Distance: 7.8 miles

Difficulty of the terrain: hard

Get the route via: Ordnance Survey Maps or download the GPX. file from Dropbox

Walk along the most dramatic part of the Stiperstone ridge in the western part of the Shropshire Hills from Minsterley north of the ridge, to Stiperstones village west of the ridge itself.

The Story

The Walk

Getting Back

Shropshire’s Shining Quartzite Ridge

Unusually, when viewed from afar the tallest part of Shropshire’s Stiperstones ridge, rising 536 metres above sea level, making it the county’s second tallest point, is not especially dramatic. This is because all of the land surrounding it is also very high up. Instead the drama of this part of the ridge is to be found all along the crest of the hill itself.

In terms of age, the rocks that comprise the Stiperstones sit midway between the deeply ancient rocks of the Malvern Hills far to the south east in Worcestershire, and the younger, ruder stones like sandstone, limestone and millstone grit which make up the bulk of the rock underlying the Midlands.

This includes unusual, immensely hard quartzite formed 480 million years ago. Weathered by deep ground frost during the last ice age 15,000 years ago, pieces of this tough rock broken up by the cold during that time and the action of water freezing and thawing repeatedly, litter the top of the hill. 

However, these smaller remnants of when Stiperstones was where the Welsh ice sheet met the ice covering what is now central England, are merely one part of what makes the ridge so distinctive. Stiperstones is defined by a long row of craggy quartzite outcrops with evocative names like Nipstone Rock, Manstone Rock and the Devil’s Chair. They define the top of the long sloping southern end of the Stiperstones ridge like well worn intermittent teeth.

It is no surprise that despite its remote situation in a south westerly corner of Shropshire, one of the Midlands least populous counties (especially relative to size), that Stiperstones has long attracted human interest. These days much of the ridge, including the distinctive, quartzite southern end, crossed by the Shropshire Way, is a National Nature Reserve. However, there are plenty of signs along the ridge that prehistoric peoples for millenia, gathered, lived upon, and otherwise interacted with the Stiperstones ridge. In later centuries right up until the 1950s rare metals, especially lead, were mined from the hills. Fascinating up until the first decades of the last century squatters camps were set up by miners working mineral lodes in the hills. A very small number of their properties survive, almost uniquely despite such settlements once having been common across the western Midlands, and are being, or have been, restored.

The Walk

Get the route: via Ordnance Survey Maps or download the GPX. file from Dropbox

I create the Walk Midlands routes via Ordnance Survey Maps Explorer enabling me to take them on my phone. Subscribe yourself via the banner above.

This walk along the most dramatic part of the Stiperstone ridge in the western part of the Shropshire Hills National Landscape begins from the large village of Minsterley north of the ridge, and ends at the bus stop outside the pub in the little settlement of Stiperstones to the west of the ridge itself.

A relatively frequent bus service (at the time of writing in September 2024) from Shrewsbury, at least on weekdays and Saturdays, runs from Shrewsbury to Minsterley, with a few services each day continuing to Stiperstones village.

Having passed the Muller yoghurts factory and the church in the centre of Minsterley alight the bus at the final stop on the south of the village.

Once off the bus walk straight ahead from the bus stop along the main road, crossing a couple of driveways and minor roads running off to the left, passing the village’s primary school.

Presently the pavement looks to peter out. At about this point look on the left for a gap leading through the hedgerow out onto a field.

Through the hedgerow and out in the field, begin walking across, following the faint outline of a path.

As you walk head diagonally to the right making for a distinctive old tree jutting out of a hedgerow.

Upon reaching it turn right and follow the line of the hedgerow.

Approaching another, thicker, older hedgerow follow the footpath into it.

Inside the hedgerow there is a stile which you cross heading to the right making for a track running along the edge of a field.

Once on the track turn left and walk along it. Note that at the time I walked the route the landowner had erected electrified fences around all of their fields, including over footpaths, but that the wires could be fairly easily and safely detached to allow people to cross and access gates and stiles. 

At the top of the track, crossing into another field and approaching a large farm, there is a stile to the left which you cross.

Once in the other field walk straight ahead uphill approaching another stile set in a hedgerow.

Across the stile and into the next field turn right walking diagonally, heading for a gateway out onto a track.

Once on the track continue walking straight ahead across the track and into another field approaching an old stone wall with thick woodland behind it.

Upon reaching the wall turn right following the wall.

On reaching the end of the wall turn left heading for a stile, with a derelict house surrounded by abandoned cars, beyond it.

Having crossed the stile walk uphill following the track, past the derelict house for a short distance.

Soon the track curves around sharply to the right.

After following it for a short distance, you emerge into a scattered hamlet on the edge of the village of Snailbeach.

Continue along the track, passing an array of houses, and some disused farm buildings being slowly converted into houses, until you come out on a main road.

Here, turn left and walk along the road for a short distance, cross a bridge over the course of a former narrow gauge railway line, and continue towards a car park for the woodlands which lie on the northern end of the Stiperstones ridge.

Upon reaching the car park the road forks. Here take the narrower left hand fork running uphill past spoil heaps from when Snailbeach was a major lead mining centre.

Off to your left as you walk you pass some of the ruins of one of the mines where a wooden replica of some mining gear has been set-up.

Just past this museum site the road curves around sharply to the right and continues running uphill towards a cluster of cottages behind the former mine site and on the edge of thick, pine plantation, woodland.

The road curves around to the left upon reaching the cottages heading into the trees.

Look out on the right for a track running off into the trees.

Walk past a metal gate and onto a woodland track which you follow for some distance coming out beside the stone ruins of another set of mine workings.

