Priors Halton Loop

With the recent good weather I have been trying to get out for a daily walk. Last Sunday we set off towards Priors Halton farm, about a mile or so outside of Ludlow. It is one of the few flattish walks around here, as Ludlow is surrounded by hills.

Most walks in and around Ludlow begin with crossing a bridge. This time Dinham, with a glance at ‘Ludlow Beach’, as locals name the area on the Teme where it is often safe to paddle. Repairs are being made to the weir (including a by-pass to allow salmon moving 50 miles upstream to spawn an easier way through the river ) has meant changes to the ‘beach’ too. And today there are many more youths than usual. It is a hot day, though they are a bit big to swim in the extremely shallow waters – amazing to think how high the water level was only a couple of months ago.

Instead of heading left along the Bread Walk or ahead up the Donkey Steps onto Whitcliffe Common, today we are continuing along the road towards Priors Halton. The road ends at Priors Halton farm,  but you can continue on foot or bicycle to Lady Halton or Oakly Park and even Bromfield where you will find Ludlow Food Centre, a café and restaurant.

Lots of wild flowers in the hedgerow hidden amongst the clouds of cow parsley and May trees are flowering.

Look back and you’ll be rewarded with a dramatic view of the castle in its commanding position, chosen by Norman builder, Roger de Lacy in 1085.

It’s amazing that only half a mile away from the town you feel deep in the heart of English countryside. The only sound is that of birds…

and sheep bleating…

At the farm we decided to return to Ludlow via one of the public footpaths, thus shortening the walk to around 3 miles instead of a 5 mile loop.

A public footpath which during this dry weather, is easy to walk on. This is not always the case as, unlike the lane, this route is unpaved and gets very churned up and muddy.

Another public footpath leads to Lady Halton alongside the farmer’s field, but we’ll continue along this track today, heading towards Mortimer Forest. It is slightly uphill but a gentle climb.

The views are good now that we are out of the high hedgerows. Look back towards  Priors Halton and you can see the farmhouse and also the south Shropshire hills in the background.

We reach Middle Wood Road and turn left back to Ludlow.

Watch out for speeding cyclists!

It is lovely and shady along this road as we walk along the edge of the woodland. Ludlow can be seen in the distance, crouching beneath Titterstone Clee Hill, which is about seven miles distant.

And we are accompanied by orange-tipped butterflies flitting along the hedge, but never stopping for a photograph. Bluebells can be spotted up in the woodland, cow parsley appears again

and we did get a shot of this little fellow, who may be a Wood White butterfly and some lovely new ferns.

Finally we reach Lower Road and Whitcliffe Common, where we found a bench to rest and enjoy the view of Ludow and the castle where a couple are enjoying their view from the bench next to the archway, which I mentioned on my Castle Walk.

If you enjoy a walk, short or long, then you may enjoy visiting Jo’s Monday Walk where you are in for a treat.