29/06/13 - Castle, Chapel and a Shed Full of Caravans

Distance - 7.5
Walk from Country Walking May 2013
Geocaches - 4

Acton Burnell

We need to be in Church Stretton to look at Caravans.  Not any old caravans mind, but super funky Tab Caravans, specially imported from Germany to a Shropshire Shed.

Is this going to fit on the Drive?  Is it going to lead to more adventures on Foot?

So to maximise the day, we look for a walk in the superb area that promises so much.  We are of course spoilt by choice.... it could be Pole Bank via light hollow spout, it could be Caer Caradoc or Ragleth Hill but instead of tromping over old ground, there is a new walk in May Country Walking Magazine that I have only this week got around to reading.

It promises a couple of archaeological highlights and the first one is right at the start of the walk.

Surely everyone likes a nice castle

 

Acton Burnell Castle was built in 1283 by Bishop Burnell, Edward I's lord chancellor.  It was also the site of England's first Parliament.  You can now rack up and eat your sandwiches in the middle of the structure.  We don't quite have the place to ourselves, as there is a family also enjoying their dip into history.

There's not many geocaches on route today, so I have brought a 10 year old sat nav out with me for nostalgic reasons.  I once worked with a man who played a football manager game on his Atari ST.  He paid a fortune for a top keeper but played his reserve as he felt that "he could do with a run out".  They lost the game 10-0.  My ancient sat nav provides a similar experience.  The satellites must have moved since its last use, as it takes an age to get a signal and then it bounces around for an eternity before settling down.  The start of the walk takes a while and a bit of walking around in circles to get going.

After a bit of road walking there is a chance of a diversion and a geocache at Langley Chapel.  This is another highlight. 

Standing all alone

This was built in 1601 and has remained untouched inside since.  It was linked with a nearby hall, but that fell into ruin and the church just stood in a field until it was one of the first buildings taken over by the State and externally renovated in the 20th Century.

I creep up for further investigation, wondering if I am allowed in.

Key in the door - looking promising

Elizabethan Prayer - Protestant Style

Preaching the gospel of geocaching

Return back to the road at Ruckley and head towards Frodesley across fields.  This is starting to sound like an excerpt from the Hobbit but these are middle england place names.

Fordesley Ahead

The views are exceptional - we have Wrekin in one direction and to the North, the impressive Lawley and Caer Caradoc hills.

Sometimes its nice to look at the hills from this angle

Or even this angle

Exit Frodesley and head down a lane past Rowe Farm.  There is strange drumming and chanting coming from the fields but the high hedgerows stop us from seeing what is going on.  I've seen the Whicker Man and more recently, the Kill List and I am not 100% happy on bursting into a strange religious gathering wearing my walking cap.  Fortunately we don't see them but every so often, we catch their incantations on the wind.

Geoaches pick up and there are a series of three micros between Rowe Farm and Picthford.  Sat Nav is behaving now, so we manage to find all three - although the one in front of the newly shorn sheep took a bit of time.

From Pitchford, its more road walking back down to the car and then into Church Stretton for Sarnies and a look a some fine German Engineering in a huge old farm shed.  Choice of three models, all very funky.

Next Year perhaps?