From the car park, return to the access track and take another stony track half-right, beyond a barrier and to the right of an information board outlining the bike routes. Climb steadily, soon crossing the Red for the first time. Continue up, with a field on the right, to a complex junction.
Take the path half-left, climbing steeply through beech trees and on along a mostly grassy path through mixed woodland and plantation. Turn left at a T-junction, then right at the next junction, by another Red marker. Reaching open ground, fork left to climb the small, stony, conical summit, carpeted with heather and whinberry – the natural ground cover.
Enjoy the view, as far as encroaching trees permit, then turn sharp right to descend and rejoin the main track. Continue in the same direction as before, then fork right down a grassy path where the Red goes left. Meet a stony track by a pool and turn left. A little further on you’ll come to a major junction; a track branching left is labelled ‘downhill start’. Bear right here and continue along the stony track.
When the track bends left keep straight on instead, down a narrower path. The Red climbs up here, joining in from your right a little lower down. Continue straight on down a grassy path, enjoying fine views ahead. After crossing a forest road (final encounter with the Red), the path becomes a bit more overgrown for a short way, but soon you go through a gate at the edge of the forest.
Bear left to follow an intermittent hedge of hawthorn trees (and one oak) across a field. Go through a gate at the far side, to the right of another oak. Cross a cattle pasture, again to a gate at the far side. Turn left along the edge of the next field, on a track that becomes increasingly well defined as it descends to Bedstone. When you reach the road you need to turn left to return to Hopton Castle, but you may want to take a look round the village first.
Follow the narrow Hopton Castle road and turn left at a junction just after the castle. Walk through the village, keep straight on towards Obley, then turn left at the Forestry Commission sign for Hopton Woods and follow the access track to the car park.
This walk takes you across the top of a hill called Hopton Titterhill, but most people know it as Hopton Forest or Hopton Woods now because it has been almost completely planted with conifers. Don’t let that put you off, because there are also patches of beechwood, fantastic views, a Norman castle... and two charming villages to enjoy. In a small way, Hopton Woods is a magnet for mountain bikers. ‘Trail centres’ have sprung up all over the country, the first – and now one of the largest – being Coedy-Brenin in mid-Wales. Large trail centres may have cafés, bike shops and hire facilities, and see hundreds of riders on almost every day of the year. Hopton isn’t on that scale, and may be deserted in midweek, but it does have a selection of trails aimed at all abilities. Mountain bike trails are usually graded like ski-runs, from green (easiest) through blue, red and black. The one you’ll be most aware of is the Pearce XC, usually called ‘the Red’. It includes lots of narrow purpose-built trails, known as ‘singletrack’. These are for bikes only and are also designed to be ridden in one direction. Linking the singletrack section, the route uses wide shared tracks, with ample room for walkers and cyclists. Hopton also has several black-graded downhill routes, though you won’t see these from the walk route. Leaving the forest, the walk descends to Bedstone. There’s a lovely Norman church, with a timber-framed bellcote and a shingled spire. It was subject to 19th-century restoration, but retains some original windows and a Norman font. Nearby stand a few thatched cottages and a Victorian schoolhouse, while Manor Farm is a splendid timber-framed house, partly faced in stone in 1775. To the south of the village is Bedstone College, a flamboyant black-and-white mansion of 1884, now a junior, senior and 6th form college. It was designed by Thomas Harris for Sir Henry Ripley MP and the main school building is said to be a calendar house, with 365 windows, 52 rooms and 12 chimneys. You’ll reach Hopton Castle before the village which shares its name. Only the keep survives, but it’s solid and substantial and enjoys a fine setting. It was built by the de Hopton family in the 11th century and rebuilt in the 14th century. During the Civil War it was held for Parliament, but taken by the Royalists after a three-week siege. Most of the defending garrison was killed and the bodies dumped in the moat. Hopton Castle is another attractive little village. It has only a handful of houses, most notably the timber-framed former rectory. The church is Victorian, built in 1870–71, by the architect T Nicholson.
Perhaps nowhere else in England will you find a county so deeply rural and with so much variety as Shropshire. Choose a clear day, climb to the top of The Wrekin, and look down on that ‘land of lost content’ so wistfully evoked by A E Housman.
