The Gill Harris Memorial Fingerpost at High Park
On leave today, so went over to Church Stretton to have a look at some of the Gill Harris Challenge route (see link here). The route is named in memory of a longstanding Mercia Fellrunners member, and visits 24 hilltops around the Long Mynd, plus the fingerpost above.
The area I'm least familiar with is the northern end of the route, which included three (minor) hills I'd never visited: Novers Hill, Plush Hill and Castle Hill, all close to All Stretton. I made a reasonable trip of it by including the hills immediately north of Cardingmill Valley so I could recce the links.
My route was from the car park in Batch Valley near All Stretton, up Novers Hill, then across and up Stanyeld and on to Bodbury Ring and Haddon Hill. It's mostly downhill from there past the fingerpost and on down a lovely grass path to Plush Hill (very close to the road near Jinlye). I went on easily down the road to the edge of All Stretton and up the very short but steep slope to Castle Hill (there was a Norman motte and bailey fortification here). A little jog took me past the Yew Tree Inn and up into Batch Valley to the car.
All Stretton from the start of the climb up Novers Hill
Ragleth Hill, Church Stretton and Cardingmill Valley from Stanyeld
R to L: Caer Caradoc, the Lawley and the Wrekin from Plush Hill
5.3 miles, 1,130', and a satisfyingly slow 1:18:50 (I was really trying to take it easy after yesterday's fairly quick effort).
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