Hills, meres, canals and castles — Shropshire Way South and North

This first stage leaves the ancient market town of Shrewsbury and heads immediately out into its gorgeous surroundings. The route is gently undulating and has one major hill; Wilderley Hill. At 15.5 miles long (24.9 km), this hike is a solid start to the Shropshire Way but doesn’t present any technical… read more

This stage marches across some of the Shropshire Hills’ most extraordinary landscapes, with craggy summits and exquisite views in abundance. You’ll hike through valleys, up to teetering boulders and down through quaint little villages. The first two-thirds are the hilliest and the final stretch is more… read more

This is a stage of excellent views and endless, rolling fields. You’ll enjoy challenging ascents and steep descents with plenty of places to pause and admire the scenery. Castles, ridgelines and woodlands all make an appearance on this hike. The settlements you pass are small and this section of the… read more

Well and truly embracing the Shropshire Hills AONB, this hike takes you up to excellent viewpoints and down into vibrant valleys. Two hillforts reveal the ancient history of this area while the seemingly endless patchwork fields show how this county is still as rural as ever. There are some steep ascents… read more

Unlike the previous stages, this hike sees just one hill before spending the rest of its 11.8-mile (19 km) wandering along relatively flat landscapes. This walk takes in much local history, with the stunning Stokesay Castle kicking things off before passing through ancient Bromfield and ending in Ludlow… read more

This stage of the southern loop takes you to the third-highest point of the Shropshire Hills AONB at Titterstone Clee, which sits only a fraction lower than Brown Clee and the Stiperstones. The hike climbs gradually and leaves its descent until the last third, so there aren’t too many ups and downs over… read more

This stage of the Way begins by hiking to the highest point in the AONB, Brown Clee. A large hill with a ridgeline, the views are mesmerising and reveal just how rural Shropshire is. Starting and ending away from settlements, you need to plan this Tour perhaps more carefully than others.



Start at Wheathill… read more

This stage of the Way takes in plenty of intriguing scenery including an old tramway, glorious woodlands, an ancient town and some exceptional views. Gently undulating but with no real ascent or descents, this is a marvellous hike through Shropshire’s pretty countryside.



Start at Wilderhope Hall and hike… read more

The section of the Way leaves historic Ironbridge and leads you to one of Shropshire’s most iconic landmarks; the Wrekin. After its recent renovation, the Shropshire Way also takes you over the Ercall, the Wrekin’s smaller neighbour. As a result, this 11.1-mile (17.9 km) hike has some fairly hefty climbs… read more

This stage is a hefty 18.8 miles (30.2 km) and is the final section of the southern loop. It has little in the way of elevation change and is a straightforward walk, but if you’d prefer to split it, you can stop at Upton Magna or Uffington and catch the number 524 bus to Shrewsbury. The hike passes through… read more

This is the first section of the Shropshire Way’s northern loop and leads you north to the county’s flatter landscapes. This extensive plain is highly fertile, making for wonderful farmland. The route remains rural but there are more towns and villages nearby than in the southern loop. This pretty Tour… read more

This stage is actually a spur in the loop but as the endpoint in Whitchurch is pretty, I’ve plotted the next stage 13 to go directly from Whitchurch to Ellesmere, so there’s no backtracking required. Alternatively, if you’d like to cut out Whitchurch, you can walk from Wem to Ellesmere following the… read more

A section of this Tour, from Whitchurch to Roundthorn Bridge is not technically the Shropshire Way. Instead, it follows the towpath of the Llangollen Canal, to avoid having to backtrack along the spur route to Whitchurch. This hike largely uses the towpath and seldom leaves the canal until the outskirts… read more

Another canal-based stage, this hike leads you along both the Llangollen Canal and the Montgomery Canal, including a drained section. Locks, bridges, villages and peaceful towpaths make this 14-mile (22.5 km) walk rather peaceful.



Start in Ellesmere and follow the canal out to the south as it meanders… read more

This stage follows the River Vyrnwy for the first half as it curves and loops its way through farmland. The river is liable to flooding in the winter, making this a Tour for drier months. Flat as a pancake until the hill at Nesscliffe, this is a relaxing hike across fields and a few lanes. Serene to… read more

The final stage largely follows the Severn Way, meandering about the landscape via fields and lanes to the end in Shrewsbury. Flat, the final quarter follows the river closely as it loops into and around the historic market town.



Start from Nesscliffe and cross over the A5 to reach the village of Wilcott… read more