3 Night Shropshire Hills Tread Lightly Guided Walking Holiday
Explore the best landscapes the Shropshire Hills ha veto offer with walks that start and end on the doorstep of our country house. With no need for transport, our tread lightly holidays are kinder to the environment and help minimise your carbon footprint. Offering maximum freedom and flexibility, leaders can adjust walk times to suit weather windows and there’s no need to call time at the café or pub to rush back for a coach.
What you’ll love
- Discovering the immense beauty of the Shropshire Hills on foot
- Soaking up views of grass-topped hills and untouched woodland
- Learning more about this National Landscape
- Enjoying walking routes with your experienced HF Holidays Leader
- Staying at Longmynd House in Church Stretton
What’s included
- Comfortable en-suite accommodation in our country house
- Cream tea on arrival day
- Cooked or continental breakfast every morning
- Daily packed lunches
- Three-course evening meals, plus tea & coffee
- Guided walking with experienced HF Holidays Leaders
- Choice of up to three guided walks (on walking days)
- Easy-to-follow routes, maps, and information in our Discovery Point if you want to explore independently
Trip Notes
Easy to download as a PDF, our trip notes provide detailed information for every holiday. Please click below to find the trip notes for your departure date.
All our carefully-curated itineraries are designed by our experts. While we make every effort to adhere to the described itinerary, we may take alternative routes or adapt the running order for weather and/or operational reasons.
Enjoy a complimentary cream tea on arrival, served from 4.30pm.
Option 1 - Slopes of Caer Caradoc
Distance: 7 miles (11km)
Ascent: 1,150 feet (360m)
In summary: A lovely route around Church Stretton. Heading across the valley towards the Stretton Hills we wind our way up the Cwms Valley along the scenic path which runs around the slopes of Caer Caradoc Hill.
Highlight: Enjoy the panoramic views of Church Stretton, Long Mynd and Stretton Hills.
Option 2 - Hope Bowdler & Caer Caradoc
Distance: 9 miles (14km)
Ascent: 1,950 feet (600m)
In summary: We cross the valley to ascend the long ridge of Hope Bowdler Hill. Our second summit is the distinctive Caer Caradoc Hill.
Highlight: Look out for the Iron Age hillfort on the summit of Caer Caradoc; said to be the site of King Caractacus's final stand against the Roman invasion.
Option 3 - The Lawley and Caer Caradoc
Distance: 11.5 miles (18.5km)
Ascent: 2,300 feet (700m)
In summary: A walk that takes in the iconic Caer Caradoc, with on its summit the earthworks of an iron age fort. Followed by ascending the Lawley to walk its fine ridge before heading back west to traverse the lower slopes of the Long Mynd to return to Longmynd House.
Highlight: Walking the ridge of the Lawley providing extensive views.
Option 1 - Townbrook & Cardingmill Valley
Distance: 6.7 miles (10.7km)
Ascent: 1,350 feet (410m)
In summary: Leaving Longmynd House we make our way through Rectory Woods and up the beautiful Townbrook Valley to reach the Long Mynd plateau and its highest point at Pole Bank. We then make our way north along the historic Port Way before descending into the scenic Carding Mill Valley and back to Longmynd House.
Highlight: Panoramic views from Pole Bank across Shropshire, mid Wales and beyond.
Option 2 - Townbrook, Pole Bank and Minton
Distance: 8.5 miles (13.6km)
Ascent: 1560ft (475m)
In summary: We follow the picturesque Townbrook Valley as it rises to the Long Mynd plateau and on to its highest point at Pole Bank. Walking south, we follow the heather-covered ridge before turning east across the less trodden Minton and Packetstone Hills before descending to the hamlet of Minton from where we make our way back to Longmynd House.
Highlights: Panoramic views across Shropshire, Mid Wales and beyond
Option 3 - Callow Hill, Pole Bank & Adstone Hill
Distance: 12 miles (19km)
Ascent: 2,450 feet (740m)
In summary: Our walks heads out towards Little Stretton before ascending Long Mynd via Callow Hill to reach its highest point at Pole Bank. We then descend the western slopes to Adstone Hill before returning over the Long Mynd and down Townbrook Valley to Church Stretton.
