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Around Haughton, Tedsmore and Grimpo, Shropshire

Difficulty Leisurely

Walking time 3 hours 01 minutes

Length 9.9km / 6.1mi

Route developer: Peter Carr

Route checker: Chris Jenkins

Start location Queens Head, just off the A5 Oswestry - Shrewsbury
Route Summary Bordered by the railway and the canal, this is an area of Shropshire characterised by small remote villages and hamlets. It is a timeless land in which it is easy to forget the cares and troubles of the world.
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Getting there

By car - park in the public car park alongside the canal opposite the Queens Head Public House (Grid Ref SJ339 268). Do NOT park in either of the two pub car parks unless you intend dining at the pub - in which case check first that it is OK to park.

The Number 70 bus from Oswestry bus station to Shrewsbury bus station (and Shrewsbury to Oswestry) stops outside the Queens Head public house (southbound) and the bus shelter opposite (northbound),  for details contact traveline midlands - www.travelinemidlands.co.uk Tel 0871 200 22 33

 

Description

 

[1] From the car park, cross the road, go over the bridge over the canal and turn left along the road running parallel to the canal. In a few metres, alongside a small building there is an access to the canal tow-path. Go NE along the tow-path for 1200 metres (0.8 mls) to bridge 74.(Note the design of this bridge, the towpath switches sides here and it is possible for a horse drawn barge to pass without disconnecting the tow rope. The next bridge carries the railway over the canal and there were once facilities for transferring goods, and passengers, from the canal to the railway. Fly boats – designed for speed and using 2 horses – ran from Newtown to Rednal. There was once a station (Rednal & Queen's Head) between the railway and the Sutton road. You will pass the Station site along the road. There is a short canal arm to the railway just to the North)     

[2]  Now leave the canal tow path via the path up to the bridge, cross the road and the take the minor road opposite towards Sutton. Walk 700 metres to a  finger post on the left (just where the road begins to bear to the right). Go over the stile and immediately right (E) to a large gap in the hedge (there is a stile there also). Go through the gap and then proceed over the field to the fence alongside the railway cutting then, walk along the fence to stile to a lane. Cross the lane and go over another stile to continue in same direction alongside the railway. At the end of the field ignore the stile up an embankment ahead (although this is the official line of the path, it is surrounded by a badger set and is quite treacherous). Instead, go through gap to the right in the hedge.

[3] Turn right (due south) and walk with the hedge the right through three fields, there are stiles but there are gaps to walk through. Part way down the third field where the field edge swings to the left, go straight ahead through small gate into an enclosed bridle path for short distance. Continue ahead along edge of garden of house named Lilac Cottage to arrive in Grimpo opposite Grimpo Cottage. Turn left (NE) along the road signposted to Haughton. Walk along this very quiet lane with an undulation for about 1000 metres (0.6 miles) to Haughton Church on the right 

[4] Take the signposted path through the iron gate to the right of the church past. Follow the path through scrub for approximately 100 metres (with a fence to the left) to arrive at a railway crossing. Go over the crossing (take care trains move quickly here) and continue in the same direction (almost due south) with a hedge on right for 2 fields. Then go over a stile at the side of a small disused quarry on to an enclosed path. At the end of the path cross a stile and proceed ahead through two fields keeping the hedge on the right, the views are now open on three sides (why not stop and look behind and to left and right to enjoy the views). When you arrive at a small wood take a rather well camouflaged, ancient, but solid iron ladder stile with small steps in the right hand corner of the field-wood boundary and go forward half left then on a faint track slightly to the right. At first follow the path through beautiful woodland to a covered reservoir surrounded by iron railings. Continue ahead with reservoir on the left, then go forward half left. (DO NOT CONTINUE STRAIGHT AHEAD), there is a waymark here and a stile at edge of wood will soon be visible .

[5] Go over the stile and along the field at edge of the wood to a gate onto a track. Continue along the track to a stile halfway along the track and on the right, cross the stile to reach beautiful parkland. Walk NW across the parkland keeping well to the right of a wooded pond and to the right of a smaller hollow (these hollows sometimes contain water but can dry out), aim for a stile approximately a third of the way from the far right hand corner of the field boundary ahead. Go over the stile and on to an ancient metal kissing gate into tiny enclosed lane. Cross the lane and through a second small metal kissing gate opposite. Go half right across the field to large five barred gate on the right with a waymark. [ Go through gate and turn left to go round the field boundary to reach a gap that leads into a bridleway . (Note the route here is at variance with the path shown on the OS map.] Go forward to a projecting fence corner then forward with fence on right to a stile onto a bridleway.

[6] Turn left (SW) and walk past the house to the end of the bridleway. Go over a stile and across field to a stile by largest of three solitary trees. Cross the stile and head in same direction well to the right of the buildings almost hidden by trees aiming for a stile approximately ¼ of the way from the far left hand corner of the field boundary. Go over the stile, cross the road into the field opposite and cross the field heading west to NW over the rise and down to a stile in the field corner (Note: the OS map shows this as two fields, but a field boundary has been removed). Over and left (west) along the hedge line to Twyford Farm. (You will likely encounter a herd of goats in this field, there are also sometimes many Shetland ponies and some donkeys.)  Continue to a stile in the corner and go over into a farm lane that is often messy and continue left on the farm lane (ignore the track that goes off to the right almost immediately after crossing into the lane), follow the lane as it bears round to the right to come to a T junction by a white house. Turn left and go along the road to a triangle of roads  Turn right and then follow the lane down to a junction. Turn right and follow the road back to the Queens Head.

 

 

POI information

The Montgomery canal, currently undergoing much restoration to re-open it after its official abandonment in 1944, runs for 38 miles from a junction with the Llangollen Canal near Ellesmere in Shropshire to Newtown in Montgomeryshire, now part of Powys. It is currently open to navigation as far as Maesbury Marsh, with plans to open a further section to Crickheath well advanced. The canal is a haven for wildlife with several Sites of Special Scientifi c Interest (SSI) along its length.

Notes

Note: This route is best walked in Spring, early Summer, Autumn or Winter. In the height of summer, some sections can get very overgrown with nettles.

Acknowledgements

This this route is based on 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

  • Montgomery Canal at Queens Head
    Montgomery Canal at Queens Head
    By - Peter Carr
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    Haughton Church
    By - Peter Carr
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