Pass these mine workings and carry on following a footpath through the trees.

Soon you reach a wide, very well worn path running uphill through the trees. Turn left here and begin walking uphill.

Carry on along this path for quite some distance passing a tall old chimney on your left.

Presently you emerge from the trees beside a wooden gate out onto a grassy hillside.

Through the gate walk straight up the hill.

Once on the brow of the hill continue walking straight ahead heading down towards a fenceline.

Upon reaching the fence turn right, passing a footgate and heading for a steep sided valley. It was misty when I walked the route but on a clearer day the Castle Ring hillfort is visible on the other side.

At the end of the fenceline there is a narrow, but well worn path leading down into the valley running off to the left.

Follow this pathway as it runs steadily and steeply downhill.

At the bottom of the path, turn right, and join another wider path running along beside a stream.

Follow it up through the trees. Soon passing through a gate.

On the far side of the gate you emerge from the woodland, crossing over a little brook, and passing one of the older squatting miners houses which are characteristic of Stiperstones industrial past. It was under restoration when I walked the route in September 2024.

Just past the old cottage you reach another gate which you pass through. On the other side you continue uphill as the valley narrows into a tight clough style cutting beside a stream.

The path narrows, and you scrabble up some rocks to the right, approaching open hillside.

You then follow a narrow track up the clough towards the top of the hills, almost level with the site of the Castle Ring Hillfort.

Having climbed the narrow valley for some distance, nearing the top on your left there is a narrow but distinct track to the left through the undergrowth.

Follow this for some distance until you reach the line of a fence. Upon reaching the fence, turn right and follow it.

Soon you reach a wide clear track cutting through the undergrowth. Upon reaching it, turn right.

Having walked down this track for some distance you reach a fork. Here take the right hand fork and continue along the track for a short distance.

Soon on your left there is a much narrower track running off to follow the line of a steep edge dropping down to a valley far below.

Follow this track as it curves around to the left following the edge of the drop down to the valley below.

Soon, following the lie of the land and the edge of the ridge, it curves around to the right.

Follow this path for some distance walking high above the narrow valley below.

Presently you come to where a patch of brown earth covers the path near the end of the ridge you have been following. This is a spoil tip from generations ago when there was mining and quarrying in this part of the Stiperstones.

Upon reaching the former spoil tip turn left, and pick up a clearly defined path running to the right straight downhill amidst trees.

Turn left here and follow the Shropshire Way uphill, along an old mining track lined by tumbled down old stone walls.

Follow the well worn path out onto open hillside.

Continue walking until you reach a cairn with a waymarking post stuck in the middle of it.

At this cairn turn right and follow the well worn path in front of you.

This leads steadily upwards onto the famous southern part of the Stiperstones.

Keep on following the easy to navigate, albeit very uneven, path approaching the first of the famed quartzite outcrops.

Carry on past the Witches Chair, one of the largest and most distinctive of the outcrops, its face like a white stony cliff.

Beyond the Witches Chair you pass more smaller chunk of quartzite to reach the highest one of the all. This chunk of rock has a trig point on top of it, and at 536 metres above sea level is the tallest point on the Stiperstones and the second tallest in Shropshire.

Then the path begins winding downhill towards the southern edge of the ridge at a place called The Bog. Passing Cranberry Rock, the last of the quartzite outcrops to the left you steadily continue downhill towards a car park.

At the gate leading into the car park turn right and follow a path running along the southern edge of the Stiperstones ridge.

Follow this well worn path for quite some distance.

Presently you reach a junction where you turn right joining a path which runs northwards along the western edge of the Stiperstones National Nature Reserve area.

Carry on along this path a fair way. 

After quite some distance until you reach a gateway out into fields.

Here turn right picking up a bridleway running north.

There are great views up towards the quartzite outcrops on top of Stiperstones to your right, as well to the left out towards the hills in Wales, not all that far to the west.

Continue along the track as it loops around sharply to the left.

Walking straight ahead following the track. 

Presently you reach a gate on the left. Instead of walking through it, carry on straight ahead following the line of a fence.

 After a short distance you reach a junction on the path. Here turn right, heading steadily downhill towards woodland.

The path narrows, but remains clear as you approach the trees.

Upon reaching the trees carry on following the path downhill through the woodland.

Presently you reach the edge of the trees and a stile leading out onto a steeply sloping meadow.

Once in the meadow turn right and begin heading downhill.

Soon you see the village of Stiperstones ahead of you, as well as the dramatic, decidedly Cumbrian looking, slopes of the middle part of the Stiperstones ridge.

Follow the path downhill approaching the southern edge of the village.

Almost at the houses turn left and follow the path into bushes and across a stile to reach the side of the road into the village.

Once on the road turn right and follow the road through Stiperstones.

Take care as you walk, as some drivers come through the village quite fast, as well as pulling out of driveways and side roads, as you walk.

At the Stiperstones Inn near the northern end of the village you reach the bus stop.

This is where the walk ends.

Getting Back

At the time of writing (September 2024) there were buses from the Stiperstones Inn stop to Shrewsbury (for onward bus and train connections) at 11:15, 14:35 and 16:50 on weekdays. On Saturdays there was a single departure at 14:45, and Sundays saw no service. On Saturdays there was a more frequent service from Plox Green just south of Minsterley, reachable with around 40 minutes walking along roads from Stiperstones via Snailbeach. A roughly hourly service also departed Minsterley on weekdays. Plox Green and Minsterley also did not have a Sunday service. There was also a Stiperstones Shuttle under the auspices of the Shropshire Hills National Landscape, which ran on weekends (including Sundays) from Church Stretton Railway Station, but only between late May and early September.