Cralud two

Verified Slow Way

Verified by 100.00% of reviewers

Easy, direct route, though I did feel that it could deviate from the A49 and railway line a little more often without adding too many miles - loads of paths around here. Still, I enjoyed this, great views of Stokesay from above Norton Camp Wood - lovely pint at the Apple Tree in Onibury too.

There are plenty of paths to navigate between Craven Arms and Ludlow, with opportunities for longer and more varied landscapes if you wish to take your time. This particular route hugs the A49 and railway line but is still mostly a pleasant and peaceful walk. We began in Craven Arms. The route follows the Shropshire Way through the Discovery Centre and then crosses the A49 towards Stokesay before crossing back again for a stretch alongside the road before diverting up a lane towards Norton Camp. (It is possible however to avoid this double road crossing by taking a footpath from the car -park of the Discovery Centre, across the river Onny towards Whettleton. From Whettleton a lane leads down to a footpath on the left which skirts Norton Camp Wood and soon coincides with the original route). The path crosses fields towards Onibury -we arrived just as The Apple Tree pub was opening and the sun came out! Then a straightforward trek as it follows the railway line to the Ludlow Race Course before crossing the A49 again. From here it edges a wood and fields towards Burway Farm. Great views of the castle from this perspective, it felt like a very old route into the town.

This route is passable and scenic and more direct to Ludlow than (the much more scenic) Route Three. Note: You can avoid the noisy A49 completely when coming out of Craven Arms by taking the footpath between the Discovery Centre and The Stokesay Inn which takes you through pretty Newton (photo below of bridge you can take here to cross the Onny). From here, take the path through fields, keeping the Onny on your right, to Norton Wood where you'll pick this route up. It's a minor diversion and worth it in order to avoid walking the pavement on the A49.
From Norton Wood, you pass pretty cottages at the end of lanes with a wide variety of spring flowers in the verges. Coming out at Onibury, you can get a drink at The Apple Tree (Check Times - we got there at midday and they'd just opened). The back lane to Bromfield via Ludlow Racecourse is ideal for cycling. (If you want a field route on foot, there's a footpath - very muddy indeed - at a higher elevation.)
Crossing the A49 at the junction with B4365 can be a bit busy. The path on the OS Map towards Burway Lane appears to go through woodland. It doesn't. It skirts first the lower side of a skinny strip of trees between a higher field and a lower (riverside) field, then the upper side. Coming out onto Burway Lane, you get a great view of Ludlow Castle.

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