Aston on Clun and Hopesay Hill, Shropshire. C walk. "Keep Fit for a Fiver" (BOOKING ESSENTIAL)

C WALK DESCRIPTION: 7.5 miles, some short ascents, the longest ones are 200 ft over 0.3 miles, and 130 ft over 1 mile, 720 ft ascent overall. This circular walk starts at the Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre at Craven Arms. It goes through a short section of the town, before following the river Onny southwards, briefly, until it meets the A49 (0.7 miles). Turning away from the main road, we cross a field to a minor road for 0.3 miles, and then go up into Nortoncamp wood. We follow the edge of the mixed, mature, wood for 0.75 miles, to Lower Park. The route then goes through fields, with view of the hills and fields on the opposite side of the valley, for 1 mile, to Upper Park and down through the village of Onibury. We cross the Onibury bridge and go up a side road for 0.5 mile to cross fields on the other side of the valley, with glimpses of the Clee Hills. There is a short section of woodland, emerging to further fields.  At 5.4 miles, we follow a minor road for 0.3 miles, to Stokesay Castle, a 13th century fortified medieval manor house owned by English Heritage. From here we again cross fields, skirt Sallow Coppice and return on the Shropshire Way through Craven Arms to the Discovery centre. If time permits, we may visit the Stokesay Inn (pub), next to the Discovery centre. Leader Eva Hyde.