The Priors Halton Loop was a walk for Restless Jo in 2014 when I was living in Ludlow, South Shropshire.
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 5 miles instead of a 7 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.
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 reappears.
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.
This post is a contribution to Fandango’s Flashback Friday. Have you got a post you wrote in the past on this particular day? The world might be glad to see it – either for the first time – or again if they’re long-time loyal readers.
What a delightful walk and your images illustrate your words so well. Love especially, the first picture of the sheep, the one with the skinny legs and the massive wool coat.
Thanks Mari. It is lovely around that region.
Lovely post. It is so lush and green there. I love the views and the ‘moon gate’ the road winds through.
Shropshire is usually green, being on the border of Wales it gets a lot of rain. It is a lovely county, but I wanted to be closer to the sea.
You lived in Ludlow? If I weren’t happy in Yorkshire, I think Shropshire would be my destination of choice. It takers such a long time to get there though!
If we could have found an affordable house with a garden in the town we would probably have stayed there. It used to take me over an hour to reach a motorway (not including the M54) usually behind a tructor (my word for tractors / trucks). We had a good 5 years living there.
… mainly behind a tractor ….
Good old Ludlow! Summer didn’t last long in Beetley. 🙂
15 C and pouring with rain this afternoon.
Best wishes, Pete. x
Still good down here!
Much better now, though 😊
Nice yesterday, but dull today, with rain on the way, Dina.
Love from Beetley, Pete and Ollie. X
Such a beautiful walk, Jude. Worth sharing again for sure.
It’s nice to have a walk back in time. We had a good five years living there and I still miss the wonderful market and independent shops. Pity it isn’t closer to the coast.
I even remember the sheep! Good thing I popped in. A nice walk to relive with you, Jude. Have a good weekend 🙂 🙂
Thanks Jo. It will be a quiet one, very busy around here now and the G7 summit isn’t helping as roads are closed next week so all the traffic will come along our nearest road. The tennis will keep me occupied, plus I have some lovely gardens to write about. Hope things are a bit better for you.
What a delightful walk, especially as I returned to a temperature today of 106F. 😦 Your walk made me feel refreshed.
janet
I’m not sure I would cope in those high temperatures, though I expect you do become acclimatised. I am very much an English rose though and wilt when it gets hot!
The low humidity helps but when it gets close to and over 110, it’s just hot. You go out early or late and have AC. The snowbirds go north to their second houses or in their RV’s and don’t come back until October or so. 🙂
So beautiful and green! We are always amazed when we are driving in UK by how quickly the city is replaced by gorgeous countryside.
I think cities are joining up now so you have to go further to find real open countryside. Of course Ludlow is only a small town, it was harder in Shrewsbury to walk out into the countryside.
So pretty and green. Much gentler than your current scenery, but beautiful in its own way (I’d go for the sea too).
How lovely