Stiperstones (20km) Print

Stiperstones Waypoint 1

The Stiperstones with its distinctive ridge capped with stone tors is the legendary meeting place of Shropshire witches. The whole of the ridge has also been mined for minerals, mainly lead, since Roman times. Turn right out of The Bog Carpark (Grid reference SO358978) and take the road uphill. Where the road bears sharp right take the track straight on past the front of Hill Cottage. Follow this track for approximately 1 km to a crossroads.

Stiperstones Waypoint 2

Keep straight ahead at crossroads and continue along byway to the tarmac road . Turn right onto the road and taking care on the bends, follow down through Tankerville. Continue for another 1km untill you come to a sharp right hand bend.

Stiperstones Waypoint 3

Turn left onto a track and after 100m go through a gate on the right and follow a cross field bridleway which runs to a gate at the bottom edge of Buxton wood. Follow the woodland track up the hillside.

Stiperstones Waypoint 4

At junction of paths in the wood take the right hand path and follow the track through gates which eventually leads to the road in the villiage of Stiperstones.

Stiperstones Waypoint 5

Turn right on the road then left up a track just before the Stiperstones Inn, keeping the stream on your left. Follow this lane up to a gateway leading onto the Stiperstones National Nature Reserve. The track narrows and after 0.5 km bear right by old stone walls. This path takes you to the top of the Stiperstones ridge.

Stiperstones Waypoint 6

Turn left onto main track and continue for about 1km. When gate appears in front of you do not go through it but take the track to the left. Follow an old hedged lane then descend through feilds for about 1km

Stiperstones Waypoint 7

At a junction of paths keep left down to Lords Hill Chapel. Follow the tarmac lane round to the right then left and start the decent towards Snailbeach

Stiperstones Waypoint 8

After about 0.5km take a sharp right turn onto a track. Follow the path through remains of mine workings up into Estridge Wood.The path leads you down onto a wide forestry track which takes you around the perimeter of the woodland . Keep to the main track for approximately 2 miles ignoring all branches off it.

Stiperstones Waypoint 9

At a wide fork take the right hand track until it emerges at a car parking area. Go out onto tarmac road, turn right and continue approximately 350m

Stiperstones Waypoint 10

Turn right onto bridleway. Follow track up wooded valley to gate at top. Turn left onto track and then left at road to return to Lordshill Chapel. Retrace your steps up the hill to a gate by a band of conifer trees.

Stiperstones Waypoint 11

Go through gate and turn left uphill to gate in corner. Follow track through heather, keeping left at the fork. Continue to gate leading off Nature Reserve onto a track amongst the trees.

Stiperstones Waypoint 12

Fork right and follow bridleway across rough pasture land to gate leading back into nature reserve. Follow track back up to Shepherds Rock. Turn left onto track along top of ridge. At junction of tracks turn right and follow downhill for about 0.5 km to gate.

Stiperstones Waypoint 13

Do not go through gate. Turn left and keep to track along edge of reserve. Bear right downhill to road and follow road down to The Bog car park.