Highlight: The ascent via Callow Hill to Pole Bank is less frequented and gives extensive far reaching views.
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before making your way home.
Longmynd Hotel
For rural calm in the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the location of this characterful country house is hard to top. Set in a wooded hillside just a short stroll from the market town of Church Stretton (nicknamed Little Switzerland for its picturesque landscape), you’ll be within walking or driving distance of the Stiperstones, Caer Caradoc, Ironbridge Valley of Invention, and the historic towns of Ludlow and Shrewsbury. And then, of course, there’s the Long Mynd itself – an area of registered common land that has been cared for by a group of farmers (the self-named commoners) who have grazed sheep and ponies here for generations.
Rooms
Designed with your comfort in mind, Longmynd Hotel has 56 well-appointed guest rooms available in two categories: Classic and Premium.
Classic Rooms are comfortable en-suite guest rooms, ideal for a peaceful night's sleep. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, and shower gel), and a TV.
Premium Rooms are more spacious en-suite guest rooms*. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, body lotion, shower gel), and a 32-inch TV. Extras include bathrobes, slippers, and comfortable mattresses.
We love: For more privacy, the lodges have their own terrace.
The Choose Your Room service is available at our UK country houses, allowing you the option of choosing and confirming a specific room for an extra charge of £30 per room. This is subject to availability. Upgrade supplements apply.
Check in & check out
You are welcome to check in from 4:00pm at the earliest. On arrival, you’ll enjoy a complimentary cream tea and get to meet your fellow guests, our HF Holidays Leaders, and the rest of the friendly team.
On the day of departure, we kindly ask all guests to check out by 10:00am. You’ll be asked to settle your bill prior to leaving. You may, of course, make a charitable donation to our HF Holidays Pathways Fund if you wish. Please note that we only accept card payments.
Room supplements
| Premium single | Premium double/twin | Choose your room |
| £20 pppn | £20 pppn | £30 per room |
*Views and layout reflect each properties unique character and location
About your stay
A warm welcome
We want you to feel comfortable from the moment you arrive. You’ll find a welcome pack in your room with guest registration forms, menus, order forms for dinners and picnic lunches, the Wi-Fi password, and the front door code. Our houses are locked at night, so we recommend noting the Duty Manager’s number on arrival in case of an emergency (or getting locked out).
Evening entertainment
While evening entertainment varies from house to house, the HF Holidays Big Pub Quiz held after dinner on Wednesdays is a weekly staple. Your HF Holidays Leader may be around for tips on guided and self-guided walking routes as well as visit-worthy local attractions.
Walks talks
Our HF Holidays Leaders host guided walking information briefings before dinner on arrival days. This is followed by a group Walks Talk for information on the following day’s walking delights (held before dinner every evening). Self-guided walking guests are, of course, welcome.
The walking day
Prior to setting off on walks, your HF Holidays Leader will run you through a short safety briefing. There’s also an up-to-date weather forecast on display at the house to ensure you have appropriate clothing and footwear. If you choose to do your own walks or are on a self-guided walking holiday, we ask that you please complete an Independent Walker Card each day. These can be found near the Discovery Point in the house.
Food & drink
Led by experienced chefs, we serve a wide range of dishes made with fresh and seasonal ingredients. We always aim to source the best produce available and use home-grown herbs and vegetables from our own gardens whenever possible. Additionally, we have a licensed bar with beers, soft drinks, and a superb selection of spirits. Full-board comes as standard and includes a cream tea on arrival and a hearty breakfast on departure day.
HF Holidays understands the importance of managing allergens effectively to ensure food is safe for guests with food allergies. Whilst we are always able to confidently inform guests which allergens are present in our ingredients and dishes, we are unable to guarantee absolute freedom from the 14 main allergens in our kitchens. Vegetarian and vegan menu choices are available. If you have allergies, food intolerances, or any special dietary requirements, please inform our reservation team at the time of booking.
Accessibility
For accessibility and assistance information, please contact our expert team on 020 3974 8865 or view the accessibility information online for Longmynd Hotel
Getting to Longmynd Hotel
Find out more about this location including travel details and room types.
