The spectacular view from Flounders Folly, shows the countryside of Shropshire in all its glory.

Craven Arms consisted only of a road junction, a coaching inn (the Craven Arms Hotel) and a hamlet called Newton, until the Shrewsbury and Hereford railway was built in the 1840s.

This was quickly followed by railways to Knighton, Buildwas and Bishop's Castle, turning Craven Arms into a major rail junction. The potential of this was not lost on local landowner Lord Craven, and he built a new town to take advantage of the increased trade.

The town survived and grew, but failed to take off in quite the way he had hoped, and the railways to Buildwas and Bishop's Castle were eventually dismantled. But the Hereford-Shrewsbury railway continues to thrive as part of the Cardiff to Manchester line, while the Knighton railway is now part of the scenic Heart of Wales line from Shrewsbury to Swansea.

The attractive hamlet of Newton survives too, and today it has a new neighbour in the form of the grass-roofed Secret Hills Discovery Centre, which seeks to attract tourists and walkers to unglamorous Craven Arms by capitalising on its beautiful location.

There is a huge choice of wonderful walks from Craven Arms, but this is one of the best, taking you up onto Callow Hill, at the southern end of Wenlock Edge, from where you can enjoy panoramic views extending from the Malvern Hills to Cadair Idris.

Callow Hill is topped by Flounders Folly, a tower built in 1838 by a merchant called Benjamin Flounders and later owned by the actor Julie Christie. It fell into disrepair but was beautifully restored in 2004-5 by the Flounders Folly Trust. It has 78 steps, leading to a viewing platform at the top, but because it is looked after by volunteers it is only intermittently open to the public. The dates of forthcoming open days (20th October is the next one) can be found at www.floundersfolly.org.uk but even if you go when the tower is closed you'll still enjoy glorious views from its foot and from other points along the way.

Continuing north from Callow Hill, you sample a stretch of lovely Hope Dale, which lies between the two ridges which combine to form Wenlock Edge. At the hamlet of Westhope you'll pass a small church with an idyllic setting - instead of a conventional graveyard it stands in an orchard, full of blossom and daffodils each spring.

There are large areas of access land along the route and to make the most of it you need the latest issue of Explorer 217, or you can consult the website www.countrysideaccess.

gov.uk where you'll find maps.

DIRECTIONS

1 Much of the walk follows the route of a waymarked Hills and Dales Hike (HDH) so follow signs for this into Onny Meadows. Leave the meadows at a gate and keep straight on along a track, soon crossing the River Onny at a bridge. Bear left initially, following HDH signs, then bear right across a field, keeping to the left of a brook. Continue along the edge of the next field, cross the Corvedale road and continue opposite, heading uphill into Halford Wood. Turn left at the top of the hill, pass a bench and go diagonally right down to a lane.

2 Turn right and walk through Lower Dinchope, keeping straight on at two junctions before turning right at a grassy triangle after Lower Dinchope Farm. Take to the fields again on the left and head directly towards Flounders Folly. Entering Callowhill Plantation, the path turns left initially, and then zig-zags its way almost to the top. A downhill stretch then ensues, before the ascent is resumed. Turn left at the top to Flounders Folly then continue along the open ridge-top before descending left through the trees.

3 Reaching a junction, leave the Hills and Dales Hike and turn right on a bridleway waymarked Ride UK'. This eventually descends to a track where you turn right. Keep left at another junction a little further on then go left at a Y-junction to join a lane. Turn left when you reach a sign for Dinchope, Strefford and Halford, then left again at the next junction, by Ward Farm.

4 Turn right just after Westhope church, on a lane which soon bends left and ends at a farm. Turn right on a stony track which goes back the way you've just come before entering a field. Turn left and walk to Long Coppice. Turn left, keeping close to the left edge of the wood and then straight on through adjoining Affcot Coppice. Go straight on at another junction, rejoining the Hills and Dales Hike, which soon descends right through Strefford Wood. Fork left at the next junction and left again near the bottom of the wood. Descend to a lane.

5 Turn left and then take the second path on the right, walking along the edge of Berrymill Wood before descending through fields to Halford Lodge. Turn left through Halford to the Corvedale road. Turn right and either follow the road into Craven Arms (for shops, pubs, cafés, visitor attractions and train station) or join a riverside path to Secret Hills.

PLEASE NOTE This walk has been carefully checked and the directions are believed to be accurate at the time of publication. No responsibility is accepted by either the author or publisher for errors or omissions, or for any loss, accident or injury, however caused.

FACTFILE Start: Secret Hills Centre, Ludlow Road, Craven Arms, grid ref SO435823.

Length: Eight-and-three-quarter miles/14km.

Maps: OS Explorer 217, OS Landranger 137.

Terrain: Woodland, plantation and pasture, steep in places.

Stiles: 10.

Parking: Secret Hills.

Public transport: You can go all the way by train, via Hereford, but it's astonishingly expensive; a vastly cheaper option is to go by bus to Ludlow via Kidderminster (303/292) then take a train (or bus 435, but a train is the better choice at this point) for the nine-minute journey to Craven Arms; www.traveline.org.uk or Traveline 0871 200 2233.

Refreshments: Secret Hills (café) and Craven Arms.

9:53am Monday 15th October 2007

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