High Vinnalls, Titterstone Clee Hill and Brown Clee Hill. (3 x Marilyns near Ludlow).

Updated: Oct 3, 2020

Day 1 - 11.5.19 - High Vinnalls 375m

High Vinnalls is a pretty indistinct summit not far from Ludlow, Shropshire (West of it). We parked in a small cutting on the B4361 near a church at the marked start point. There is plenty of parking at the Black Pool Car Park at Haye Wood but not for us due to height barriers impeding my camper van.

Anyway after parking up we walked north on the B4361 to Black Pool car park and then headed north through the woods on a single track footpath. After a couple of k’s we joined a wide forest track and followed this round in a big loop to get to the bench seat on top of High Vinnals. There are quite a few junctions along the way but I won’t labour on the directions so simply follow the gpx track. It’s all easy enough.

There wasn’t much by the way of views on the way up just a nice forest walk and the same can be said for the summit. There are okay views but there is no cairn, trig point or viewing area there so quite disappointing really.

Heading off we headed South on the Mortimer Trail which brought us to the edge of the woods and then down across Hanway common to an unclassified road that brings you down into the remains of Richards Castle and the historic Church of St Bartholomews. Both are pretty and interesting enough for a visit.

From here we headed East back on the road to our start point.

Route Summary: Forest paths, tracks and road. Nice countryside and the church and castle are worth a visit. Half decent views only from the top.

Route Statistics: 10.2kms with 310m of height gain in 2hrs 30mins.

11.5.19 - Titterstone Clee Hill 533m

This is a trig pointed summit to the East of Ludlow. We parked up at the car park on the outskirts of Cleehill village. There is no name to the car park (well didn’t find one for it) but it is well marked on your OS map. It is large but busy.

From here we simply headed up the road and hung a left. We didn’t go up the obvious quarry road at first expecting a path but anyway once on the road we headed North and just kept going until we saw the big quarry pool on the left. We left the road here heading straight on or North along a mixture of paths, tracks and footpaths until we came out at the road by Horseditch. There was nothing of note on this first part only quarry workings and buildings and some half decent views.

Once on the road you keep heading north on it, turn the corner by the viewing point and then hang a left and go steeply up hill between the disused quarry on your left and the golf balled radar station on your right. Within twenty minutes you are at the trig pointed summit. Not bad views but nothing spectacular either.

Going back down we wanted to go a different route so once back on the road we followed it for about two kilometres before we turned left on a bridle way and followed this all the way back to the start. Now our gpx track does not follow the bridleway marked on the map the entire way but I assure you it is there and signposted. In fact it was the prettiest part of the walk!

Route Summary: Road, tracks and footpaths with okay views over a hilltop common that has a large quarry on it. The summit area has radar golf balls but some half decent views.

Route Statistics: 7.5kms with 210m of height gain done in 1hr 45min.

Day 2 - 12.5.19 - Brown Clee Hill 540m

This is another trig pointed summit North East of Ludlow. We parked overnight at the village hall of Abdon which has a large car park and is a nice setting.

Setting out in the morning along the footpath abutting the car park we headed SE and then NE across a number of fields. Coming out at a road we turned right at a telephone kiosk and then turned immediately left. Here you are now on the Shropshire Way and head steeply uphill until the first fence line or just before and hang left and traverse Clee Hill in a big North Easterly loop until you hit a road which you follow in a southernly but uphill direction all the way up to the summit TP. At the summit there is a couple of radio towers behind you and a heathery mound. This is the true summit. So far on this sunny spring day the views all round has been stunning as you are surrounded by immaculate picture postcard English countryside and the rolling hills of Shropshire.

After a bit of lunch we then headed downhill/SW on the Shropshire Way until we hit a fence line and then followed this to the ‘Five Springs’ and then onwards uphill all the way up to the relay station and disused quarry at Clee Burf hill. From here we headed West downhill past the quarry all the way down to the impressive Nordy Bank iron age fort. So far it has been a stunning outing!

Once past the fort you come out on a road and turn right (you now leave the Shropshire Way) until you get to another telephone kiosk and turn left. You then literally turn right again across a small wooden footbridge and you are back on fields again.

Simply follow the signs and styles across the fields all the way back to Abdon. As soon as you come into Abdon you rejoin the road and leave it shortly after at a bend. There is a house here and the footpath is immediately to the right of the house. It is there and even now in early spring the entrance and the footpath was pretty overgrown. After this you go across a couple of fields again and not long after you are back at the start.

Route Summary: Beautiful country walk with a high hill along fields, roads and well signposted footpaths. Beautiful views of the rolling surrounding countryside are to be had and an impressive iron age fort to see.

Route Statistics: 13kms with 425m of height gain done in 3hrs 35mins.

GPX files: For gpx files go to the Peakbagger website by following these links and go to the bottom right hand of the page and click ‘Download this GPS track as a GPX file.’

Ascent Entry: High Vinnalls, Titterstone Clee Hill and Brown Clee Hill