Shropshire Hills & Countryside

We hope that this page will be of interest to everyone, whatever your interest or ability, whether you are a serious walker or a wheelchair user, whether you access the countryside on foot, cycle or by car – please read on …..

Panoramic views in Lyth Hill Country ParkThe panoramic views from Lyth Hill House are matched, indeed possibly surpassed, by the views reached after a five-minute stroll from the house. This is the View Point in Lyth Hill Country Park overlooking the Wrekin and the South Shropshire hills. Because we are on a plateau at the top of Lyth Hill, many not able to tackle serious walking will enjoy a stroll to take in the views and appreciate the peaceful countryside. Those who rely fully on the car to enjoy the countryside can enjoy the view with ease from the car park at the panoramic view-point. We can also advise on some lovely driving routes through spectacular Shropshire scenery far from the crowds and only a stone’s throw from our home.

A glimpse of the Wrekin on our
circular walkLyth Hill House is situated on Lyth Hill, an unspoilt area designated a "Country Park." We are 5 miles south of Shrewsbury and our map reference is SJ 467071. We are quietly situated, overlooking miles of countryside with Shrewsbury and the Welsh Hills in the distance.  There is a lovely 45 minute circular walk from our home which is a super introduction to help you find your bearings - views in every direction taking in the Wrekin, Ironbridge, Caer Caradoc, the Long Mynd, the Stiperstones, the Berwyn mountains in Wales, Nescliffe, Pimhill and Grinshill. Information on this walk and numerous others is readily available in our dining room. For serious walkers, there are many good public footpaths close to our home and the Shropshire Way is less than a half a mile from the house.

Lyth Hill is just south of the County town of Shrewsbury and at the northern edge of the Shropshire Hills - Most famous of these is The Long Mynd (1,694 ft) a  mecca for serious walkers, which can be equally appreciated by car, with Cardingmill Valley and its National Trust café and gift shop being particularly popular. A “must do” whilst at Lyth Hill House is to drive along our back lane past Castle Pulverbatch to Bridges and  then drive upwards over the spectacular Burway route descending to Church Stretton, with the option of returning to us along the A49 or coming back over the Long Mynd again - superb!

The Stiperstones is our favourite area - rugged beauty on the sky-line giving a host of options to suit everyone from the demanding “Stiperstones Stomp” to a superb “All-ability” trail making this lovely area accessible to wheelchair users as well as those with other disabilities. The Long Mynd Shuttle service  is a great help to walkers wanting to do a linear walk in the Shropshire Hills or indeed to those drivers who’d like a day off to enjoy the scenery as a passenger! To the east of the Long Mynd is Caer Carodoc (1,506ft) a pretty stiff climb for walkers with an iron-age fort at the summit. Ragleth Hill, too, is a climb well worth the effort  Wenlock Edge, a spectacular wooded escarpment, is a limestone ridge and is the remains of a coral reef from 400 million years ago. This area particularly is of interest to fossil hunters and geologists as well as to walkers. There is a wheelchair-friendly path from the Presthope car park. The Wrekin (1,334 ft) stands on its own to the North East of this group of hills and Haughmond Hill offers access by car with lovely walks and views without much climbing at all.

If you want to walk but to avoid climbing, there are lovely walks along the banks of the river Severn as well as alongside the Shropshire Union Canal. There are many circular walks from our local villages and towns and the Severn Valley Railway also has walks from each country station. The Secret Hills discovery centre at Craven Arms features manageable walks as well as indoor attractions, such as a simulated ride in a hot air balloon. To the north of Shrewsbury away from the hills, the meres have their own appeal, teaming with wild-life with lots of walking opportunities round the lakes as well as along a network of canals.

Over the centuries Shropshire has proved to be an inspiration to local folk and visitors as well as to those who have become famous for their writings such as Mary Webb who used to live in Spring Cottage on Lyth Hill; Ellis Peters (Brother Cadfael), A.E. Housman and Wilfred Owen. Most famous of all perhaps is Charles Darwin who learned his love of nature during the first 27 years of his life in Shrewsbury. Please visit our Shropshire 2009 page to find out why Charles Darwin is responsible for making 2009 such an exciting year for our county.  It is our hope that you too will be inspired by the beauty of our landscape and the hospitality experienced in Shropshire. More recently many photographers have been inspired by the Shropshire Hills and Countryside – why not give it a try and see what you can achieve?

Eating al frescoTo help you to plan your stay with us, a detailed  local weather forecast is printed out daily for you and is also accessible on the internet using the guest pc in the sun-lounge or indeed using your own laptop and WiFi in your room. If you plan to do a walk that is off the beaten track, it is advisable to leave this information with us or in your room, in the unlikely event of accident or misfortune!  If you would like to have a personal guide - on foot, by coach or by car - please contact our expert local guides who will be happy to share our lovely county with you. However you choose to enjoy our lovely countryside, we’re sure you’ll find time to enjoy some good food and hospitality at one of our country pubs!

Links of further interest

Some circular walks in Shropshire

About 3 dozen varied walks in Shropshire

Wheelchair accessible countryside trails

We have provided links from this site in good faith but Lyth Hill House © is not responsible for the content or design of any external sites visited.