Stiperstones Ridge Walk

The Stiperstones is a high hill in the northwest corner of Shropshire, a stretch of remote moorland covered in heather and gorse and topped with a ragged ridge of quartzite that forms the focus of many a local ramble. Perhaps unsurprisingly this spot is steeped in myth and legend; witches are said to drink with the Devil at the top of the rides, which is haunted by the spirits of a Saxon chief and his warriors. Luckily for us, the Stiperstones is also a nature reserve these days, which means you can park your car in a handy car park and proceed on foot up the jagged mountain, which looks east towards the equally spectacular ridge of the Long Mynd, and west far across the border into Wales.  The landscape is as dramatic as you would expect, and is one of the furthest places south you can see wild grouse in the wild – look out for a plump, medium-sized game bird with a small hooked beak.