Shropshire Hills 2015 Day 2

Day 2 Friday 21^st August 2015

I experienced some pretty wicked calf muscle cramps during the night, but even so I managed about 11 hours sleep as I had gone to bed rather early.  After heading out I took on Ragleth Hill (in a southerly direction).  It was interesting writing this up in 2020, as I walked Ragleth Hill again a few months ago on a hot, dry summer's day and there was no sign of bracken, but on this day in 2015 the hill was covered in it.

I then turned west and down across the valley, then up through the fields (at which point I lost the trail and had to clamber through some fences) to Minton and straight on up onto the Mynd.  All of which I had not walked previously.   Somewhere in here I came across a grave, for a carpenter named Craig Bullock died at age 30, in the middle of nowhere, and then shortly after I met a donkey, with a horsey friend, to which I fed an apple.

Then it was on familiar trails to Pole Bank and then on northward to Little Batch at All Stretton then back to Church Stretton.

A second walk saw me go up along Town Brook back onto the Mynd, then an aimless wander through heather and bracken along Cow Ridge in an attempt to find the path to Lightspout Hollow, which I found after a struggle. 

Back down Carding Mill Valley to purchase fish, sausage, chips, mushy peas and a pineapple fritter to eat in Rectory Field.  Mmm-mmm!

Day 3