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...what to do?
Any recommendations? I'm considering taking the bike but is there anything nearby for a pootle to stretch my legs. Any locals got the day off tomorrow and fancy showing me around?
Long Mynd? Anything closer?
Alternatively, if I don't bother with the bike any must sees, dos?
Alcohol is out of the question as I'm driving there and back 🙂
You could head over to the Wrekin and do some of the trails around there, not sure if it's much closer than the Mynd though.
Pump tracks? Lots of them around Shrews.
The Long Mynd is certainly worth checking out, but if you're limited to 3hrs max maybe Eastridge would be a better bet?
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/englandherefordshirethemarcheseastridge
3 hours gives you just about enough time to Long Mynd and back, up across and down once, if you plan your route and not hanging around.
Another option is Haughmond Hill which you can cycle to from Shrewsbury or park up there. Hardly epic biking but used to be reasonable singletrack with tracks cut into ridge although not been there for years.
Armoury for food, & that independant coffee shop opposite the castle for coffee
Take the bike to eastridge and do laps on the lordshill descents. You've got the red descent, topography, beyond the bush and yapp. All of those should see you good for an hour and a half, 20 mins each way to get there and a bit of time to spare. Can't make tomorrow or I'd have joined you.
Or you've got Haughmond to the east that you can ride out to on the old canal path or Nesscliffe to the west both of which have some nice trails on them, nesscliffe has some chunky drop offs too.
Or take your road bike and go pretty much anywhere.
Ridings not bad round here.
Go to trailhead and ogle bikes.
Say 'hi' to Brother Cadfael for me.
Grab some food at the Peach Tree, especially if they still have the molasses and ginger spare ribs on the menu.
God they were nice.
Without the bike the park and along by the river is beautiful for a stroll.
Great town. Old man and sister live there so am there quite a lot. Worth taking a couple of hours to just stroll around. Amazing old buildings, winding cobbled streets, eclectic mix of funky little shops. As Jekkyl says great walks by the river. Long Mynd is approx 25mins drive away. Park at Carding Mill, up to the top and left along the road to descend the classic Minton Batch. Back along road to Carding Mill. Easily doable in 2 hours
Is Eastridge riding again now then? I thought it'd been knackered by felling?
Lordshill area (where the best bits are) didn't get affected by the forestry works, that was the habberly side. Some of the red (car park to the top of the bastard climb) is still shut and the volunteers are working on some of the trails but it's getting there.
Have a wonder around the River/ Quarry Park, and then go to the Market Hall for lunch/coffee. The market is on the first floor of a pretty ugly 60's building (with the brick clock tower), but once you get inside the shops and cafes are excellent.
If your taking the bike it's half an hour to Church Stretton, Alan in Plush Hill Cycles will give you some good route advice and/or a map of the Long Mynd. Stiperstones above Eastridge is fantastic if you know where you are going.
I'd suggest hooking up with a local Monner to show you some routes.
There are a couple of Facebook groups for Shrewsbury Mountain Bikers. Join them - and then see who's about 🙂
When are you here?
Thanks for all the suggestions folks. Soooo glad I took the Solaris. Such an amazing day and amazing ride.
I dropped the new bike off with Lee @Invisiframe and drove to Church Stretton. I then rode the MBR published Long Mynd route. Up Cardingmill. Across the top. Down no. 7 Minton Batch. Which, quite frankly, is the business. Up no.1 FC track then retracing the road before descending no. 9 to Little Stretton and then road back.
Top stuff. There looked to be loads more options for loops both sides of the Mynd. Shropshire looks like it has loads to offer too. So, I'll be back with the new bike sometime this year. The campsite at Little Stretton looked a good base (there's a pub nearby).
Nice. Minton batch is mint. What a great day for weather you had. Any pics?
I thought about stopping and taking pics on a few I occasions, especially Minton Batch, but I was having too much fun to stop. So sorry, no pics. It was stunning though...so crappy iPhone pics would not have done it justice.