Mortimer Trail | |
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Length | 30 miles (48 km) [1] |
Location | Welsh Marches, England |
Trailheads | Ludlow 52°22′05″N2°43′01″W / 52.368°N 2.717°W Kington 52°12′18″N3°02′10″W / 52.205°N 3.036°W |
Use | Hiking |
Hiking details | |
Season | All year |
The Mortimer Trail is a waymarked long-distance footpath and recreational walk in the counties of Shropshire and Herefordshire in England.
The route is named after the Mortimer family of ruling Marcher Lords, often titled Earl of March, whose rise through successive generations from Norman times through the medieval period helped to shape the history and geography of this area of the Welsh Marches.
The route runs between Ludlow Castle, the former headquarters of the Council of the Marches and a seat of Mortimer power, and Kington, Herefordshire, in the quiet west of the county near the Welsh border.
The 30-mile (48 km) route crosses the River Teme and enters Mortimer Forest, an area of forested ridges. It passes Croft Castle and the Iron Age hill fort Croft Ambrey (not far from Wigmore and the initial seat of Mortimer power), and then passes through quiet Aymestrey. Near Aymestrey it passes through Puckhouse Wood, reputedly haunted by pucks or wood sprites. According to lore, a traveller lost in the wood at night paid a stipend for a bell to be tolled to rescue travellers from the Puck's clutches.
The path crosses the River Lugg and the River Arrow and ends in Kington. [1]
Five loop walks depart from and return to the main waymarked trail at various points along the route, enabling investigation of surrounding attractions, villages and features. The Mortimer Trail Official Route Guide [2] details these.
Offa's Dyke Path is a long-distance footpath broadly following the Wales–England border. Officially opened on 10 July 1971, by Lord Hunt, it is one of Britain's National Trails and draws walkers from throughout the world. About 60 miles (97 km) of the 177-mile (285 km) route either follows, or keeps close company with, the remnants of Offa's Dyke, an earthwork, most of which was probably constructed in the late 8th century on the orders of King Offa of Mercia.
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Kington is a market town, electoral ward and civil parish in Herefordshire, England. According to the Parish, the ward had a population of 3,240, while the 2011 Census had a population of 2,626.
Herefordshire is a county in the West Midlands of England, governed by Herefordshire Council. It is bordered by Shropshire to the north, Worcestershire to the east, Gloucestershire to the south-east, and the Welsh counties of Monmouthshire and Powys to the west.
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Croft Ambrey is an Iron Age hill fort in Herefordshire, England.
The Dublin Mountains Way is a waymarked long-distance trail in the Dublin Mountains, Counties South Dublin and Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown, Ireland. The route is approximately 42 kilometres long and runs from Shankill in the east to Tallaght in the west. It has been developed by the Dublin Mountains Partnership, an umbrella group of relevant state agencies and recreational users working to improve recreational facilities in the Dublin Mountains.
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