More InformationAddress
Longmynd Hotel
Cunnery Road
Church Stretton
Shropshire SY6 6AG
Tel: +44 (0)1694 722244
By train
The nearest station is Church Stretton. Although Longmynd Hotel is less than a mile from the station, it is at the top of a steep hill and there is no taxi rank at the station. Taxis are in extremely limited supply in the Church Stretton area and drivers usually come from further afield which is reflected in fares.
Shrewsbury has more choice of trains, and you can take a taxi directly to the house from the station (see below).
Check National Rail for train times and routes.
By taxi
From Shrewsbury, it’s a 15-mile journey taking 30 to 40 minutes.
For pricing, please contact Me2You Cars directly.
Me2You Cars
You can pre-book a taxi from our recommended Shrewsbury based company, Me2You Cars*. We recommend booking your taxi, including your return journey if needed, at least seven days in advance by contacting:
Tel: +44 (0)1743 537644 or 07791 670110
Email: danielle@me2youcars.com
*Me2You Cars is not owned or managed by HF Holidays.
By car
There’s free car parking at Longmynd Hotel if you decide to drive.
Follow the A49 to Church Stretton. At the traffic lights turn off into town, then at the first junction turn left onto the High Street. Go straight over the mini-roundabout, and then take the next right into Cunnery Road. Follow the road up the steep hill to Longmynd Hotel.
By air
The nearest airport is Manchester International Airport.
Trains take about two hours, with a change in Crewe.
You can also fly into London Heathrow airport, but it’ll take at least 4 hours to reach Shrewsbury by train.
National Rail has up-to-date routes and train times.
The UK has a famously unpredictable climate so it's best to be prepared for weather that’s sunny one minute and raining the next. To make it easier, here’s a list of items you should consider packing.
Essentials
- Suitable footwear such as waterproof walking boots that provide ankle support and good grip
- Waterproof and windproof jacket
- Comfortable clothing (jeans & waterproof capes are not suitable)
- Mid-layer(s) to keep you warm. Fleeces make a good choice
- Waterproof overtrousers
- Gloves and a warm hat
- Rucksack with waterproof liner
- Flask for hot drinks
- Water bottle (at least 1 litre capacity)
- Sunscreen
- UV sunglasses
Recommended
- Several base layers (long-sleeve or short-sleeve)
- Cushioned walking socks to avoid blisters
- First aid kit, including plasters and insect repellent
- Sit mat
- Waterproof pouch for valuables
- Rubbish bag (remember to always leave no trace)
- Wallet/purse
- Camera
- First-aid kit
Longmynd Hotel Calendar
- Guided Walking
- Self-Guided Walking
- Special Interests
- Unavailable to Book
Guest reviews
All holidays are subject to availability. Supplements may apply.
Non-member fee: £30 per person.
All our carefully-curated itineraries are designed by our experts. While we make every effort to adhere to the described itinerary, we may take an alternative route, or vary the running order for weather and/or operational reasons.
Holiday prices
| Date (Start - End) | Itinerary | Double / Twin Room | Single Room | Notes / Offers | Trip Notes | Book | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | ||||||||
|
13 Dec - 16 Dec 2024 3 nights |
Tread Lightly Single from £405 Double from £405 pp |
from £405 pp |
from £405 |
Trip Notes
|
Book Now | |||
| 2025 | ||||||||
|
14 Feb - 17 Feb 2025 3 nights |
Tread Lightly Single from £425 Double from £425 pp |
from £425 pp |
from £425 |
Trip Notes
|
Book Now | |||
|
28 Feb - 03 Mar 2025 3 nights |
Tread Lightly Single from £425 Double from £425 pp |
from £425 pp |
from £425 |
Trip Notes
|
Book Now | |||
|
20 Jun - 23 Jun 2025 3 nights |
Tread Lightly Single from £499 Double from £499 pp |
from £499 pp |
from £499 |
Trip Notes
|
Book Now | |||
|
19 Sep - 22 Sep 2025 3 nights |
Tread Lightly Single from £499 Double from £499 pp |
from £499 pp |
from £499 |
Trip Notes
|
Book Now | |||
|
12 Dec - 15 Dec 2025 3 nights |
Tread Lightly Single from £425 Double from £425 pp |
from £425 pp |
from £425 |
Trip Notes
|
Book Now | |||
75Kg of CO₂e
Average carbon footprint per person Learn More
