Who doesn’t love a long walk that combines good food, some well earned drinks, deserts (or both). I am on a quest to find excellent pub circulars across the UK. One great way to do this is to start and end at the pub, even better if the pub also has accommodation, a fire in winter, garden in summer… aah the dream. This walk does just that.

Note: I am starting and finishing at the Knolls car park which is at the top of the hill, not the pub itself. My full Ordnance Survey map route is here if you would like to use it; you could start at the pub instead.

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Stiperstones Inn loop: 8.5k

With this loop I like to start by heading along the side of the hill. I find this gives the legs a chance to warm up to the pace. This loop would work perfectly well if done in the other direction. This trail starts in the same way as one of my other routes – The Devil’s Chair and Manstone circular therefore if you have seen that one this first section will be familiar.

Here there is a third gate (or if you like you can cross the cattle gird) which takes you down a much rockier track, through the woods to the final gate of this stretch. The path beyond is rutted and often wet and muddy. Jumping over a tiny river you come to a grassy hill stretching up on your left. Head up this hill, go through a gate and you meet the track that will take you onto the ridge.

When you reach the cross roads at the top of the ridge head straight on over and you will quickly start a descent into Mytton Dingle.

The path drops steeply, with a few eroded places. It is easy to follow but can be a little slippery. Hiking poles could be helpful but not essential.

After a quick descent, the path reaches a gate onto a track which becomes a road and runs through some houses. This road then meets the ‘main road’ through the Stiperstones village. Turn left and the Stiperstones Inn is immediately on your left. There is a great selection of local food, puddings and drinks of all kinds. In winter there are welcoming fires lit and it is a lovely break from being out in the elements.

Once you have managed to leave the pub, turn left and continue through the village until you reach the last house on your left. Immediately behind this house is a footpath that will take you steeply up a hill to meet the woods above. To your left there is a gate into the woods and a sign welcoming you back to the Stipersones Nature Reserve. Climb steadily a little more until you leave the treeline and find a path to your right that continues a much more gentle ascent through fields and over styles. If you look to your right there will be lovely views over the hills and you can see landmarks such as the Bromlow Callow in the distance.

You will find a vehicle track which you follow, moving along the hillside eventually leaving it to join ‘The Black Ditch’ which is a perfectly fine path, on dark soil, that will take you all the way around the Stiperstones hill perimeter looping you back to the carpark again eventually.

If you did want to include some more of the ridge, you could turn left when you reach the Shropshire Way cross roads and climb the hill to loop up and then turn right to descend back to the carpark. If you do this, you could tie in Manstone Rock and the Devil’s Chair.

Summary

This walk could take all day, and be extended to include the Stiperstones ridge as well. I have done many variations of these routes and enjoy them all. It really depends on how many hours of daylight you have left, how tired you are and what the weather is doing! There is plenty to explore on the ridge itself and in the surrounding area. More walks to come.