Guided Summer Walks and Talks
Discover Shropshire… with the Friends of Shropshire Archives, Shropshire Libraries and Telford & Wrekin Libraries
| Wednesday 29 June 7pm Meet at: Eastern entrance to Wellington Civic Offices (entrance near the cafe), Larkin Way, off Tan Bank, Wellington, Telford, TF1 1LX | Hesba Stretton’s Wellington 2011 marks the centenary of Hesba’s death in 1911, so now is the time to discover more about Wellington’s most famous writer. Allan Frost will lead a two-hour talking walk around the town centre, revealing why certain places were significant to this internationally famous and politically influential author. |
| Thursday 7 July 7.30pm Meet at: Mythstories Museum of Myth and Fable, The Morgan Library, Aston Street, Wem, SY4 5AU (free parking at the Co-Op nearby) | The Great, the Good (for you) and a Big Black Bull A short walk with a lot of talk! Take a stroll with Mythstories’ storytellers, Dez and Ali Quarrell, and discover some tales of Wem that have survived the centuries. Friends of Shropshire Archives A.G.M. (7pm) |
| Thursday 14 July 7pm Meet at: Outside gates of Shrewsbury Castle, Castle Gates, Shrewsbury, SY1 2AT | Walking on the Wild Side: an author-tour of Shrewsbury What’s wild about Shrewsbury, you might ask? Well, there’s Beck’s Field for a start, and the mighty River Severn, but the imagination of writer, Pauline Fisk, can be pretty wild as well! Join her on a walk through the Pengwern of her ‘Children of Plynlimon’ novels, and discover some of the places she brought to life in ‘Sabrina Fludde’ and ‘The Red Judge’. |
| Wednesday 27 July 7pm Meet at: West door of Shrewsbury Abbey, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, SY2 6BS | A stroll around Shrewsbury with Brother Cadfael A lively and entertaining evening is guaranteed as Dorothy Nicolle, Blue Badge guide, writer and lecturer, leads a tour around the Shrewsbury of Ellis Peters’ hugely popular medieval monk and detective, Brother Cadfael |
| Saturday 6 August 1.45pm Meet at: The Hurst - take the B4368 West from Craven Arms towards Clun. 1¼ miles after going through Clunton, at the start of a bend, turn left down a private drive (GR SO316813) marked ‘The Hurst’ over the River Clun and at a fork in the drive, take the right hand fork up to the house. (¼ mile). 3 mile route on rights-of-way and forest tracks which can be muddy – boots or stout shoes advisable. En route to The Hurst, from Cwm Hall to Sowdley Wood, the climb is 360ft, some of which is fairly steep. Thereafter the walk follows the contours. | Over the Black Hill to the ‘best view in England’ By kind permission of Mr and Mrs Harry Stephens and the Arvon Foundation. This may be your only opportunity to visit the grounds of Cwm Hall and The Hurst, with rich associations to Bruce Chatwin and John Osborne. Your guide, writer and broadcaster Keith Pybus, has featured as a walks-leader on BBC Countryfile and Midlands Today’s Winter Walks. Tickets must be booked in advance and places are limited. Cost £5. Tickets from Pat Kiernan, 11 Lime Tree Way, Wellington, Telford, TF1 3PJ – send cheque and SAE. Don’t be put off if the walk is beyond you. You may go directly to The Hurst with its poetry trail and 30 acres of grounds at 3pm. Cost £4, booking as above. As this is a linear walk, we shall drive in convoy from The Hurst to Cwm Hall in as few cars as possible. After the walk, drivers will be taken back to Cwm Hall to collect their cars. |
| Sunday 14 August 10.30am Meet at Bog Visitor Centre car park, Stiperstones, Shropshire, SY5 0NG GR 357978 About 6 miles with some strenuous walking in hills and rough terrain. Poor weather clothing and sturdy footwear is advised. Bring a packed lunch. | Literary Links and Lost Communities: folklore and fiction on the Stiperstones Take a walk through these wild and beautiful hills with Gordon Dickins, Shropshire-born landscape photographer and writer. Discover how this magical area has inspired writers and poets, developed its own rich folklore, and cast a spell over many who visit it once and are drawn back time and again. |
Anyone is welcome to attend the walks. Most will last around 1 - 2 hours with the exception of Literary Links and Lost Communities. Some walks will involve walking in muddy or exposed areas. Please wear appropriate footwear and clothing. Over the Black Hill to ‘the best view in England’ is advance booking only and places are limited. Cost £5 for the walk and tour of The Hurst. £4 for the The Hurst visit only. Please send a cheque and SAE to Pat Kiernan, 11 Lime Tree Way, Wellington, Telford, TF1 3PJ. All other walks cost £4.00, payable on the day. For all Friends of Shropshire Archives events, please contact Pat Kiernan on 01952 252814, or by email to patk1@blueyonder.co.uk For further information please visit: www.friendsofshropshirearchives.org.uk