MAPS : Landranger 126; Pathfinder 848
DISTANCES : 8.5 miles; shorter walk 3.25 miles
MAIN START : Alongside a lane to the right of the Church in Weston-under-Redcastle which is off the A49 about 11 miles north of Shrewsbury and nine miles south of Whitchurch. GR565288
Public Transport : Very limited bus service 514 from Shrewsbury (Sat only) calling at Weston under Redcastle; You may prefer to start from Stanton (see below)
SHORT START : From The Stanton in Stanton Upon Hine Heath, one mile west from the B5063, two miles north of Shawbury, or take the A53 from Shawbury and turn left after 2.5 miles. GR568240
Public Transport : Limited bus service X64 from Shrewsbury calling at Stanton
TERRAIN : Easy going through varying landscape with good views over North Shropshire countryside. One or two climbs but nothing too major. Sandstone features very prevalent along various sections of the walk. Suitable for any time of the year but some cropped fields or overgrown paths cannot be ruled out in summer
THE PUB : The Stanton is a friendly village free house with bar, lounge and pool room. Bar snacks and meals usually available. There is a good selection of ales including Boddingtons, Stella Artois, Heineken and Strongbow plus guest ales. Garden seating. Open Sunday lunch-time only, and every evening from 7 pm and 5 pm on Sat
If you are walking on any other day in the summer you may prefer to start from the Stanton to take advantage of evening opening.

Go to the junction and turn left along the lane away from the church and immediately left again along a minor lane signed Lee Brockhurst. You will pass a farmhouse on the left and after a further 250 yards on the brow of a hill bear left down a waymarked path between hedgerows. Continue for about a third of a mile before crossing a stile on the right into a pasture field and follow the waymark along the line of electricity poles from where, on a clear day, long distance views can be enjoyed over to the right. After the second pole bear half right to the field corner to cross a stile in a crossing fence to the right of a gate and proceed in the next field with a post and wire boundary on your right. It bends to the right, descends gradually and (be a little careful here) as it bends right again by an oak tree continue forward down into a hollow to find a stile 30 yards ahead just in front of trees bordering the A49.

Cross the stile and turn left along the verge to the main road for about 200 yards only through a newish sandstone cutting and cross carefully to turn off right under a swing gate into a wooded area. If you are following the OS map you may be a little confused at this point and wonder where the sharp left bend has gone before realising that the new cutting has taken it out. (After going under the gate you will actually walk along a section of the old road.)

About 100 yards after the gate, branch left along a sunken track around the edge of a copse which shortly emerges onto a path running between fields. On meeting a junction with a farm track bear left, then go forward when in turn this track meets the driveway up to Lee Hill Farm on the left. The way now becomes metalled and exits onto a lane opposite new bungalows in the hamlet of Lee Brockhurst. Here, turn left and cross a bridge over the River Roden to meet the A49 again but, before doing so, a diversion right is recommended to see the church and other buildings of interest. MAP REF 1

Lee Brockhurst. A charming farming hamlet mentioned in the Domesday Book and containing a number of buildings of historic importance. To the north (ie, right at the junction with the lane referred to above) is St Peters Church, a tiny twelfth century sandstone building with an unusual carved altar head depicting a scene from the last supper. The bridge over the River Roden was built in Thomas Telfords design in 1800 and, in between, is the small village green from where access is available to the National Trust's protected area of Lee Hills. There is a tableau giving details of the routes through the woods here to a splendid vantage point overlooking the countryside towards Wem. It is a winding path involving a fair bit of climbing and, whilst well worth doing, a return trip would be advisable. As you will have gathered already there is enough to see and do in this area to keep you occupied on another day. Opposite the green are the North Shropshire Hunt kennels and to the east the old forge and school.

Cross the A49 directly up a track running to the left of a dwelling. This track of sandstone bedrock is part of the Shropshire Way and gradually rises then levels out to pass to the left of a belt of mixed woodland. As you walk along here there are lovely views to the left over Top Moss and Bury Wood. Continue along the edge of the wood as the path descends on an attractive sunken stretch between sandstone outcrops, beyond which there is a good view of the Wrekin directly ahead.

