Haughmond Hill and home

Looking towards Shrewsbury

Was this the old stables where I once rode?

The morning started overcast and we had a heavy shower while we ate breakfast. After breakfast we prepared to leave camp for the last time by emptying the grey water and did not fill up the fresh tank, leaving just enough for the journey home.

The distant hills

Looking towards Shrewsbury

We drove straight to the Forestry Commission car par for Haughmond Hill and paid £1.00 for the next two hours even though it was raining. We walked up the hill when the shower stopped along a wide paved path through the trees. It felt as if nothing had changed, even though the trail was made of stone chippings when it used to be bare earth. Thankfully after one light shower at the beginning of the walk the weather brightened up.

the flat Shropshire plain

The side of the hill hides The Wrekin

About half way up we left the wide path to follow a dirt trail up to the view point. Just before the view point there were paths leading off in different directions just as I remembered. I would have loved to explore one of these but we had to start the homeward journey.

Me enjoying the view

information block or stone seat

Lottie at the local stones

At the main view point we were able to look at the line of stones which had been covered by resting walkers last time we were up here. Each stone was from a different part of the quarry or another local quarry and had its name carved onto its side. They all looked different having various colours and textures. How surprising that such a range of stone should come from such a small area. 

At last I can name those hills

Lord Hill's Column

On some of them were panoramas naming the local hills. It was good to put names to the hills I had loved. When I had come up to the view point as a child there was nothing here but the view. After gazing at the Shropshire hill we retraced our steps to the car park although Lottie tried to get Van Man to explore another route.We left Haughmond Hill at 11.00 and started our journey home with Van Man driving all the way to Warwick services. The traffic was moving well which helped but the strong wind made the vans and lorries move sideways at times so Van Man had to be extra alert.

Looking for The Stiperstones

Wenlock Edge

I drove from Warwick, stopping briefly at Oxford services to check we had closed the front skylight. It was slightly open which explained the extra road noise we had experienced. I carried on driving in good traffic conditions until the M3 junction where road works had caused a minor hold up. When we came to a stop Van Man took over the driving. It is easy to slip from one seat to another inside the van and this saved us from making another stop at services.

another information block

After that one stop the traffic kept flowing. We followed a mobile home which made a wide load as we came off the M23. It was interesting watching how the support team helped the driver of this wide and high load.

I can see for miles...

...and miles

 Between the Copthorne roundabout and the Dukes Head there are numerous central bollards and at several of these the lorry had to pass by on the wrong side due to the overhanging trees. He was aided by the support drivers who stopped the oncoming traffic. Each time several drivers ahead of us overtook by driving up the right side of the road. At the third set of bollards Van Man was able to slip up the inside of the wide load and trundle home.

Attingham Park and Wroxeter Roman City

Attingham House

side view of the house

It was a dry sunny morning first thing, but clouds and the threat of rain soon developed. After breakfast Van Man drove over to the service point to empty the grey water, fill with fresh water and empty the toilet cassette. This has to be done every two days when there are no toilet or shower facilities. By the time we had done these jobs it was time to head to Attingham Park as our allotted time slot was 10.00 to 10.30.

bridge over the river

low bushes...

 There was plenty of parking and as the weather seemed good we decided to combine three of the walks which we could do on their one way system.

Our route took us past the mansion and then crossed the river into the deer park. Lottie went down into the river to cool off even though she was still on the extending lead. Van Man had to extend it to its full length to keep his feet dry.

...or resting stags

Unafraid of Lottie Lurcher on the nearby path

At the start of the deer park we could see what looked like a huge bush bare of leaves. As we grew closer we saw it was a large herd of male deer lying down under a tree. It was surprising to see so many stags lying in close company. The estate was home to 180 Fallow Deer of which we spotted several large groups.

carved peacock

This way

Before I go over that bridge...

We also saw does and fawns wandering around in smaller groups, which was a fabulous sight.
Lottie wanted to get closer but she had no choice but to stay on the grassy path as I held her lead tightly.

...I need a little dip

The city wall at Woxeter

We lengthened our stroll by entering the gate to the WW2 walk which took us to parts of the park that had been occupied by the RAF. 
This included the foundations for buildings and the concrete path their vehicles had used. 

