40, 13/11/17 »
Lovely scenic photos O0
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John Walker

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Re: Caer Caradoc
« Reply #5 on: 22:06:14, 13/11/17 »
Adalard
Great blog and photos! I looked longingly across at Caer Caradoc when we were walking on the Long Mynd but didn't have time to cross the valley.  Your photos make it look even better than we realised.  Must go back!
JW
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National Trails completed: SWCP, Thames, SDW and NDW

adalard

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Re: Caer Caradoc
« Reply #6 on: 08:53:28, 14/11/17 »
Enjoyed the TR and photos adalard     :)    What fabulous views


Lovely scenic photos O0


Thanks, Dovegirl and Sunnydale. It is a beautiful part of the country.  :)


Adalard
Great blog and photos! I looked longingly across at Caer Caradoc when we were walking on the Long Mynd but didn't have time to cross the valley.  Your photos make it look even better than we realised.  Must go back!
JW


Cheers, John.  :)   It's a great hill, lots of reward for really not a great deal of effort. I'm sure you'll enjoy it when you return to the area.  O0

barewirewalker

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Re: Caer Caradoc
« Reply #7 on: 10:59:44, 14/11/17 »
An interesting read in your blog, good the find you had such an enjoyable day. I hope you do not make the mistake many, who come to Shropshire make, which is to climb a hill and then think they know all about it. Having lived in the county all my life and had the privilege to talk with many countrymen, I find that there are many discoveries still to be made.


It was Caer Caradoc that finally made me lose patience with the published walks in Country Walking magazine  :( , a route that incorporated Cardingmill Valley with Caradoc. If the author wanted to make it into a longer walk the country to the east of the hill is absolutely fascinating but he throws in a crossing of the A49, further up from where you made your more sensible crossing.
The magazine left the its audience thinking (or so it hoped) that they had seen the best of Shropshire. This feature got a special mention in the Shropshire County Councils Local Access Forum, when I was a member, and this august body thought that it was 'good publicity'. To encourage walkers to get themselves spattered on the alter of the countries transport system just to grab a couple of extra peaks, rather than truly explore the hills you are visiting is akin to a hedgehog getting mesmerized by the glare of 40 tons of Toilet Tissue on tour from Tipton to Taunton, courtesy of Eddie Stobbart.


Will anyone reading this post and tempted by Adalard's lovely photos, look at a map, they will see an obvious figure of eight route, which incorporates the bases and the ridges of the Caradoc and the Lawley, all on rights of way. It does not matter, which direction it is walked, because if you do it one way you may want to come back and do it the other way around. The walker will not then go away and think that some occasional visitor to this county is an expert and knows the best way to walk here as described by experts in walking magazines.


Thanks Adalard for your entertaining TR and the opportunity to compose this piece of prose  :crazy2:


As a P.S. I spent a nights camping on the top of Caradoc, as a prelude to a walk into Shrewsbury, I would recommend it. Sadly I did not commune with the spirits of Caradoc and his merry warriors or see ghostly figures standing on Battle Rock but the views that dawn were breathtaking. An early start allowed a few illicit tweaks to my route that put me on the right track for Shrewsbury.





BWW
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adalard

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Re: Caer Caradoc
« Reply #8 on: 11:51:20, 14/11/17 »
An interesting read in your blog, good the find you had such an enjoyable day. I hope you do not make the mistake many, who come to Shropshire make, which is to climb a hill and then think they know all about it. Having lived in the county all my life and had the privilege to talk with many countrymen, I find that there are many discoveries still to be made...

Will anyone reading this post and tempted by Adalard's lovely photos, look at a map, they will see an obvious figure of eight route, which incorporates the bases and the ridges of the Caradoc and the Lawley, all on rights of way. It does not matter, which direction it is walked, because if you do it one way you may want to come back and do it the other way around. The walker will not then go away and think that some occasional visitor to this county is an expert and knows the best way to walk here as described by experts in walking magazines.


I'd never consider myself to be "an expert" who "knows all about" any of the countryside I've walked to be honest - whether it's an area that was new to me on arrival or somewhere I've been walking regularly for years. I'm well aware that there are others who have walked certain hills and fields for far longer and more frequently than I have (probably that includes most regular members of this forum) and also that there are the locals who live on and/or work the land and I'm always grateful when they share their knowledge. I usually try and do some research (geology, history) about where I'm walking for my own interest and (hopefully!) to add some interest to the blog.


Nothing I post is intended to be a walking guide and it states that in the footer to my blog. Occasionally Lost is simply a journal with photos, which I started because I really enjoy reading other people's blogs/trip reports and wanted to have a go at doing it myself.


I have a couple more routes plotted in the area, one of which will involve a more involved return visit to Caer Caradoc and take in some other hills. We really just nipped up there on impulse because we liked the look of it and we had an hour or so to spare before sundown.


