A Long Mynd Moment

Memories of childhood fiction have been whizzing through my mind the last few days. Many years ago I read a series of books set around the Long Mynd in Shropshire by Malcolm Saville. Today I got to climb the Long Mynd for real .

A fluffy, cloud billowing day greeted us this morning. Perfect walking weather. We headed for Carding Mill carpark run by the National Trust where they have a series of walks on Long Mynd to suit every ability. After a delicious bowl of National Trust soup we selected our walk card. Three choices: easy, medium and hard. Of course we went for the hardest, only five miles, but fairly rugged.

The highest point, Pole Bank was our target at 517 metres above sea level before the return trip. The first half an hour was the hardest. Up hill all the way, gratifying views of the valley as we turned to rest for brief moments. Once at the top, the moorland plateaued and views of heather and bracken edged with blue and white sky. We have our Neolithic ancestors to thank for the cleared ground. They preferred high ground for their settlements and to graze their animals. They even made a roadway at the top known as The Portway. We joined this as we made our way across the stony highway to a Bronze Age barrow ( burial site ) at Shooting Hill. We were fortunate to see Welsh ponies standing at the top of the barrow. There are only about thirty ponies on the Long Mynd and they chose today to pose artistically for us on the barrow. 

Our Neolithic ancestors are also responsible for clearing the hilltop of trees. They preferred the ground for animal grazing. Since the National Trust took over the land in the 1960’s they have managed the grazing, clearing some of the gorse and bracken. Heather still grows abundantly but today the gorgeous purple had been toned down to a muted sepia. The gorse on the other hand glowed in the slanting afternoon light. As we descended through Townbrook hollow occasional hawthorn trees clung onto the rocky scree.

The high point at Pole Bank was spectacular. The Wrekin in one direction, Brecon Beacons in another and don't forget the Malvern hills. The peace was broken by a helicopter zooming across the horizon with more peaceful gliders soaring on the thermals.

As we headed back across the moorland the beautiful site of many skylarks punctuated the sky. Their flapping wings as they hovered above the ground was mesmerising.

All in all a wonderful afternoon in a beautiful part of the world. Forever etched in my memory.

Hope all is well with you all.

Barbara xxx