From the car park, return to the access track and take another stony track half-right, beyond a barrier and to the right of an information board outlining the bike routes. Climb steadily, soon crossing the Red for the first time. Continue up, with a field on the right, to a complex junction.
1 of 6
Take the path half-left, climbing steeply through beech trees and on along a mostly grassy path through mixed woodland and plantation. Turn left at a T-junction, then right at the next junction, by another Red marker. Reaching open ground, fork left to climb the small, stony, conical summit, carpeted with heather and whinberry – the natural ground cover.
2 of 6
Enjoy the view, as far as encroaching trees permit, then turn sharp right to descend and rejoin the main track. Continue in the same direction as before, then fork right down a grassy path where the Red goes left. Meet a stony track by a pool and turn left. A little further on you’ll come to a major junction; a track branching left is labelled ‘downhill start’. Bear right here and continue along the stony track.
3 of 6
When the track bends left keep straight on instead, down a narrower path. The Red climbs up here, joining in from your right a little lower down. Continue straight on down a grassy path, enjoying fine views ahead. After crossing a forest road (final encounter with the Red), the path becomes a bit more overgrown for a short way, but soon you go through a gate at the edge of the forest.
4 of 6
Bear left to follow an intermittent hedge of hawthorn trees (and one oak) across a field. Go through a gate at the far side, to the right of another oak. Cross a cattle pasture, again to a gate at the far side. Turn left along the edge of the next field, on a track that becomes increasingly well defined as it descends to Bedstone. When you reach the road you need to turn left to return to Hopton Castle, but you may want to take a look round the village first.
5 of 6
Follow the narrow Hopton Castle road and turn left at a junction just after the castle. Walk through the village, keep straight on towards Obley, then turn left at the Forestry Commission sign for Hopton Woods and follow the access track to the car park.
This walk takes you across the top of a hill called Hopton Titterhill, but most people know it as Hopton Forest or Hopton Woods now because it has been almost completely planted with conifers. Don’t let that put you off, because there are also patches of beechwood, fantastic views, a Norman castle... and two charming villages to enjoy. In a small way, Hopton Woods is a magnet for mountain bikers. ‘Trail centres’ have sprung up all over the country, the first – and now one of the largest – being Coedy-Brenin in mid-Wales. Large trail centres may have cafés, bike shops and hire facilities, and see hundreds of riders on almost every day of the year. Hopton isn’t on that scale, and may be deserted in midweek, but it does have a selection of trails aimed at all abilities. Mountain bike trails are usually graded like ski-runs, from green (easiest) through blue, red and black. The one you’ll be most aware of is the Pearce XC, usually called ‘the Red’. It includes lots of narrow purpose-built trails, known as ‘singletrack’. These are for bikes only and are also designed to be ridden in one direction. Linking the singletrack section, the route uses wide shared tracks, with ample room for walkers and cyclists. Hopton also has several black-graded downhill routes, though you won’t see these from the walk route. Leaving the forest, the walk descends to Bedstone. There’s a lovely Norman church, with a timber-framed bellcote and a shingled spire. It was subject to 19th-century restoration, but retains some original windows and a Norman font. Nearby stand a few thatched cottages and a Victorian schoolhouse, while Manor Farm is a splendid timber-framed house, partly faced in stone in 1775. To the south of the village is Bedstone College, a flamboyant black-and-white mansion of 1884, now a junior, senior and 6th form college. It was designed by Thomas Harris for Sir Henry Ripley MP and the main school building is said to be a calendar house, with 365 windows, 52 rooms and 12 chimneys. You’ll reach Hopton Castle before the village which shares its name. Only the keep survives, but it’s solid and substantial and enjoys a fine setting. It was built by the de Hopton family in the 11th century and rebuilt in the 14th century. During the Civil War it was held for Parliament, but taken by the Royalists after a three-week siege. Most of the defending garrison was killed and the bodies dumped in the moat. Hopton Castle is another attractive little village. It has only a handful of houses, most notably the timber-framed former rectory. The church is Victorian, built in 1870–71, by the architect T Nicholson.
Perhaps nowhere else in England will you find a county so deeply rural and with so much variety as Shropshire. Choose a clear day, climb to the top of The Wrekin, and look down on that ‘land of lost content’ so wistfully evoked by A E Housman.