If the author wanted to make it into a longer walk the country to the east of the hill is absolutely fascinating but he throws in a crossing of the A49, further up from where you made your more sensible crossing.
The magazine left the its audience thinking (or so it hoped) that they had seen the best of Shropshire. This feature got a special mention in the Shropshire County Councils Local Access Forum, when I was a member, and this august body thought that it was 'good publicity'. To encourage walkers to get themselves spattered on the alter of the countries transport system just to grab a couple of extra peaks, rather than truly explore the hills you are visiting is akin to a hedgehog getting mesmerized by the glare of 40 tons of Toilet Tissue on tour from Tipton to Taunton, courtesy of Eddie Stobbart.


The article sounds positively reckless, at least based on our experience of the A49. I wouldn't like to cross it anywhere there wasn't a proper crossing in place.


Thanks Adalard for your entertaining TR and the opportunity to compose this piece of prose  :crazy2:

As a P.S. I spent a nights camping on the top of Caradoc, as a prelude to a walk into Shrewsbury, I would recommend it. Sadly I did not commune with the spirits of Caradoc and his merry warriors or see ghostly figures standing on Battle Rock but the views that dawn were breathtaking. An early start allowed a few illicit tweaks to my route that put me on the right track for Shrewsbury.


Cheers, BWW.  O0  I hope at some point to get up there in time for day break, I can well imagine it's a very special place at dawn.

barewirewalker

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Re: Caer Caradoc
« Reply #9 on: 12:30:55, 14/11/17 »
I am no way casting nasturtiums at your suggestions, those intended criticism were intended at that other publication. Your understanding of geology is most welcome mine is rather superficial. I have greatly benefited, as I hope others do, by the observations given so freely here.

There is a little known cut across from the Lawley to Hoars Edge, used by the hunting fraternity, it makes for a very rewarding walk including these two features. Take a look on a map and see if if you can spot it. Will make a good route for another visit.
BWW
Their Land is in Our Country.

adalard

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Re: Caer Caradoc
« Reply #10 on: 14:43:48, 14/11/17 »
I am no way casting nasturtiums at your suggestions, those intended criticism were intended at that other publication. Your understanding of geology is most welcome mine is rather superficial. I have greatly benefited, as I hope others do, by the observations given so freely here.

There is a little known cut across from the Lawley to Hoars Edge, used by the hunting fraternity, it makes for a very rewarding walk including these two features. Take a look on a map and see if if you can spot it. Will make a good route for another visit.


Oh, absolutely no offence (or nasturtiums) taken on my part, BWW.  :) O0  I found your post interesting, re: the magazine article.


I've been looking at The Lawley and Hoars Edge, as you suggested, and I can't work out where the cut across you mention is, unless perhaps via Blackhurst Farm and Hurst Barn?


When I return, it's probably likely that I'll do The Lawley separately from Caer Caradoc. I intend to combine the latter with Ragleth, Hazler, Hope Bowdler and Willstone Hills, ending with a north-to-south crossing of Caer Caradoc to bring me back into Church Stretton. This will allow me to explore Little Caradoc and also do a reverse route of the part of Caer Caradoc I've already walked.


I'll probably plot something that takes in routes north-west of The Lawley when I do that - I was thinking maybe Lodge Hill and Langley Chapel. I haven't sat and thought about this one much yet, though, as I'm not yet sure when I'll be able to get back down to Shropshire.

Penygadair

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Re: Caer Caradoc
« Reply #11 on: 15:21:01, 14/11/17 »
Excellent and interesting blog - and great photos Adalard.  O0

barewirewalker

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Re: Caer Caradoc
« Reply #12 on: 16:20:54, 14/11/17 »

I've been looking at The Lawley and Hoars Edge, as you suggested, and I can't work out where the cut across you mention is, unless perhaps via Blackhurst Farm and Hurst Barn?



Follow the south ridge down off the Lawley, until you can do a descending curving contour to intercept the track that skirts Shoot Rough then cross the fields to get to the first of the two grey paths which ascend diagonally up Hoar's Edge, there is a hunting wicket at the top, this accesses a track that leads to the BOAT shown on OS explorer maps. You can then walk to Causeway Wood and follow the crest of the ridge to the trig point, descend via Lodghill.


The last time I was up by that trig, we saw the most wonderful sunset over the skyline from Hope Bowdler Hill, Caradoc, Long Mynd and Stiperstones.
There are good footpaths back to the North end of the Lawley. If anyone queries you, tell them that a friend who has followed the South Shropshire for years recommended the route. Should work, haven't found a farmer down there with much love for foxes except for chasing them.
« Last Edit: 16:24:06, 14/11/17 by barewirewalker »
BWW
Their Land is in Our Country.

adalard

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Re: Caer Caradoc
« Reply #13 on: 16:56:39, 14/11/17 »
Follow the south ridge down off the Lawley, until you can do a descending curving contour to intercept the track that skirts Shoot Rough then cross the fields to get to the first of the two grey paths which ascend diagonally up Hoar's Edge, there is a hunting wicket at the top, this accesses a track that leads to the BOAT shown on OS explorer maps. You can then walk to Causeway Wood and follow the crest of the ridge to the trig point, descend via Lodghill.


Ah, yes - I see it. Many thanks for that, BWW.  O0

adalard

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Re: Caer Caradoc
« Reply #14 on: 16:57:05, 14/11/17 »
Excellent and interesting blog - and great photos Adalard.  O0


Cheers, Penygadair.  :)

 

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