As always we start on the bench by the lychgate in front of the church. Go straight ahead up Church Street towards the town. Go straight over the crossroads by the Boar’s Head, then on up the hill. Just as it starts to get steep, turn right under an ‘archway’ signed ‘Chapel Yard’. Go up the yard then go left then right into School Lane.

When you get to Station Street turn left up hill. Follow the road around to the right as it becomes Schoolhouse Lane and it will lead you out of town. You should pass the doctors’ surgery on the left, then, around the bend, the hounds’ kennel on the right.

Carefully cross the A488 and go straight up the lane opposite. After a while you will pass through the demolished bridge of the long closed Bishop’s Castle Railway. Carry on, ignoring any turns to left or right. You will now pass the horse training track. Keep on up the hill, over the top, then down the other side. You will pass a farm on the left, a turning on the right, then gates to Totterton Hall.

At the next junction keep left towards Eyton. In Eyton ignore a turning to right and one to the left and keep straight towards Plowden.

This is the only unpleasant section on any of these walks: 5 minutes along an A-road with no pavement.

Turn right on the A-489. Walk on the right hand side of the road and take great care. Just around the bend you will see a lane making a hairpin bend to the left. An impressive topiary hedge is a good landmark. Carefully cross the road and take the lane.

Follow the lane past what was once a station house for the Bishops Castle Railway, then gently up hill. In a quarter of a mile or so you will come to a cattle grid. Immediately after the grid turn off right through a gate onto a well-defined vehicle track up the mynd. You will follow this track for the next half an hour or more, all up hill, I'm afraid. Console yourself by knowing that there are no roads on this part of the mynd so you will be seeing views only available to the energetic (and the aviator).

As you will climb you will pass through several gates. Just keep following the track. Once nearly at the top the vehicle track bears right and fades out, at this point we bear left towards the main length of the mynd.

Once on the top the path is well defined so easy to follow but you will understand why it is called the Long Mynd. Eventually, just before the gliding club, the path splits. It is best to go left on the 'Starboard Trail' thus avoiding the runway.

Walk past the clubhouse and eventually you will arrive at the soaring field. I like to have my picnic here. On the right day there will be dozens of paragliders to entertain you. On the wrong day there will be none, but this means you can cheekily sit on their bench to enjoy your break.

As I started walking again a glider came in to land.

Pole Bank is the highest point on the Long Mynd, and so the highest point in the area. (My OS map says it is 3m taller than Corndon.) To get there just keep walking north along the mynd. In places you can walk on the grass parallel to the road, and at other times you will have to walk on the road. But unless you choose a Bank Holiday there will be little traffic.

Eventually you will pass Pole Cottage a car park next to a rectangular wooded area with a small building. Shortly after this turn left off the road onto a broad track leading slightly upwards. This will take you the trig point and toposcope. You can see Corndon in the distance.

This, in my opinion, is the prettiest part of the route.

Leave the trig point continuing to head north on the same track. In a couple of hundred metres you will come to a ‘crossroads’. Turn left onto another unsurfaced vehicle track. Follow this track all the way down till you reach Medlicott Cottage. Pass through the gate by the cottage and you are off the mynd and back into Shropshire farm land.

Continue along the single-lane, partly unfenced road down the hill to the hamlet of Medlicott. In the hamlet fork right. As you leave Medlicott, keep to the right down into the lovely valley. You pass several gates and walk past a ford on the right. Follow the lane up the other side of the valley and around the corner to the right at the top of the hill. Soon you will come to Coates Farm. Pass through the gate in front of the farm house and go left, then around to the right. Leave the farm past the barn on the lane down the hill.

The Bridges pub is at the end of this lane. Have a pint. You deserve it.