Finally we entered the woodland walk. There we experienced two short rain showers, but we were partly protected by the tree canopy. By the time we went out across the park the rain had stopped.

looking across the site

The reconstructed villa on the roman road

 Although Lottie had to remain on the lead she seemed to enjoy the walk. It led to a suspension bridge where Lottie went down into the water to have a drink. She prefers river or canal water to the stuff from the tap which we put into her bowl. The one way system took us past the walled garden to the exit.

the heath for the villa's underfloor heating system.

Back at Sally Van we had lunch and a rest as the walk had taken over two hours. When Van Man saw Wroxeter Roman City was only a short distance down the road he went on line to get tickets. We were lucky to get slots for 3.00 today. We waited until 2.50 before moving off and still got to the roman city before 3.00. There were only a few parking places so it was good that we had not got there too early.

The highest surviving Roman wall

The Roman wall was impressive just as I remembered it. They had built a Roman villa to show what the buildings were like.

We set up for the night and fed Lottie. However she decided she wanted an evening walk even though she had been for a long walk this morning. Obviously she uses less energy when she is on the lead. We went around the dog walk past splendid views of the Wrekin then through the woods and onto the top site.

Once back at Sally Van  Lottie slept all evening.

Haughmond Hill and Haughmond Abbey

View when we emerged from the trees

Uffington Village with Shrewsbury and Welsh hills behind

The morning was bright with some cloud cover. After breakfast we drove to Haughmond Abbey. As the car park for Haughmond Hill was full we went into the Abbey car park, and found a deep slot. We set out for Haughmond Hill at 10.20. The path was narrow, surrounded by bracken and followed the fence of a quarry. The views were limited due to the trees.

The River Severn and Shrewsbury

The industrial area

I had lived in Shrewsbury until I was ten years old and had often biked over to the hill, so I expected to recognise this walk but it was unfamiliar. I remembered wide paths and expected to have the side of the hill rising beside me instead of the quarry. I thought tree growth could have changed it over fifty years and that the quarry had eaten most of the hill away. It was very disappointing.

Close up on Shrewsbury

Bridge over the river

We left the quarry fence behind and found a path leading to a clearing with splendid views over Shrewsbury. This was more familiar and I could work out where my old home had been as it was near the meandering River Severn.

We went back to the main track and carried on going away from the van. Suddenly the trees thinned out and we reached the main view point on top of Haughmond Hill.

Beautiful Window frames

Impressive Arched window

“This is it!” I exclaimed. “But I can’t remember the path up to here.” There were quite a few people standing around. Where had they all come from?

I spoke to one person who was a local that I used to come here from Sundorne Road when I was a child.

Lottie inspects the ruins

The round turret

“Oh yes there is a cycle track from there through to the hill,” she replied. She pointed out the track which approached the hill from this

The Abbot's Hall

The kitchens and refectory

end. No wonder the walk had been unfamiliar as I had never walked to the hill from the abbey. Another person told Van Man that there was a big car park with a cafe this end of the hill which explained where everyone had come from.

Beautiful stone coping

Chapter House

split level site

Meanwhile Lottie made friends with a family and their cute sausage dog.

We admired the views for a while and then returned the way we had come as the wider tracks I remembered all led the other way.

Back at Sally Van we had a relaxed lunch looking out over Haughmond Abbey. Lottie lay outside by our back door as she usually did during lunch.

Then we had a good look around Haughmond Abbey which was an Augustan ruin. It was spread out over a large site. Surprisingly the main Nave of the Church had steps in the middle of it instead of a large flat floor. A lot of the high arched windows had intact frames giving character to the ruins. 

Lottie exploring the Abbey

Romantic ruins

A roof had been added to the Chapter house and a lot of stonework was displayed in there, safe from the elements. Various figures carved into the pillars also had survived the years.

Thick stone work.

At last we got into Sally Van and set out to find my childhood home. We found it easily a small bungalow next to a row of houses. The front had been added to and the thick hedge around the property had disappeared but the road was fairly unchanged.
Van Man decided to try driving through the town even though I remembered narrow streets. However the centre of Shrewsbury had a one way system in place making the drive through easier. It was a lovely day. I enjoyed seeing places that I had not been to since my primary school days.
The evening at the campsite was relaxing after our busy day

Carved pillars from the cloister