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.