About 150 yards after the end of the wood turn sharp left at a junction and a further 400 yards or so will bring you to Papermill Bridge, where you cross the River Roden again. On gaining a cottage (white painted at the time of research) continue forward along a grassy track to the left of it and negotiate the short ascent of Papermill Bank. As the ground levels out you will pass a converted cottage to meet and continue ahead along a broad driveway. After a further 150 yards or so keep a sharp lookout for a waymarked stile on your right between two oak trees. MAP REF 2

Cross the stile and follow the post and wire boundary towards trees just ahead where you will cross another stile to descend through a short section of woodland to a further stile after about 75 yards. Cross this and on meeting a farm track continue forward to the right of a tall buttressed brick wall. After 50 yards the track loops right to a farmhouse but you continue ahead over a stile still with the wall for company. Cross a waymarked fence into a field and follow the left boundary along the edge of a wood and, where the wood ends, continue the line forward across the bottom end of the field to a waymarked stile.

Now, be careful ! Cross the stile into the field and bear half left to pass just to the right of two sycamore trees aiming for an isolated beech ahead, just beyond which there is a waymarked stile in the corner of two meeting hedges. In the next (large) field keep on the same line to cross it diagonally towards the right of a group of trees on the opposite boundary close to the top right-hand corner. If the field is planted or ploughed up it may be more practical to walk around the edge to the same point. On arriving at the said point exit onto a lane and turn left to follow a zigzag course for half a mile into the village of Stanton Upon Hine Heath. On your right you can see the remains of Moreton-Corbett Castle (open to the public). On reaching a junction continue forward and follow the lane round to find The Stanton. MAP REF 3

Try not to make yourself too much at home - you are still only just over half way round. On leaving, turn left then immediately left again up a lane signed Booley and Moston. In half a mile you will pass the rear entrance to Harcourt and 125 yards or so further on there is a waymarked stone stile and fence in the hedge on your left. Cross, bearing slightly right in the field towards a wood and, on reaching it, turn right along the top edge. You pass by an old reservoir and continue the line over a stile and through a metal gate to reach and cross a driveway.

Go through a gate on the other side and proceed in a field to the left of a house and at the far side is a waymarked stile with nice views off to the right over Top Moss. Cross and press forward in the field parallel with and about 50 yards away from a wood on your left aiming towards more trees ahead. On reaching them cross a stile onto a path alongside the trees to another stile 100 yards further on leading into the wood. You now follow a pleasant track through fir trees for some 150 yards to cross another stile and continue forward passing beneath three trees to cross a stone stile before descending down steps to exit onto a lane by Moston Lodge. MAP REF 4

If you are following the short route you will bear left here, otherwise go straight ahead on a lane passing to the right of a chapel converted into a rather attractive residence bearing the date 1885. You will presently enter the rural settlement of Moston and pass Moston Grange on the right to arrive at Moston Farm which bears the somewhat unwelcoming warning sign to would be callers 'Every third traveller is shot, the second has just left'.

Opposite the end of the farm buildings on the right is a footpath sign and a stile to cross, before bearing half left to cut off the bottom corner of a field to a fence stile in the adjacent boundary. Once over this bear 80 degrees right, gradually moving away from the right hand hedged boundary, cutting off the right corner of the field to a further stile which may not be immediately visible on the opposite boundary to the right of two trees and with a wood in the background. Cross this and follow post and wire boundary which turns to hedge where you go through a gate and on to yet another stile in front of the wood.

Now turn right on a broad track running to the left of some houses with Weston Heath Coppice on your left. It will be noted that this is another sandstone rock track and you will continue on it for some time through an attractive area of mixed woodland.

After passing a long line of mature beech trees bear left at a fork to ascend yet another sunken path in a sandstone cutting. This is fairly steep but worth the effort as the surrounding woodland is wonderful, especially in the autumn when the colours are changing. At the top of the incline, branch left along a broad stone lane which continues through a sparsely populated residential area with smallholdings.

Ignore all turnings off until you arrive back at the church. This is in fact the Chapel of St Luke and built of sandstone, what else ! The nave and western tower were built in 1791 with the Hill family bearing the bulk of the cost. It was restored in 1879, the 54th year of the curacy of the Reverend John Hill, brother of the 2nd Viscount Hill and nephew of the more famous General Lord Hill. The family clearly had a major influence on local affairs for many years.

SHORTER WALK

From The Stanton at Map Ref 3, pick up the main route and follow it through to Map Ref 4 at Moston Lodge. Here turn left in front of the converted chapel along a broad track signed 'No Through Road'. After 400 yards or so you will draw level with a wood on the left, and in line with the back of it pick up the stile in the hedge between oak trees at Map Ref 2. From here follow the main route back to the pub.