Start/Finish: Minton village, SO432477 Total distance: 20km Time: 1-2.5 hours Maps: Ordnance Survey OL217 The Long Mynd & Wenlock Edge 1:25,000 Summary: It’s short but sweet and doesn’t scrimp on the fun: there might only be one up and one down, but they’re both top notch so don’t fret. Start in Church Stretton if you fancy a road spin, otherwise begin in Minton village. Pick up the singletrack road beside the phone box and head south-west to Hamperley. In Hamperley turn right at the crossroads of three roads and one track. Follow this road through to Churchmoor Farm and then through Prior’s Holt to Nut Batch, where you enter the edge of the forest. Climb steadily through the trees. The forest roads here wind gently up the contours but do alter slightly from what’s printed on the map, so take your time with navigation. As you exit at the top, go straight on to join the permissive path that skirts the landing strip — and not the bridleway that crosses it. Pass behind the gliding club’s buildings, cross the cattle grid and look to your right for the fingerpost marking the top of Minton Batch. Follow this bridleway as it leaves the grassy area and dives down through several boggy sections to become fast, smooth singletrack. This is the Minton Batch descent and it drops down the valley more or less following the river. Keep straight as you exit the singletrack onto a farm track. Once you hit the road at the end turn left to return to Minton, and then on to Church Stretton if that’s where you began.by ocoutts
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