It’s been a wet winter so far but the Shifnal Rambler, Günther Bedson, avoids the mud by following country lanes and enjoys countryside views, visits small, rural churches and manages to explore three local towns along the way before heading home for a well deserved hot meal washed down by craft cider.An eerie dawn horizon accompanied me yesterday on the drive across Shropshire from Shifnal to Ludlow. The rolling hills and fields were covered in a light dusting of frost, like icing-sugar. Following narrow and winding country roads I passed mighty Brown Clee Hill and reached Ludlow in under an hour. After a recent hike in southern Shropshire, that included a jaunt along the Herefordshire Trail to Leintwardine, I’d been planning this adventure for a few weeks, but needed a day of reliably good weather to attempt it.The Feathers Hotel in Ludlow Photo:Günther BedsonI parked the car near the railway station and started walking at 8.00am. The air was fresh, clean, and very cold. For the first time since last winter, I wore my thick, thermal coat, a pair of gloves, and a woolly hat. Ludlow was coming to life only reluctantly at this early hour and there were few people out and about. I walked into town, passing the imposing half-timbered façade of the Feathers Hotel, which is 400 years old and one of the more than 500 listed buildings in this ancient town. I marvelled at the tower of St Laurence’s church, which rises to a height of 48 metres and dominates Ludlow’s skyline from miles away. Descending to the river Teme, I passed the Horseshoe Weir and headed eastwards out of town along obscure country lanes.After an hour, the sun was smiling brightly in my face, and I was able to pack away the gloves and hat and enjoy a warming glow on my grateful cheeks. For many miles I had wonderful views of the elongated and shapely Titterstone Clee Hill. I walked at an easy-going pace and soon followed a leaf-covered bridleway between fields. This became progressively muddier and was in parts water-logged. I had designed yesterday’s route using the Ludlow Ordnance Survey map (OS 203). Normally I would have used numerous public footpaths across farmers’ fields but decided to avoid these trails as much as possible, as the aftereffects of many weeks of heavy rain would have slowed me down too much.The church of St James, Greete Photo: Günther BedsonI stopped briefly in a tiny farming community called Greete to visit their 12th century church dedicated to St James and from there I pushed on to Tenbury Wells. This market town lies on the south bank of the river Teme. After three hours of solid walking, I crossed the bridge, where a large sign announced I was entering into the county of Worcestershire. There was a settlement here as early as the Iron Age and the town grew in importance in Norman times.The “Wells” part of the name was not added until the 1840s, after the discovery of mineral springs and wells. I walked past the Bridge Inn, where a blue plaque boasts that the Beatles once played there, and then along the bustling high street to the Pump Rooms. These were built in 1862 to promote the town as a spa for the working classes. The building is quite unique, built in a “Chinese-gothic style”. Sadly, the Pump Rooms are only open to the public on Fridays. Nevertheless, I sat down on a park bench in the little garden opposite and ate a late breakfast picnic, admiring this strangely beautiful sight.The Pump Room at Tenbury Wells Photo: Günther BedsonFrom Tenbury Wells I now headed south westwards, continuing along country lanes, not knowing for sure whether I was still in Worcestershire. At some point, I crossed into Herefordshire, passing the first of numerous apple orchards and cider farms. A sign on the road pointed to the village of Middleton on the Hill and its 12th century church of St Mary the Virgin. Although I was a little behind schedule, I decided to take the minor detour for a visit, thinking I might never come along this road again. I was rewarded by a splendid chunky, little gem of a church with ancient box pews and a quaint organ. The sun was blazing through the windows, lighting up the church with sparkling rays.Continuing my route in a south-westerly direction, the hiking became more arduous on the hard road surfaces and my feet began to feel sore. I passed through the villages of Moreton, Eye and Luston, briefly crossing the Herefordshire Trail twice, before following a main road for the last few miles towards Leominster. Daylight was now slowly receding and as I crossed the river Lugg and its tributary, the river Kenwater, I felt relieved to have reached my goal before being enveloped by darkness.The Merchants House, Leominster Photo: Günther BedsonI was eager to catch the next possible train, so I had virtually no time to explore Leominster and its famous priory, which will have to wait for another day. I walked through the pretty town centre, passing bookstores, antique shops, and cosy looking pubs before arriving at the railway station at 4.30pm. I had covered a total distance of 24 miles in 8½ hours. The train ride back to Ludlow took exactly 10 minutes.This was an exhausting hike, but I enjoyed expanding my horizons beyond the borders of Shropshire. Back home in Shifnal, my wife Sonia rewarded me with her fiercely spicy chilli, which I washed down with a bottle of ice cold Sheppy’s cider. This was another great day out, accompanied by splendid sunshine all the way!
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