Around St Martins

From the A5 Glenrid roundabout take the Chirk road. B5070. The car park is on the left just past the Poacher . Also the No. 2 Bus Service Oswestry/Wrexham stops by the Poachers . Details from Traveline Midlands www.travelinemidlands.co.uk Tel 0871 200 22 33

[1] From the car park, cross the road and go down the lane alongside the end of the row of white cottages. After a few metres, bear left and continue along the track to pass under the A5 via the underpass. Continue ahead to a stile. Go over the stile and take the left hand path (the Maelor Way) diagonally across the field.Go over a stile and follow the edge of the wood, over another stile to a cross track  & two sheds.. Cross track and go forward & slightly right to a stile onto a lane.  [Continue on the Maelor Way over 5 stiles to exit onto a lane]

[2] Turn right and go along the lane and then take the lane on the left [(it has a notice ‘Unsuitable for heavy goods traffic)]. At the bottom of the hill cross the bridge with a small weir on the left. Turn left after the bridge, then in about 30 metres turn right up a wide sign posted footpath. The path passes immediately behind a stable and then over a stile into the field. Carry on up the hill bearing slightly right to an easily seen stile to the right of an Oak tree. Go over the stile, cross the route of the colliery branch railway  and then through the gate a few metres ahead. Continue ahead with the hedge on the right to the next stile 

[3] Go over the stile and bear diagonally left until you see a stile ( about 50 metres to the right of an Oak Tree). Go over the stile and go straight ahead crossing another stile to come to a stile onto a small lane. Go over the stile, cross the lane and go through the metal kissing gate (way marked “Shropshire Way Circular”). Keep following the “Shropshire Way Circular” going through several kissing gates to exit into Stan’s Supermarket car park. Cross the car park to exit onto the road.

[4] Turn left and then right into Green Lane by  the “Miners’ Memorial Garden”. Walk down Green Lane, pass St. Martins church to reach a T-junction. Turn left and in 30 metres cross the road to the Pinfold (a pen in which lost animals were placed until claimed; claimants had to pay a fi ne)  Turn right beside the enclosure and go over the stile. Walk down the field with hedge on right and then when the hedge swings away straight ahead to reach a way marked metal gate. Go through the gate and continue south passing or climbing over three small stiles that mark annually erected electric fencing. After the last stile continue downhill to the hedge and a brook. Turn right over a stile, go 5 metres along the bank. Cross the bridge over the stream and go over the stile into the field

[5] Continue due south over the low shoulder of a small hill until you arrive at another lone stile at the side of a rotting fallen tree trunk. Pass straight on staying close to the hedge. As the hedge bends to the left cut across the now narrow field to a footbridge onto the canal tow path. Turn right and follow the canal tow path back to the start.

St Martins grew up around Ifton Colliery, and the village is shaped by its history of mining. Many of the features of the community still reflect its mining past; The Miners’ Memorial Gardens’ encountered half way round this walk is a direct link with that time. There is also a small tub of coal mounted on rails in the Memorial Gardens to act as a memorial to the mine. There is also an imposing miners’ social club that was built in 1932. Not surprisingly, the Ifton Colliery was on Colliery Road. The site is now private land, although there are still reminders of mining with the office block and the pit head baths remaining. The mine was originally sunk in the 19th century and at is peak employed around 1300 men. It fially closed in 1968 due to underground problems and loss of its markets, although the landscape still reflected the area’s heavy industry as recently as 1977. Today St Martins is a pleasant rural village with little of the ravages of mining remaining visible.

As you approach the Poacher you pass, on the opposite side, the site of the wharf which was the original terminus of the Glyn Valley Tramway. After the Shrewsbury Chester railway was built  a line to Chirk station was built.

Part of this route is based on a part of a walk developed by Ron Bond for the Oswestry Group of the Ramblers book of walks "Favourite Walks around Oswestry and the Borders" and is reproduced here by permission from the Oswestry Group. This book is now out of print but similar walks can be found in the second book of walks published by the Oswestry Group - "More Favourite Walks around Oswestry and the Borders - ISBN 9780-9569021-0-8 available from local retail outlets