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| A.E.
Housman said
something about Clun and its neighbours (Clunton, Clunbury and
Clungunford) being the quietest places under the sun and
it’s still true today. You only get to see the river twice
on this walk but the valley and surrounding hills are quietly
fascinating all year round. Start from the Memorial Hall car
park on the north side of the town and walk up the lane
towards Guilden Down. |
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| After
350m you will see a stile on the right that crosses a couple
of fields diagonally and takes you into a wooded lane. A
little footbridge crosses the brook and you begin to climb
towards the hill with the line of conifers on the skyline. |
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| When you get
into open fields, stick to the left side, through a short
sunken lane and on up to the tree line. |
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| As you enter the woods the
path forks almost immediately. Take the left path down the
slope towards a hidden combe. You will find a stile into the
field below you after 170m. |
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| Ahead of you is
Steepleknoll, a hummocky hill covered in pine, and below it a
farm track. That’s where we are heading. Turn right along
the line of the woods, through a gate and diagonally down the
next field to a small footbridge. Join the track through the
metal gate to the north east. At Steeple Farm, the right of
way takes you straight through the main farm complex until you
get the last barn. Turn left here back down into the valley.
Shortly after leaving the farm you will see a gate on the
right. |
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| Follow the track
down to the brook. At the bottom of the field you cross a bank
holding back some marshy ground and a pipe bridge takes you
over the stream. |
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| Turn immediately
left and follow the obvious path down to the main road at
Clunton. |
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| You join the
lane just above Fold Farm. |
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| Cross straight
over the main road to Purslow, past the Crown Inn and down to
your first sight of the Clun. |
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| Over the bridge
and past Bush Farm, look out for a track on the left up into
the woods. |
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| After a stiff
little climb you join a woodland track that follows the line
of the trees back towards Clun. |
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| At last, you hit
tarmac again and it’s only a short walk down into Clun. As
you enter the town, the road crosses a bridge, climbs and
bends sharply to the left. Follow the sign saying “Clun ¼
m”. At the Knighton road (Church Street) turn down the hill
towards the bridge. |
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| Turn right
across the bridge and follow the Clunton road east. The
turning back to the car park is just past the bus stop. |
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